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Still don’t know how I feel about that guy, but he’s here and he’s helping my brother, so I guess he’s okay. I do catch him giving my brother weird looks though, kind of like he wants to eat him… I’m pretty sure he’s not a demon, he doesn’t really look like one. I guess he could be a vampire, it’s fitting to how he looks, but he isn’t acting like a vampire. He hasn’t turned into a bat or said “I vant to suck your blood” in a cheesy Transylvanian accent.
We keep trudging along, Rae not saying a word as we walk through literal hell. This is terrible for so many reasons. Not only the heat, or the dryness, or the hunger and thirst, but my husband is waiting for me… no doubt looking for me at this point. It’s been days. Days!
Why did I decide coming along on this trip was a good idea? I have a comfortable bed, cool air, and actual food. Real food! Not many people get that down here, but I did and I left it all.
Okay, I didn’t really have much of a choice, since Rae threw me over his shoulder and started running, that giant corn on the cob chasing him, but still. I could have fought a little harder. But something in me knew that going with Rae was right, even though it didn’t make sense. Still doesn’t.
“It isn’t much further,” Rae says after another week of walking. Okay, not a week. Maybe like ten minutes.
“I think you said that a month ago,” I comment.
“Stop being dramatic, Azizia,” Rae says.
I pout, not bothering to say anything.
Looking ahead as we walk, I don’t see anything. It’s just open space. There’s nothing there, so how can it be “not much further”?
I learn how a few moments later, when things start to appear. Because yeah, that’s how hell works sometimes. You think you’re in the middle of nothing when everything is really close. Everything down here plays tricks on you, messes with your head, does whatever it can to make you feel like you’re crazy. Which I am starting to think because I still can’t figure out why I chose this over my castle.
“See, told you,” Rae says more gently, taking my hand. It’s too hot to hold his hand, but I don’t say that. He’s my brother and I love him, so I’ll suffer through it.
We get into the town, demons of all types walking up and down the roads. Not all demons get to work, but those who do are lucky. Working in the towns is the better of the jobs around here, even if they don’t get paid for it. This is hell, there are no good things down here. They don’t get paid for working. They get nothing for working, other than another day to live. Which plenty of days seems more like a burden than anything.
“Xadrian is going to be so mad,” I mutter.
“Don’t give a fuck,” Rae answers.
“Of course not. You don’t have to go home to him.”
“Neither do you.”
“Yes, I do, Rae. He’s my husband and I lo—”
“Don’t you dare say it,” he says, coming to a stop and yanking on my arm. He gets close, tilting his head down so he’s looming over me. “Do not say what I think you were going to say.”
I grit my teeth and hold my chin higher.
“Hey, is that the place?” Corn cob says.
I don’t look away from Rae, until he closes his eyes and shakes his head. He looks at where Silo is staring and then nods. When he moves forward, dropping my hand, I see the place they’re both looking at. It’s a small building with a sign on the front that says MAGIC, and it’s falling apart like most of the other buildings around here. All of them are crumbling and will eventually just give out, probably trapping some demons in the meanwhile. They won’t die, they’ll just sit under the rubble and suffer until the business owners find time to get them fixed. Happens all the time.
When we reach it, Rae yanks the door open and we step inside. It smells like old cheese and dirty socks.
“I need to see Valek,” Rae says when he reaches the man toward the back. The building is empty, outside of the desk and the man sitting behind it. His feet are up on the desk, crossed at the ankle. There’s pebbles and dirt all over, as if it’s used for nothing more than a foot rest. There is one door behind him, but that’s it. No windows in here, no decorations, nothing for entertainment. That’s Hell for you.
“Not here,” the guy says, leaning forward to pick a scab from his leg.
“Yes he is,” my brother says. “Tell him Azrael is here.”
The guy slow blinks and looks up at Rae. “Said he ain’t here.”
Rae leans forward, grabbing the guy by the dingy shirt, and grits out, “And I said yes he fucking is. So take your grimy ass through that door and go fucking get him.”
Rae shoves his so hard he falls off his chair, landing on the floor with a thud.
I look at Silo with raised brows. My brother is a jerk, he can be mean, he’s a freaking demon, so it makes sense. But this was something new. Much worse than I’ve seen him in a long time.
I expect to see a similar look of concern coming from Silo, but he only has a smirk on his face, and that’s… weird.
