“What do you propose to do?”
I met his gaze. “What else? Go through the Elder Dimension.” I kept my voice steady despite the doubt I saw flickering in his expression. “I’ll force Marsha to open a portal. She got Joy in—she can get me in.”
“She didn’t get Joy in. She and Joy opened the portal together. You don’t know what’s waiting for you down there,” he said.
I chuckled bitterly. “Did you know what was waiting for you in hell when you went after Serenity?”
“If we go?—”
“You’re coming with me?” I kept my expression neutral, but something eased in my chest. I wouldn’t say it out loud, but having Angelo at my side changed everything. Getting Joy back became more than a possibility.
“You think you can take on the Elder Dimension by yourself?” Angelo raised an eyebrow, the hint of amusement in his voice taking the edge off the words. “Do you even know how to open the portal?”
“No,” I said bitterly. “You didn’t know how to get into hell.”
“True, but Dracula did.”
“I’ve got to try, Angelo. We can get Marsha to talk.” It wouldn’t be pleasant, but there were ways to make a witch talk. Torture wasn’t off the table—not when Joy’s life hung in the balance.
Angelo crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall. “I know. But if we go barging in there, we’ll end up captured or dead.”
Here was an interesting turn of events. Angelo being calm and I was on the brink of losing my mind again. But he had a point. Marsha was cunning, and torture didn’t always work on witches—especially ones who’d aligned themselves with Dark Demons. She might let us kill her before she talked. Or worse, she’d lie and send us into a trap.
I took a deep breath, steadying myself against the houseboat’s gentle sway. “We have to find Keir. He might know how.”
Angelo folded his arms and leaned against the wall. “Not without the Anchoring Obsidian stone.” His jaw tightened. “And we both know who has it.”
“We know Ari has it.” His name left a foul taste in my mouth. I’d been right there in that torture chamber, and I’d missed it—never saw where he kept it, missed the one thing that could have prevented all of this. “Perhaps it’s still inside the cathedral.”
He cocked his eyebrow. “You saw it when you were inside?”
I shook my head. “No, but if anyone would know where it was, Marsha would. Though she could lead us into a trap.”
“Most likely.” Angelo’s smile turned deadly. “But there are ways to avoid dark magic. A lesson Marsha will soon learn. Let’s pay that evil bitch a visit.”
Serenity shifted uncomfortably on the other couch across the room. “Angelo, she’s not exactly defenseless. Marsha’s power?—”
“Is formidable,” Angelo finished. “But Alice was Tinker Bell’s protégé. I’d wager she can handle one vindictive witch.”
Serenity looked between us. “And if she can’t?”
I stood, testing my newly strengthened legs. They held steady. “Then she buys us enough time to subdue Marsha and make her talk.”
The plan was dangerous, but right now it was the only one we had.
