“So, what’s going on?”
Nathan Accardi stepped forward. Nicolas had always liked him. He’d been a kind and fair paladin, confident in his own convictions and always ready to lend a helping hand. That he stood shoulder to shoulder with demons now was a point in favor of the demons, in Nicolas’s opinion.
“We have two teenagers who come here often. Angela and Zachary Alvarez. She’s fifteen, he’s eighteen. They train with us, even patrol with us sometimes. They’re like family. And Commander Sloan has had them kidnapped.”
Shock stole Nicolas’s words. It was a struggle to find his voice. “W-What?”
“We don’t think they’re being kept at HQ—in fact, Sloan said as much. All he told us was that they’re in a secure location, and we won’t see them again until we kill the demonthat’s been killing paladins.” Nathan gestured to Nicolas’s side. “Ashmedai, the sin eater.”
“Oh, I’m pretty sure he knows who and what Ashmedai is, Nate,” said the black-eyed demon in the leather jacket.
Nicolas’s face burned. They all knew, didn’t they? Right away.
Nathan glanced between them for the first time. He hadn’t seen them come out of the closet together—oh God, theycame out of the closet together. That was more ironic than he wanted to admit.
“Um.” He shifted his weight, at a loss for words.
Beside him, Ashmedai growled. It was louder and deeper than when it was just the two of them. This wasn’t a noise of contentment. It was a warning.
The black-eyed one rolled his eyes. “Don’t get all territorial.”
“You started it, Talon,” Alex teased, elbowing him.
“Oh,you’rethe human,” Julian said, brightening. “We knew Ashmedai had found someone, but he didn’t say who. I had no idea.”
“It’s, uh—new,” Nicolas said. “And confusing. And not at all what I’m here to discuss.”
“Right, right, sorry. Wecandiscuss it later, though, if you want,” Julian added, giving Nicolas a serious nod to let him know he meant it.
It might actually help a lot to talk to someone who’d been through this already. Julian might be able to answer some of his questions about what this meant, and what his options were going forward.
He cleared his throat. That was for later. Right now he needed to focus. “Okay, so, kids.” He winced. “I’m really sorry, but I haven’t heard anything.”
Nathan got them back on track. “We tried to check the location of Zach’s phone, since that’s how we spoke to Sloan, but it’s turned off. Besides, if Sloan has it, it’s probably at HQ and wouldn’t help us find the kids. Valac also tried a tracking spell, but the magic was blocked by some kind of magical warding.”
“Magicalwarding?” Nicolas repeated. “Sloan is using magic to hide them?” Magic was strictly forbidden at HQ. It wouldn’t be the worst thing Sloan had done, but it was still hypocritical.
Nathan inclined his head. “That’s what it sounds like. Reaching out to you was our last hope. Have you heard anything at all?”
Nicolas sagged. “No, I’m sorry. I really wish I could tell you something. I’m not exactly in Sloan’s inner circle these days.” The weight of the last two days was visible in the curve of his shoulders, and he wiped a hand down his face to hide the emotion he knew was evident.
Grimly, Nathan asked, “How bad is it there now?”
The sermon rang in his ears, the same one they played every hour now. Without thinking, he recited it, his tone blank. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. If anyone knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery; witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, dissensions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” He blew out an exhausted breath. “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” He crossed himself, flicking his fingers toward the sky with a dismissive air.
Silence followed, and then Talon said, “What the fuck?”
Nicolas snorted. “Sorry, I should have explained first. That’s their new favorite sermon. It plays over the loudspeakers every hour.”
“Everyhour? Jesus,” Luke murmured.
“They use the cleansing post almost daily. Anyone who disagrees with the party line, does anything they deem sinful, must be cleansed.” His eyes met Julian’s. “I’m sure you all know what that means.”
Ashmedai rattled out a growl, laying a hand on the back of Nicolas’s neck. The prick of his claws was surprisingly comforting.
“You?” Julian whispered, horrified.
Nicolas gripped the bottom hem of his shirt, worrying at it. “Sloan said I was either a coward for letting my squad be killed or… compromised somehow. So yeah, I was cleansed. Twelve lashes yesterday morning. Not the worst I’ve seen. Hell, Maxwell had twenty when he found you mentally sound and let you leave.”
