“I really don’t think yer do, though, as yer seriously have no idea who we are dealing with here!” he snapped back, making me fold my arms and glare down at him.
“Yes, well, may I suggest we concentrate our efforts on getting the fuck out of here and save the blame game for later, yeah?”
He huffed at that and glanced at the door Oblivion had disappeared through, his shoulders tightening.
“Yer walked straight into the spider’s web and then stood there wondering why yer stuck. But yeah, sure, let’s ignore that little fuckery muck on yer part and focus on getting our asses in the clear.”
I gave him my best sarcastic smile back which at this point was, no doubt, half grimace.
“Great! Good plan, but may I suggest we hurry the fuck up with the getting our asses out of here part?”
“Gladly, girly, fucking gladly,” he snapped, now walking around the room as if hoping for an escape route to just pop out at himlike a big flashing neon light.
Meanwhile, I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly cold despite the lingering heat in the room.
“Who is he, Bo?” I asked, the question slipping out before I could stop it, my words quiet and fearful, making him sigh after I admitted, “I thought he was just… I don’t know… Some club owner. A powerful warlock, maybe. Someone that could be dangerous to the wrong people, sure, but not…” I gestured helplessly at the space around us,
“This.”
Bo stared at me like I’d just admitted I’d wandered into traffic because I liked the color of the cars.
“Eeeliza,”he said slowly, like he was choosing each letter of my name with care. “That man isn’t just dangerous. He’s one of the most powerful beings in Hell.”
The words landed like a physical blow.
I staggered back a step, my shoulder hitting the edge of the shelving behind me with a dull thud.
“You’re… you’re joking, please… tell me you’re joking,”I whispered, even as every instinct I possessed screamed that he wasn’t.
He huffed a humorless laugh.
“Fuck, but I wish I was, but no, because I never joke about things that can kill me…” Bo replied sharply before adding in a careful whisper,
“…Or anything that can kill yer.”
My breath came fast and shallow now, my pulse roaring in my ears.
“Then why am I still alive?”
Bo’s mouth tightened.
“Fuck if I know, maybe he just enjoys the entertainment, or maybe he just hasn’t decided what to do with yer yet.”
The thought made my stomach twist violently.
“And you?” I asked.
“What happens to you if he finds out you’re here?”
Bo’s jaw clenched.
“I get sent back,” he said quietly.
“Or worse,” he added, making me flinch, the weight of that word settling heavily between us.
Because I had done this. Had put us in this situation, all because I had been determined to solve a problem. But now, by trying to solve one, I had unknowingly caused I didn’t know how many!
“I didn’t mean for this to happen,” I said, the words tumbling out as panic clawed its way up my throat.
