“Alright.” She paused by the cluster of chairs. “Thanks.”
“So, about the cure. Is it true it’s out there? Do you know where it is?” Caim asked.
“I do.” She blew out a breath. “But you’re asking the wrong question.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
The girl plopped down in her chair and crossed one leg over the other. Lacing her fingers, she gave us a frank stare. “I suppose it’s the right question if all you care about is the cure. But if you’re here because of that, I’m guessing you aren’t happy about what the cult has been doing.”
“You could say that,” Caim said, leaning forward. “What do you know about it?”
“I know everything,” she said with a tense smile. “One of my closest friends turned against me to join them. She’s been helping them with spells. Pretty sure that’s how they figured out how to transform themselves into demons in the first place.”
“Okay.” Caim nodded. “We need to know everything you know.”
“Well, first. I don’t have the damn cure. The fae do. The ones who started a new court.” She arched her brow. “I’m assuming you heard about that.”
We both nodded.
“Good.” Her hands tensed. “They started this whole thing because they want to replace Lucifer. Now that he has his soul, he’s a terrible King of Hell, at least in their eyes. They want someone else, someone who will reign in terror. Someone who will control the hellbeasts. Something Lucifer isn’t willing to do now.”
“Heiscontrolling them,” Caim said through gritted teeth. “By keeping the hellgate shut.”
“Yeah, well.” The witch shrugged. “That’s not how they see it. Before, with the game of souls, the hellbeasts and the worst demons of the underworld were kept in check. They got what they needed to survive. Human souls. Lucifer is now depriving them of that.”
“But that’s—” I started.
“Good?” She laughed. “To us, yeah. To the fae, absolutely not. They worry that if this deprivation continues, the demons and hellbeasts will swarm the earth and kill everyone in their path.”
“But if the gate stays closed, how could that ever happen?” Caim asked with a frown. “The monsters are trapped in Hell now. They will be for eternity.”
The witch cocked her head. “Will they? I think we all know how crafty demons are. They’ll find a way to reopen that damn gate. One way or another.”
Chills swept down my spine as my heart throbbed. Could the witch be right? Even with the gate shut, could the hellbeasts on the others side still be a threat? And how did that line up with the Cult of Lilith?
“I’m pretty sure the cult wants it reopened for entirely different reasons,” she continued, as if she’d heard my thoughts. “But right now, it doesn’t matter. The fae and my old friend are helping them get what they want. And I’m pretty sure they’re going to get it.”
“I mean, this sounds stupid to me,” I couldn’t help but say. “If the fae are afraid of the hellbeasts finding a way to reopen the gate, why on earth would theyhelp them actually open it? Isn’t that the exact opposite of what they want?”
“It’s still very early days,” she answered with a shrug. “It’s been less than a year. What they’re worried about is years from now, once the hellbeasts are well and truly starved...of course, if they get what they want, they’ll still have to find a way to sacrifice some souls to keep the underworld happy. Out of everything, that’s the part that troubles me the most.”
“Thatis the thing that troubles you?” I asked with a scoff.
Her dark eyes whispered across me. “Look, I don’t agree with what they’re doing, but I sure as hell understand why. They’re trying to protect the future of this world. Problem is, they chose a terrible way to do it. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t have any better ideas.”
“I have a fantastic idea,” Caim said with a sharp grin. “Lucifer keeps the gate closed forever. No one ever enters Hell again, and no one ever leaves. Sounds great to me.”
“You should know it’s not going to be that easy forever,” the witch said flatly. “What happens if another demon destroys Lucifer? What then?”
His face paled. “I can’t say I’m the King of Hell’s biggest fan, but there is one compliment I can give him. He’s a strong, stubborn bastard. His power is legendary.”
“Mia McNally,” the witch countered, “is a human. She tricked him into restoring his soul. He isn’t infallible.”
“Mia is the reincarnation of an archangel.”
“Her soul is an angel’s, but her body is very much human. There’s a hint of power there, but it’s not much. Not enough to take down the King.”
“Wait,” I said, pushing up from the chair. After everything I’d learned tonight, my body itched to move. I suddenly understood why the witch had been pacing around. “You’re telling me that if one of those beasts down there destroys Lucifer then that gate can be reopened?”
