“If you’re finished,” the prince said tersely, “I’d appreciate it if someone could explain whatthatis.”
He pointed at the giant animal Nemini was still sliding off of.
“It’s the Bull of Ishtar,” the Queen of Pride replied as she landed on the ground. “He agreed not to kill Bex in return for getting to destroy the servants of Gilgamesh who are raiding the Blackwood.”
The bull tossed its head with a snort, and Bex turned around in Adrian’s grip to give it a scowl.
“Would you shut up?” she growled at the animal, who hadn’t said a word that Adrian had been able to hear. “I’ve already told you a million times that we’re on the same side. And speaking of, a ‘thank you’ wouldn’t be amiss. You’d still be stuck in that crypt of a city if it wasn’t for Adrian, so how about you chill on the death threats?”
The bull stomped its sharp hoof, clearly insulted. It must not have said anything too egregious, though, because Bex nodded as if that were the end of the matter.
“Thanks again for getting us an exit,” she said, wiggling out of Adrian’s arms far too quickly for his taste. “Looks like the Prince of Envy is dead.”
“He is,” Adrian said, keeping his eyes on Bex both because he loved looking at her and so that he wouldn’t have to look at the horrifying spectacle of the Prince of Envy’s bloated corpse. “But credit for that one goes to Boston. We were losing until he came in with the curse.”
“Just doing my part,” Boston said humbly, though his chest was still puffed out to maximum fluffiness. “But what’s this about a bull for the Blackwood?”
“He wants to crush the enemies of Ishtar,” Nemini explained. “Bex told him the best way to do that would be to go to your forest.”
“It would indeed,” Boston agreed, trotting over to the giant bull. “This way, comrade. I’ll direct you to the front.”
The bull’s black eyes lit up with excitement at those words. He’d been looking dangerously surly, but he followed Boston up the stairs like an eager puppy, squeezing his giant shoulders through the arched doorway at the top.
“How is your cat able to talk to the Bull of Ishtar?” Bex asked in amazement.
“Boston can talk to most things,” Adrian replied proudly. “One of the many, many reasons witches have familiars. It’s not all cat hair collecting.”
“I never doubted that for a second,” Bex assured him, reaching up to tap her comm. “Iggs, you there?”
“Bex!” the wrath demon cried in relief. “Thank Ishtar! Boston just came by with a giant bull. What in the Hells have you been doing?”
“It’s a long story,” she said. “I’ll tell you later. Right now, I need a status report. Are you still down?”
“Nope,” Iggs reported. “I got the feeling back in my legs a few minutes ago, so I hobbled out to the front hall with the others. My left arm’s still not in great shape, but I’m mostly functional. Why do you ask? Is it time to push the assault?”
“Sort of,” Bex said, looking at Adrian. “I want you to round up everyone who’s still in fighting shape and lead them back to protect the Blackwood.”
“What?” Iggs said.
“What?” Adrian cried at the same time. “Bex, no! I appreciate the gesture, but Gilgamesh is attacking the Blackwood specifically to draw troops away from his palace. If you send your demons to help us, you’ll be playing right into his hands.”
“That’s why I’m doing it,” Bex said, craning her neck back to look at the arched ceiling above them. “We needed an army to get through the front door, but we’re not actually here to occupy the palace. Ouronlytarget is Gilgamesh. Normal demons can’t survive in a fight like that, which means a big force will just get in the way and give me more to worry about. Leaving them at the bottom of the tower is a waste, though, so I’m taking a page from the Eternal King’s playbook and doing my own feint. Iggs?”
“Yeah?”
“I want you to put on a big show,” she ordered. “Round everybody up and march that bull to the rootway like you’re putting on a rodeo parade. Make sure everyone in Heaven knows that we’re pulling back to defend the Blackwood.” She turned back to Adrian. “Is Lys awake yet?”
He poked through his roots for a moment before shaking his head. “Not yet, but they can be.”
“Great,” Bex said. “Wake them up and tell them to change into me. Don’t let them actuallydoanything. Just pretend like I’m injured and falling back. We want Gilgamesh to think he’s winning.”
“But that will make all ofourpeople think we’re losing,” Iggs argued.
“Only for a few minutes,” Bex promised. “As soon as you’re back on Earth, you can tell everyone the truth. The important thing is to makeGilgameshbelieve his plan worked. If he thinks he’s a genius who successfully manipulated his enemies into falling back, he’ll lower his guard, which will make the actual assault easier when Adrian, Nemini, Leander, and I hit him from behind.”
“I see,” Iggs said thoughtfully. “That’ll be a nice fake-out if he falls for it, but can the four of you actually beat him?”
“If we can’t, then keeping the army here won’t change that,” Bex argued, reaching up to touch her new horns. “The whole point of putting on these antennas was so that I’d be strong enough to toe-to-toe it with the Traitor King, but I can’t focus on winning if I’m constantly worried about the rest of you. That’s why I’m sending you to a place Gilgamesh doesn’t control. I also really want to save the Blackwood. It’s the least we can do after all their help, so think of this as two birds with one stone.”
