And there was a lot of stupid happening across Shade’s demesne. Shade’s demesne was a mess. Even more of a mess than when he’d last been here. Bolder demons ran wild, taking advantage of Shade’s absence. Those demons still loyal to Shade cowered in their dwellings, confused and frightened and staying out of trouble. He’d avoided more than one pack of roving demons made up from all seven hell prince’s hordes.
He traveled through abandoned settlements, homes and livelihoods destroyed. Huge swathes of Shade’s lush jungles had been hacked down and burned to charred remnants. It made him concerned for his own demesne. Some of his demons would stay loyal, but many, like he had seen here in Shade’s territory obeyed only under the steady pressure of a boot on their throats.
Still, the level of chaos from Shade’s short absence gave him pause. Daniel had asked him to look around and take notice of what was happening, and it was impossible not to. Hell was descending into total chaos, and it bore no relation to the amount of time Shade had been missing. For this amount of mayhem to have taken over, a guiding hand might be behind it. Other than the higher demons, most demons were ugly cockhammer stupid. They lacked the brain cells to put something this widespread and quick into action.
He was passing through what had been a prosperous settlement. The riverside tavern still smoldered from a recent fire. A demon and his partner stood by the smoking ruins speaking quietly as Wrath approached them.
They both eyed him with suspicion as he asked, “Was this your tavern?”
The demon nodded.
“What happened?” Wrath indicated the debris.
“Fire.” The demon spat.
His demoness eyed Wrath warily. “Who are you?”
“A friend of Shade’s,” he replied. A friend who’d like to pull the hedonistic shitgoblin’s ass through his nose, but admitting that would get him nowhere. “I am checking on his demesne.”
“Shade.” The demoness narrowed her eyes at him. “Shade should be here.”
“Agreed.” Wrath nodded. “Who did this?”
The demon squared up to him, swelling to three times his size and answering Wrath’s question as to how he had survived when his tavern had not. “You ask a lot of questions.”
“Shade cannot be here.” Wrath hunted for a good enough excuse. “He is chasing a rogue angel.” That would work with most demons. The only thing they hated more than each other were angels.
The demoness nodded as if that mollified her.
Her mate was a tougher sell. “What angel?”
“Haziel,” he improvised and sent a mental apology her way. It was the only angelic name he could come up with in a hurry.
“Haziel.” The demoness squinted her yellow eyes. “Is she not part of Ramiel’s host?”
“Yup.” The best lies needed a touch of truth. “Pretty little thing. Green eyes, lots of hair. Not a lot of brain.”
The demon nodded as if he’d met Haziel. “What did she do?”
“Can’t say.” Wrath nodded.
“Can’t or won’t?” The demon still remained his impressive almost twenty feet.
“Can’t.” Wrath shrugged and toed aside a charred piece of wood. “Shade didn’t say, and I know better than to ask. Hell princes are a cagey lot.”
“Right.” The demoness nodded and touched her mate’s hand.
He immediately shrunk back down. “Still.” He motioned the mess in front of them. “This wouldn’t have happened if Shade had been here.”
“He’ll make it right.” Wrath had no problem promising away Shade’s fortune and power. “Send word to his palace and he will make reparations.”
The demoness gaped at him. She might have been attractive had it not been for that third eye halfway down her cheek. All three eyes were currently staring at him as if he’d recently hatched. “You haven’t heard?”
“Heard what?” And Wrath knew worse news was coming. He almost felt sorry for Shade.
“The palace is gone,” she said. “Well, the building is still standing, but the same horde who did this attacked Shade’s palace and ran off any demon who remained loyal.” She growled and all three eyes narrowed. “Most of them joined the mixed hordes who attacked the palace.”
“Mixed hordes.” The demon shook his head. “I never would have believed I’d ever see a time when those of us from Shade rubbed shoulders with Wrath’s scum. It seems like there are more mixed hordes every day, and more and more demons joining them.”
Wrath chose to ignore the insult to himself and his horde. Shit on a stick, that made no sense. “How did they overrun the palace? Surely Shade’s horde defended it.”
“They tried.” The demon shook his head. “Same as we tried to take care of our place. Bunch of them slunk through here yesterday. They were forced out and are running for their existence.”
“You jest.” It was his turn to gape. “How is that possible?”
“Do you call me a liar?” Big boy swelled like he was ready to take on some height again.
“No.” At full strength, Wrath would have given the demon a demonstration of what real size looked like. “I am just finding it hard to believe.”
“Well, believe it,” the demoness snapped. “The ones that came through here said the demons in the horde that attacked the palace are strong. Much stronger than they should be. There has to be a hell prince behind them. No way they could be that strong on their own.”
“But who?” Wrath played dumb.
“My guess would be that warmongering turd, Wrath.” The demon spat. “His lot have been making free with this demesne. Almost like they own it.”
The urge to defend himself rose, and he had to tamp it down. “Huh!” He looked around him. “What about Lucifer?”
“Oy!” A voice broke into their discussion from their left.
