her there was no way to save Piers. But did she believe him?
The sun was high overhead. Down below she could see tiny figures scurrying along the streets, hear the blare of car horns. Once, she’d desired nothing more than the chance to live a normal life among these people. Now, she accepted that would never be and she wasn’t upset at the thought.
Always before, she’d been alone, hiding what she was. This last week had shown her what it could be like to be among friends. Loved ones. Piers. She couldn’t give up on him. She pulled the chain from around her neck and rubbed at the smooth metal. It felt cool under her fingertips.
“Come,” she whispered. “Father, come to me.”
For a minute, nothing happened, and a sense of despair hit her. She didn’t know what she expected from him, but he was her only hope. Everyone else here was on Piers’ side. They wouldn’t go against him.
A mist formed in front of her and her father materialized.
“Rosamund.” His expression was guarded, and she realized he must already be aware of what Piers had done.
“You knew?” she asked.
“He came last night and told me.”
“Seems he told everyone but me,” she said, not trying to keep the bitterness from her voice.
“He knew you would ask him to stay, and he had made his decision. You should be proud. I’ve always hated Lamont, but what he has done will save countless lives.”
“We have the Key now. There has to be a way to get him back.”
“The only way he can be freed is by mortal combat. And only then if she accepts the challenge and is killed. Asmodai could maybe kill her, or perhaps even Christian. But she’d be a fool to accept a challenge from them. And Andarta is no fool—except obviously in her feelings for Lamont.”
“If we just kill her…?” Christian had told her that Piers would die along with Andarta but she wasn’t sure she believed anything anyone told her anymore.
“Any who bear her sigil will also die.”
Damn. There went that idea.
“I won’t let this happen,” she said. “I won’t just walk away and get on with my life.”
“It’s what Lamont wanted. A chance for you to find yourself. Come with me to the Faelands. Let me show you our world, our people. You could be happy there.”
“Yeah, like you’ve been
He looked away briefly. Then back to her. “No. But your mother is dead, and I blamed myself. Piers is alive, and this is not your fault.”
But she suspected that it was her fault. She suspected that Piers had done this for her, to give her the life she had never known.
“They were lovers before.” He shrugged. “Perhaps he won’t find it so unpleasant.”
“He’s not the same man he was back then.”
“I can’t help. I cannot even enter the Abyss.”
“But I can.”
She’d been before, but always with Asmodai. Somehow the rules that kept the fae out hadn’t worked against her. Was that somehow tied to her hidden powers? Now, she needed to persuade the demon to take her again. And help her find Piers and Andarta. And afterwards?
“You cannot mean to face Andarta.”
She ignored the comment and moved on to something else. “Jonas says I have power.” A wary expression entered his eyes, and she continued, “A power he doesn’t recognize, that’s been locked away. Can you help me unlock it?”
“There’s nothing. He’s mistaken.”
“No. I feel it inside me, sleeping. And sometimes I have a memory of when I was very young. You taught me how to shut something away. I know it’s not just a dream.”
“I can’t tell you anything.”
“You mean you won’t.”
“No, I can’t—not if you want to live.”
She understood then that he wouldn’t help her, and despair formed into a hard lump in her stomach. “I want to live, but not at any price.”
“I’m sorry. Now, I must leave you—I am to stand witness as the Key is destroyed.”
“They’re doing it now?”
“Soon,” he said.
“I’ll see you down there. I need some time alone to think.”
“There’s nothing to think about. Forget Lamont.”
She couldn’t do that. Shit. She was going to have to challenge Andarta, demon of death and destruction, to mortal combat. She was crazy. But she couldn’t see another way. Maybe one last time, she’d try praying.
…
She’d thought she would have to go through Shera to arrange a meeting with Asmodai, but when the elevator doors opened on the reception area, he was waiting. Of course, he was here to destroy the Key. She stepped aside, and he entered to stand beside her.
“Down,” he said.
She pressed the button. “Can I have a word with you afterward?” she asked.
“What about?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
He shrugged. “Why not? I heard about Lamont. I’m sorry.”
“You are?” That was good. Maybe he’d be more amenable to her request.
“I know what it’s like to lose someone you care about. To know he’s still alive and you can do nothing to help ease his burden.”
“Is that what happened with Tara’s mother?”
“I was banished to the Abyss after the last demon wars. She couldn’t follow, and she wouldn’t go home for fear of what they would do to her child. She perished making sure Tara was safe.”
“Well, I’m sorry as well, then. We’re a sorry pair, aren’t we?”
He nodded as the doors opened.
They found Christian with Tara in Piers’ old office, both studiously ignoring her father. Obviously neither of them had forgiven him for nearly killing Tara.
Christian didn’t make small talk, just handed the Key to Asmodai.
The demon wrapped his fingers around the metal, held it in his fist. “So much power.”
“Do it,” Christian said.
Asmodai appeared to weigh it up for a moment then glanced across at Tara. “You know, this is the one thing that could have saved your mother.”
“What? How?” Roz could hear the shock in Tara’s voice.
“She perished because she couldn’t enter the Abyss. When it was clear the war was over, I went to find this, to give it to her. I was on my way to the convent when I was taken and banished. With the Key, Lillian would have been able to follow me. I could have protected her, kept her safe, kept you both safe.”
The Walker rose to his feet. “It must be destroyed.”
“Why?” Asmodai said. “The Key has great power, but it’s not intrinsically evil.”
“You think we’ll let you keep it?”
“No. And I have no more use for the thing.” He took a step toward the other man and held out the Key. “It was only ever the fae who demanded it be destroyed. But perhaps instead, you can keep it safe, and maybe one day it may be used for good rather than evil.”
“You aren’t worried the fae will invade the Abyss?”
Asmodai grinned. “No—you’re welcome. But just make sure you call before you drop in.”
The Walker turned to Christian. “And the Order will allow this?”
