“I have no idea,” Iggs said, scrubbing a hand through the dark hair between his horns. “I’ve never tried anything like this before. We’ve only got three hours before we all die, though, so let’s say less than that.”
“Better make it two hours,” Lys said as Adrian finished knotting the final bandage around their shoulder. “We’ll need at least sixty minutes to walk everyone out.”
“Two it is, then,” Iggs said with a nervous breath.
“You’ll have plenty of eager help,” Desh reminded him. “Nothing like impending death to encourage cooperative spirits, and Lys has always had a special talent for making people work. If they can get off their back long enough to organize getting that chain ramp made, I’ll take a crew of wall-walking fear demons up to the ceiling and start cutting those fracture lines.”
“Bex can probably do that herself now that she’s got her fire back,” Iggs said proudly, turning to grin at his queen. “What do you say? Think you can fly up there and make us some heat fractures?”
Bex shook her head. “There’s another job I have to take care of. You all work on blasting through the ceiling. I’m going to make sure there aren’t any war demons waiting for you on the other side.”
The top of the tower went silent, and then Lys shoved themselves up off the ground. “What does that mean?”
“It means there’s an army of the fiercest warriors in the Hells waiting for us,” Bex said calmly. “You heard what Kirok said. No matter where we come up, it’s just a matter of time before War’s demons show up to kick us back down, so I’m going to make sure they’ve got something else to focus on.”
“That sounds an awful lot like you’re planning to fight them yourself,” Adrian said quietly.
“That’s exactly what I’m planning,” Bex replied, reaching back to slap her restored right hand against the sin-iron brick blocking their way. “I can’t clear this entire staircase in the time we’ve got left, but I should be able to melt a tunnel big enough for one person. I’ll work on that while the rest of you focus on the ceiling. Then, just before Iggs blows the charges, I’ll bust into the tower and get the war demon army’s attention. I’m the Coward Queen who’s been rebelling against Heaven for five thousand years. If I’m in their sights, I’m the only thing they’re going to see, so I’ll be the distraction while the rest of you evacuate into the Upper Hells. We outnumber the war demons by a lot. If they aren’t picking us off one at a time as we come up the ramp, we should be able to hold our own.”
“We can take ’em,” Iggs agreed. “But that means you’ll be fighting every soldier in the Hell of War by yourself. I’d never question your abilities—”
“Then don’t,” Bex said, scowling at the ring of worried faces. “This invasion was my idea. I warned all of you that the odds were against us, but you chose to follow me anyway, and look what we’ve accomplished! We’re closer to freeing the Hells than anyone else in history. This is what I’ve fought a hundred and ninety-eight lifetimes to achieve. I’m not going to let Gilgamesh snatch that away from us when we’re so close to the finish line.”
“It’s not a victory if you die for it!” Lys yelled, their face pale and desperate as they staggered to their feet. “I don’t care how close we are. I’m not letting you fight an entire fortress full of war demons by yourself!”
Bex’s eyes widened in surprise. Lys was normally careful never to question her decisions where others could hear. If theywere doing so now, it must mean they really thought she was going to die, but Bex wasn’t changing her mind.
“I’m the only one who can do it,” she argued. “I’m the one Heaven’s always been after. It’s the same strategy we used when we were burning down warlock houses in California, just on a bigger scale.”
“And a more lethal one,” Nemini said, her yellow eyes flashing angrily despite her neutral tone. “If the war demons have been commanded to stop us, then it’s likely their queen will be waiting up there as well. If you face her again with no sword—”
“I know,” Bex said, clenching her fists. “I know exactly how bad this is going to be, okay? But if someone doesn’t keep them occupied, the Queen of War’s army is going to fall onthem.” She pointed out the tower window at the huge crowd of demons running for the cavern walls.
“The hammer’s coming down one way or another,” she continued in a shaky voice. “My plan makes sure that it only lands on me, which is fine. I’m used to this. I’ve been dying for my people for five thousand years. Unlike all those other lives, though, this time I’ve got a chance to make my deathmatter. Even if all I do is buy enough time to get everyone out before this place floods, I’ll still have done more for demonkind than any Rebexa before me. That’s a hill I’m proud to die on, but we’reallgoing to die for nothing if we keep wasting time arguing. We’ve got a plan, so let’s get to work.”
That should’ve been the end of it, but everyone started yelling the moment she finished. The whole tower was descending into chaos when Bex cut them off.
“Am I still queen or not?”
“Of course you’re our queen,” Lys said angrily. “But that doesn’t mean—”
“This is exactly what it means,” Bex snapped, raising her hornless head. “You’re the one who taught me that a queen is nothing without her people. You’vealwayssaid that it’s my sacred duty to fight for them.”
“Because I knew you’d always come back!” Lys cried. “But that’s not true this time. This is yourlast life! If you die playing decoy, who’s going to lead us out of here?”
“She will,” Bex said, pointing at Nemini. “Youwill, along with Desh and Iggs and everyone else who helped make this possible. This is the fight weallpledged our lives to. I’m not going to be an actual Coward Queen by letting my people march into danger when I can prevent it. This is why I’m here! Ishtar made me for a lot of reasons, but protecting her children is the dutyIchose. It’s the same thing every other Rebexa died for. It’s the reason I walked into Adrian’s bonfire, and it’s why I’m not going to stop now, because this is the life where I finally get itright.”
Lys opened their mouth to keep arguing, but Bex grabbed their hand instead. “I can’t name you into obeying anymore,” she said. “But I shouldn’t have to. This has always been my duty, so let me be the hero Bex you used to tell me about. The one who kicked down your warlock’s door and set you free. This is the victory you’ve dreamed of since we met. Let me be the one to give it to you. After all,” she smiled, “haven’t you always said that I’m the one who will defeat Gilgamesh and take us back to Paradise?”
“You can’t do that if you’re dead,” Lys whispered, clutching Bex’s fingers. “I don’t want this. I’veneverwanted you to be in danger, but if this is what you feel you have to do…”
Their voice trailed off as they bowed their head. Just over Bex’s fingers at first, then further, crouching their body all the way down to the floor until their short horns were pressed against the stone at Bex’s feet.
“I honor your decision, my queen,” they whispered.
“Glad to hear it,” Bex said, reaching down to help Lys back up. “We’ve only got two hours to blast ourselves an exit, so I need everyone to get on that. I’ll stay here and work on melting through the security door. Iggs, let me know when you’re ready to blow the charges. I’ll save the last inch for then. When you hit the trigger, I’ll bust into the Upper Hells like a fireball. With any luck, they’ll blame the explosion on me and not even go looking for the rest of you until it’s too late. That’s the plan, so let’s move out.”
No one looked happy, but they did as she said, running down the tower to go do their jobs with only the occasional worried glance over their shoulders. Bex glared right back, browbeating them down the stairs until it was just her at the top of the tower with one notable exception.
