The skelleins all looked alike with their skull faces and empty eye sockets. I didn’t know the names of most of the other skelleins, as they rarely shared them, but they could be told apart by their distinctive accessories or clothing. They all wore swords and flasks, but they often pilfered clothes wherever they could find them. Right now, Lix sported a black bow tie with yellow ducks on it, along with a green belt looped around his hip bones. The skelleins often donned ridiculous apparel, but I liked their jovial, blood-thirstypersonalities.
“We expected them to gather as many of Lucifer’s followers and seal creatures as they could,” Corson said. “Many of those imprisoned behind the seals will resent their time there. They’ll be looking for vengeance, and the angels will offer the possibility of thattothem.”
“Yes,” Raphael replied, “there are many craetonsthere.”
“And we will kill them all,”Shaxsaid.
Aside from Corson, Shax was the demon I’d spent the most time with. I’d first encountered Shax with Kobal and Bale when I’d tried to kill them before following them to the gateway. Kobal and Bale had been in Hell with Corson, River, and Hawk when I’d arrived at the gateway. Shax had remained on Earth with some of the others. Shax hadn’t been thrilled to see me again, but Erin and Vargas convinced him not to kill me outright. He’d continued to distrust me, but I’d gotten to know him better while we werethere.
Out of all the demons, Shax was the most human looking. He was six inches taller than me and at least two hundred pounds of solid muscle. His golden blond hair waved around his handsome face. The only thing marking him as something other than human were his sunflowercoloredeyes.
“There are not enough of us to take on what I saw at the gateway,” Raphael replied. “At least notrightnow.”
“How many are there?” Shaxasked.
“A fewhundred.”
Corson’s nostrils flared as he looked at me. “There are that many near us now?” hedemanded.
“Yes,” Raphaelreplied.
“We have to move out of here,” Bale said. “We can’t face that many and survive with our numbers, and we can’t get in contact with any of the other groups to bring them here now that Malorickisdead.”
“That is not the worst of it,”Raphaelsaid.
“There’s something worse than that?” Magnus asked, no longer looking so bored with theconversation.
“Yes.” Raphael’s eyes went to the sky again. I followed his gaze to search for black wingsoverhead.
“What is it?” Caiminquired.
“Astaroth appears to be leading the craetons now,”Raphaelsaid.
Caim grimaced before speaking. “Yes, I can see that. Not a wise choice on the part of the fallen, but few could attempt to fill Lucifer’s place, and Astaroth is one ofthefew.”
“Who is Astaroth?” Erinasked.
“He is one of the fallen,” Caim replied. “He is not as powerful as Lucifer, but he can readminds.”
“Oh shit,” Hawkmuttered.
“He cannot randomly read a mind,” Caim said. “He must be focused on an individual todoso.”
“I’d prefer not to have my mind read no matter what he has to do. There’s not much up here”—Hawk tapped the side of his head as spoke—“butit’smine.”
“I agree, there’s not much up there,”Magnussaid.
Hawk gave him thefinger.
“Astaroth can also astral project,” Caimcontinued.
“What do you mean by astral project?” Vargasasked.
“He can split himself in two and control the mimicry of himself,” Caimexplained.
“Ay dios mio.” Vargas pulled the cross hanging from his necklace out from under his shirt tokissit.
“He doesn’t do it often,” Caim continued. “The mimicry can’t be killed, but it can be wounded, and he feels thoseinjuries.”
