He loved Haziel. He didn’t want to fight her, but all that energy was too much. “You go. You do the thing.” He couldn’t be bothered to remember why he was here anymore. It took too much brain stuff.
“For fuck’s sake.” Haziel released his chest armor and grabbed his ankles. “I’ll drag you out of here if I have to.”
His head scraped against the ground as she hauled him. It hurt, but it would demand more energy than he was willing to give to let her know. “Just lie here and rest with me.”
“Not giving in to this.” Haziel gave another heave.
His head hit a rock. “Ow.”
“Must fight it.” Haziel staggered forward a few more steps and stopped. She swayed. “This is stupid. I don’t want to do this anymore.”
“See.” He sighed. “It’s all fucking stupid. Just lie here.”
“Oh, no.” A figure, no taller than Haziel’s waist split the mist. “Not you too. Come on, angel. A few more steps.” He tugged Haziel by the waistband. “One foot in front of the other.”
Wrath knew the demon but couldn’t be bothered to remember its name.
“Go away, Yesterday.” Haziel batted Yesterday’s grip on her. “We don’t want to talk, and he’s heavy. We don’t want to do anything.”
“Argh! High order beings!” Yesterday kept tugging Haziel with him. As she still had Wrath’s ankles in her clasp, that meant he went with them, head jouncing against hidden rocks all the way.
Being dragged wasn’t his favorite. He would object. Later.
“Come on.” Yesterday panted. “I can’t pull you both.”
“You shouldn’t be pulling.” Haziel yawned. “Nobody should be pulling. So exhausting.”
“Remember who you are and why you’re here.” Veins bulged on Yesterday’s oversize cranium as he tugged. “It’s the mist making you feel tired. It’s pure sloth.”
“Sloth?” Haziel staggered another step forward and frowned at Yesterday.
“Yes.” The imp groaned and hauled at her. “It’s making you feel like you don’t want to do anything. Draining your will.”
Wrath’s exhausted brain churned the new input. He had come here…why? To talk to Belle. Yup, that was it. He’d come to talk to Belle and had been walking through the mist to find her.
“Shit.” Realization brushed his awareness. They had to get out of this mist. It seemed like a big ask.
Haziel dropped his feet and sat down.
If Wrath didn’t fight the mist’s effect, she might stay there until Belle released the mist.
Rolling to his belly, he forced his enervated limbs into action and stood.
He looked at Yesterday. “Which way?”
“Yes!” Yesterday took his hand. “Follow me.”
Wrath hesitated. There was something he needed to do, but his taxed brain resisted his attempts to get it to work.
“Get the angel.” Yesterday shook his head and yawned. “And do it now because I’m starting to feel it.”
Wrath had to get Haziel out of the mist. Get Haziel safe.
Fighting back the fatigue, he scooped her into his arms.
One…two, three steps forward.
Yesterday slowed but staggered another two steps forward.
Wrath followed. For Haziel. No matter how exhausted he was, he had to get Haziel out of there.
Five more steps.
Yesterday stopped and swayed. “Too tired.”
Wrath tossed Haziel over his shoulder and grabbed Yesterday by one horn.
He counted his steps in threes. Ha-zie-el. Ha-zie-el—out-the-mist, out-the-mist.
And they were clear of it.
Energy rushed back into him. He released Yesterday and lowered Haziel to the ground. He searched her face for any sign of lasting effects.
“Shit.” Haziel shook her head as if clearing it. “What was that?”
“Sloth mist.” Yesterday brushed dirt and water droplets off his stubby yellow legs. “Belphegor has surrounded her entire demesne in it.” He grimaced. “Nobody gets in or out.” Grinning, he pointed up at them. “Except you.” Jabbing a thumb at his chest, his grin widened, splitting the lower half of his head. “And you only got out because of me.”
