Page 68 of A Serpent in the Garden

The demon looked like he was swallowing back some sort of reaction, trying to master himself. “It’s you?” he said, his voice throbbing as he moved closer.

It was unnerving, watching him advance with a weapon in hand, well over a foot taller than me and unsteady with emotion. “Yes,” I said, since It hadn’t chimed in. “He’s here.”

He looked like he was trying to see beyond me, squinting into my eyes, and I felt It give himself a little shake and rise in his cell. Can I talk to him? he asked, a cold whisper of suggestion tingling beneath my skin.

Of course, it’s your brother.

And I was thrown into his vacated cell in a blink. My face broke into a smile. The demon enfolded me in his arms hard enough to make something in my back give a nauseating crack.

“Shit.” The demon pulled back, hands in a useless flutter about my shoulders. “Did I break it?”

“Her,” It admonished.

The demon flicked a hand as if to say same thing. He ducked his head, peering into my face as though I were livestock he was considering purchasing. “At least you got a pretty one. Think how much worse you could have had it. You might have gotten an old man. Your balls would hang to your knees.” The demon paused, debating, a thoughtful look on his face. A sharp, opalescent incisor needled his ripe bottom lip. “Is that better or worse than not having any?”

“A question for the philosophers,” It said.

“We can head down to Flame and ask one.”

I felt my head shake. “She wouldn’t like Flame. You didn’t hurt the guard, did you?”

The demon gave an unconcerned jerk of the head. “He’ll live. It would have gone easier if he’d been reasonable. I’ve got one of the Fury novices on the door in security armor. Nobody will know the difference if they’re just passing by. I was on my way into the pits when Riquin came to tell me you were home.”

“I saw him in the antechamber when we first got here. It took six guards to hold him back.”

“How did you even make it home?” The demon was weighing one of my arms now, an eyebrow quirking as if he didn’t think much of its heft.

“She grew weary of my company. Was willing to die to get rid of me.”

Its brother ducked his head again, as if trying to find my shape in the dark room I stood in. “I understand completely.”

His name is Valic. An unearthly echo framed Its words. He’s a little older than me, works in Fury. Thinks he’s very amusing.

“And was your mother pleased to see you?” Valic dropped onto the bed, dust exploding everywhere beneath his weight.

“So pleased.” It sank down beside him. “I thought she’d burst with emotion. Can you get us out of here?”

“What are you talking about? You just got back.”

“I don’t want to leave Hell, I want out of this room. I told her,”—he gestured to himself, to me, flapping a hand near my chest—“I wanted to show her something when we got here.”

“You’d better hope the ice queen doesn’t find out.” Valic reclined on his elbows, eyes narrowing into rain-gray slits. “You’re supposed to have learned your lesson.”

“I will never learn that lesson,” It spat, quick and angry.

“You’d better learn to fake it or she’ll never let you out.” Valic paused, staring up at me in a way that made me wonder what my eyes looked like; my face felt quite free of any expression. “Where did you want to go?”

“I want to find someone. He’ll be in Fang or Fury but I’m not sure which. John Dale, have you seen him in the pits?”

I collapsed on the floor of my mind, sighing. Whether he was here or not, I didn’t want to see him tortured. I don’t care about John Dale, I said into my hands. It didn’t answer, though I could tell he did not believe me in the slightest.

Valic’s eyes flicked out of focus. “When have I ever learned their names?”

“Balding, big gut. Watery little rat eyes, blue.”

Still Valic’s face was blank. “That doesn’t really narrow it down.”

“Then take us there and I’ll look for myself. He tried to attack her and she thought I was a monster for killing him.” He said it as if it were something ridiculous, like he’d been unjustly chastised.