As the woman rambled, a phrase registered in Rui’s mind.
The King of theFourthCourt.
At least she knew where she was. But why wasZizihere? If Four’s soul had overpowered his, then the ritual wouldn’t have worked, would it? Their connection would have been lost. Since Ruiwashere, did it mean that Zizi was all right? She didn’t dare to get her hopes up. The woman in the suit had mentioned a map. It would make navigating the underworld much easier if she could get her hands on it.
The woman stared at her tablet and squinted at Rui. “Hmm... you don’t match the photograph on file. Cosmetic surgery in the mortal world doesn’t carry over to the underworld. Your soul’s face should be your birth face.”
“The other girl asked for a transfer because she was too scared to join the Inner Court, and I volunteered to replace her,” Rui said earnestly. “Figured it would be a good upgrade from my previous job. I mean, look at this place, and look at what I’m wearing.” Letting out a cheesy laugh, she pointed at her worn jeans and old sweater.
Rui’s lie went down smoothly, and the woman’s smile stretched wider—and a little prouder. “I can see why working in the Inner Court sounds intimidating, but the perks are wonderful,especially now that our true King is back.” She lowered her voice. “We were so terrified of the Tenth King when he was regent, but thank the Elder Gods, everything’s back to normal, more or less.”
Our true King isback?What did that mean? And who were the Elder Gods? Rui hid her bewilderment. The woman seemed nice enough. More importantly, she seemed willing to talk, which made her a valuable source of information.
Putting on her best conspiratorial voice, Rui said, “Are things really back to normal?”
The woman hesitated. “I mean, now that all ten of them are present, I’m sure the Kings will handle the Nothing and get rid of it eventually.”
Eventually...Madam Meng wasn’t lying. The Nothing was still de-stabilizing the underworld, and it was affecting the mortal realm too. Time was of the essence; Rui had to work quickly to gain this woman’s trust and get passage around the Courts.
“Speaking of the Kings,” she whispered, “I shouldn’t be telling anyone this on my first day here, but there’s a rumor in the Tenth Court that Ten isn’t a natural blond—that little immortal bitch has to use his powers to maintain his beautiful flaxen locks.”
The young woman’s eyes lit up, and Rui could almost see her brain sparking from this delicious piece of gossip. The audacity to call a King of Hell alittle bitch... It impressed her.
“P-please don’t tell anyone I said that,” Rui stammered, pretending to be anxious. “I got carried away.”
“Don’t worry, everyoneloathesthe Tenth King.” The young woman steepled her hands over her head. “This is a cone of silence. I won’t tell anyone. I’m Lyn, by the way.”
Rui grinned back. “I’m Darcy.”
“That’s a cute name.” Lyn tapped her touchscreen. “I refreshed the file, but I still don’t have the updated details of your transfer yet.”
“I bet they’re upgrading the system again and there was a glitch, but they’re pretending everything is fine as usual.” Rui rolled her eyes dramatically. “They never tell you anything, do they? But if anything goes wrong,youget the blame. It’s so unfair.”
Nodding enthusiastically, Lyn tucked her tablet under her arm in a way that suggested she wasn’t concerned about the discrepancy anymore and she’d simply accepted Rui was who she said she was. Rui’s gamble had paid off. A shared frustration toward corporate bureaucracy and the intimacyof gossip-bonding were indeed powerful tools. The fact that things in the afterlife were so similar to the mortal realm made it exactly what it was supposed to be:Hell.
Just then, the door to their right opened with a bang. An older man stuck his head out. He was dressed in a navy suit similar to Lyn’s. His gelled-back hair showed signs of unraveling, and he was visibly stressed. “Lyn! Where’s the food from the mortal realm? He wants it now.”
“Didn’t he just eat? How can he be hungry already?” Lyn exclaimed. “The sushi just arrived. Where is he?”
Rui stifled a gasp. She knew a mage who loved sushi.
“He’s still in a meeting with the Reapers,” the man said, wiping his sweaty forehead with a handkerchief. “He barely touched the food from earlier, and Chef is pitching a fit because he won’t eat her dishes. All he wants is food from the mortal realm. It’s a bad habit he must’ve picked up. Don’t you find that strange? Does he seem a little unwell to you?”
“Shhh!” Lyn kicked the door behind him closed. “Our King has been through a lot. Let’s not speculate about his well-being.”
The man gave Rui a slimy once-over. “Is this the new attendant? She canservehim—maybe that pretty face will make him forget his human food cravings.”
Rui wanted to yell at the man, but Lyn got there first. “Excuse me?OurKing is respectable. Remember what we talked about, Raymond? We don’t say things like that here. The Fourth Court has guidelines for a welcoming and inclusive work environment—don’t make me talk to HR about your poor attitude,” she threatened.
Raymond rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Sorry about that,” he said to Rui, who forced a weak smile. “But weareshorthanded, Lyn, and she’s already here. At the very least, she can take the food to him.”
“I can do it,” Rui said. It was the easiest way to catch a glimpse of the Fourth King. If he was Zizi, she could whisk him away from this place. Ifhe wasn’t Zizi, then Madam Meng’s ritual had truly gone sideways, and she’d have to find a way to get to the dungeon.
There was a third possibility, one she didn’t want to contemplate: Zizi’s soul might have been absorbed by Four, and Zizi was already dead.
“I can do it,” she repeated. “It’s not a big deal. I’m just bringing food to the throne room.”
Lyn and Raymond swapped nervous looks.
