“Okay,” I said. “Look, it’s not like I’ll be leaving anytime soon, anyway. I came here for my father, first and foremost. I’m willing to hang around for a while and see if I can get my inner demon to come out and play a bit more. But I need to know that you’re willing to take me on in a soul-bond if it ever comes to that.”
“I have no objection, should it truly become necessary.” Nigellus gestured me toward the cave entrance and the waiting guards beyond. “I cannot stay for very long, but I’ll get you settled and introduce you to someone who can reach me with a message if need be.”
The logistics of contacting someone across realms made me glance again at the phone Nigellus was using to light my way along the uneven stone floor. I gestured to it.
“No cell phone service in Hell, then?” I asked. “Shocking. Next you’ll be telling me that the only internet connections are dial-up. Honestly, though, I’m more interested in the fact that the flashlight app still works. Dhuinne fried my phone the moment I tried to power it up.”
Nigellus let out a quiet breath of amusement. “No—while the denizens of Hell aren’t big on the sort of technology that so fascinates humans, there’s nothing inherently hostile to technology here. Any device brought from Earth will work, mechanically and electronically speaking. Though as you’ve correctly guessed, no carrier waves or cell phone towers exist here—and you will run into a serious challenge once the battery dies.”
We emerged from the cave into a strange and wonderful landscape. I blinked as the light hit my eyes. An impression of orange and ochre with lots of rocks and not much in the way of vegetation registered in my awareness. I would have stared at it longer if it weren’t for the two hulking figures flanking the entrance, one on each side.
They were demons.
Which sounded like a stupid thing to be thinking, given that I was in Hell. But they were demon demons, with the horns and the red, leathery skin and the giant freaking bat wings. I gaped at them like a half-wit.
Holy. Fuck.
SEVENTEEN
I MADE SOME KIND of ridiculous and embarrassing noise—the kind a mouse makes right before a cat pounces on it, or that a rabbit makes, right before the hawk’s talons close around it. In a sudden panic, I whirled around, expecting to find that Nigellus had transformed into childhood nightmare-fodder as well.
He hadn’t.
The guards looked at me quizzically, not making any threatening moves, and I made a concerted effort to get my shit together. They were demons. Okay. If Fae used glamour to pass as human on Earth, why the heck should they be any different?
“Sorry,” I squeaked, and cleared my throat before continuing in a more normal tone. “Wings and horns. Should’ve seen that coming. Totally didn’t. No offense intended.”
I wondered if Nigellus had failed to mention this little tidbit because he thought it would be funny to see me lose my shit, or because he assumed I wasn’t dim enough to expect demons in Hell to look human.
“Guards, this is Zorah,” Nigellus said, as though my faux pas had never happened. “She is my guest. She is also demonkin, and therefore free to come and go as she pleases.”
One of the guards nodded. “Oh, so you’re that one, eh? There’s been a lot of chatter about you the last few days. Well, you know what they say—welcome to Hell.”
I made myself hold his gaze. “Thanks. And sorry again about freaking out on you. Wings and horns are awesome. Seriously.”
The guards looked more amused than anything—fortunately for me, since I was pretty sure either one of them could squash me like a bug. I also had a feeling that Nigellus was smirking at me on the inside, even if he was too practiced at the whole suave and sophisticated routine to show it openly.
“Do I get a look at your wings while we’re here?” I asked him, genuinely curious. With the shock wearing off, I could appreciate the demons’ appearance for what it was. Wings and horns really were kind of awesome.
Nigellus quirked an eyebrow at me. “Perhaps another time. The transformation is hard on one’s tailoring.”
“I just bet.” With a deep breath, I turned back to the desolate landscape beyond the cave. “Okay, now that we’re here, where can I find my father?”
“He will be residing in the human settlement,” Nigellus said, pointing toward a collection of distant structures tucked in a valley some distance away. “Normally, I would transport us there directly. But the walk to get there is not unpleasant, and it will give you a chance to look around your other home.”
I nodded, not sure how I felt about thinking of this place as home. Regardless, it was a good suggestion, especially since I’d need to know the way back to this cave so I could test my ability to get through the gate on my own.
“Fair day to you then, Nigellus. Zorah,” said the more talkative of the two guards.
I waggled my fingers in an awkward wave. “Thanks. Um, see you around, I guess.”
Nigellus acknowledged the pair with a nod, and we started down the trail leading from the cave toward the settlement. Hell looked similar to pictures I’d seen of desert areas in the southwest, if Arizona or New Mexico had skies done in shades of red and orange. It really was a desolate place... assuming all of it looked like this part. Of course, that was a big assumption to make about an entire world, based only on what was within eyesight.
“You know,” I said, giving Nigellus a grateful look when he took my bag and slung it over his shoulder, “if you could somehow bring half of Dhuinne’s out of control plant life here, both places would be in better shape.”
“Hmm,” Nigellus said in a noncommittal tone, “You noticed the plants while you were in the
