She gave me a two-week rundown of the plans as we swept down the stairs, but Vyra stopped dead halfway down. “Who is that?” she asked, her eyes narrowed.
I followed her gaze. Haru was back on the arena floor, training with wooden swords against a Chainling.
“That’s Haru Sakai. Lucifer knows him from the Consortium.” I glanced up at my friend. “He’s already been instructed in very clear terms that he’s to keep his hands to himself. Crystal clear. I practically spelled it out.”
“He’s a fox,” she muttered. “They’re trouble.”
“Well, he might be trouble, but he’s also going to make sure this place stays safe for you while I’m gone.” We both watched Haru dance around his opponent without breaking a sweat. “Better to have a trickster on your side, isn’t it?”
Haru looked up at us, apparently having felt eyes on him. He grinned at me, but the sly expression faltered at the sight of Vyra. The succubus raised her chin in the air.
“As long as he doesn’t interfere with my planning or get underfoot- which he probably will- I’m sure I can tolerate him.”
I hooked my arm through hers and we descended the rest of the way. “I just want him here to protect you,” I said quietly. “Belial will be around, but I want you to feel safe.”
Vyra patted my arm. “I’ll be fine, Melisande. I have to be fine.”
She said the last part so quietly I was sure I wasn’t supposed to hear it.
Lucifer strode into the arena and his silver gaze found me instantly. “Preparations are done. Stay safe, Vyra. Keep to the arena.”
He kissed the back of her hand and Vyra sighed. “I’m not made of porcelain.”
“Girl, same,” I muttered, and hugged her hard. “The Chainlings will keep everyone from killing each other. Feel free to make Haru scrub dishes or something to prove his worth.”
“Oh, I might,” Vyra said, smiling. She waved as we walked out, and I glanced back once to see Haru already creeping up on her, his ears pricked up.
He was in for a shock if he tried to fuck with her. I had no doubt she’d sit his ass down and paint every one of his claws until he was begging for mercy.
Lucifer handed me a cloak. “Wear this until we’re outside the city.”
I draped it around my shoulders, covering my wings, and he fastened the silver clasp under my throat. It completely obscured the leather outfit Azazel had made for me, which seemed like a wiser choice than a pretty dress for this sort of travel.
Tascius was waiting for us in the stables. Instead of taking Capheira, who seemed perfectly happy to stay behind and spend her days wading in a lily pond and chopping down the gardens, Lucifer had gone out late last night and come back with two horses.
One was small enough for me to ride, with a snowy-white body and a silky black mane and tail. The other, for Tascius, was enormous, and there was an odd sheen to its green hide that spoke of aquatic origins.
I gave Capheira her daily sugar lump and stroked her nose before Tascius lifted me on the white horse. “These ones are accustomed to the heat outside,” he said. “I doubt your Capheira would like it.”
“She’d hate it,” I said. It felt odd to be riding a new horse that wasn’t my ghostly, lightning-filled mount. “I want to see Belial before we go.”
“Azazel will meet us outside the gates of Dis.” Lucifer had eschewed riding a horse entirely. He helped Tascius attach saddlebags to the green horse’s saddle. “We can pass through the Brightside on the way.”
I held back a sigh of relief. I’d been sure that someone would tell me no, that I should push Belial to the back of my mind, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave the city without seeing him.
Lucifer took my horse’s reins and led her out into the twilight, with Tascius behind us. I waved towards the arena’s open door, catching a glint of silvery hair in the darkness, and hoped Vyra would be okay.
Of course she’ll be okay, I told myself. She’s armed with nail polish and ten thousand types of glitter.
I tried not to fidget in the saddle all the way to the Brightside, and when the dark crown of Belial’s arena came into view, my hands were suddenly clammy.
But the banners were rolled up. We paused in the shadow of the building, and I caught the eye of an imp. “Is your Master home?”
The little demon chittered in some unrecognizable language, but the emphatic shake of his head told me what I needed to know. The imp pointed one tiny claw, aiming up the thoroughfare to the gates of Dis.
I bit my lip, disappointed, but Lucifer stroked my thigh. “We’ll find him,” he promised. His gold hair caught the light like fire as he led my new horse past the arena. “We won’t leave until you do.”
We made it up to First Circle without comment, though Lucifer himself stood out in the crowd. In the upper Circles, the streets were crowded marketplaces, packed with demons of every stripe, and our presence blended in better than in the lower levels, but no one could miss the Prince of Dis walking among them.
When we trotted out through the massive gates, a swirl of shadow appeared and Azazel took form.
“Melisande,” he said, reaching up to touch my hand. I gripped his fingers and looked out at the wasteland of black sand before us.
“I’m embarrassed to admit I have no idea which way is north,” I said.
“We’ll cut around the city.” Azazel went to Lucifer’s side, and the two led the way into the desert. “Once we’re through the pass and near the Styx, the climate will be much more tolerable.”
Tascius steered his green horse to ride alongside me, and I smiled up at him before unclasping my cloak and shoving it in a saddlebag. It felt nice
