“No compressing?” Bianca got a firm grip on the chariot’s side.
Raphael shook his head. “It’s frowned on here. They can’t have hell princes popping in on each other whenever the mood strikes.” Raphael scoffed. “They make war on each other often enough as it is. Compressing would turn hell into a blood bath.” He pantomimed someone popping out of nowhere. “Poof! Wrath arrives in Shade’s demesne. Thwack! Shade lops Wrath’s head off. Very messy.”
And far more in line with the human idea of hell.
The horses surged, and they were off.
Bianca had no idea how fast they were going, but their speed sent her hair streaming out behind her and nearly peeled her lips off her teeth. Air rushing past her nostrils made breathing difficult. The jungle turned into one continuous green-blue blur.
Raphael leaned one hand nonchalantly on the side and gestured with the other like a tour guide. “We are currently traveling through Shade’s demesne. Each demesne reflects the hell prince who rules it.”
She tried to ask how long it would take, but the wind snatched the question out of her mouth, and she gave up.
“Lust was placed between Wrath and Pride to keep the brothers apart.” Raphael grimaced. “Wrath and Lucifer have a particularly contentious relationship.”
With no way to ask any questions, Bianca clung on and prayed the horses didn’t crash into anything.
The jungle blur changed but they were moving too fast for Bianca to make out details.
The chariot stopped with a slight jolt. The world rushed to catch up with her and solidify into discernible images.
Demon guards in immaculate black and white uniforms saluted.
Bianca tried not to stare.
Lucifer’s palace was like a storybook castle with twelve—yes, twelve, she counted—towers soaring gracefully against a cerulean sky. Black pennants snapped from the towers.
Raphael led her through the graceful arch of the guard tower into a pristine inner courtyard. The cobblestones beneath her boots were laid in a perfectly straight path through the middle of the white sand courtyard.
Giant arched wooden doors opened, and Lucifer stepped out. He glared at Raphael. “No.”
“Don’t be like that.” Raphael caught her elbow and marched them forward.
Lucifer, dressed in black tailored pants and a fitted black shirt, looked at home in the castle doorway. He didn’t even glance at her. “You shouldn’t have come.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” Raphael stopped in front of Lucifer. “And Bianca insisted I bring her.”
Finally, Lucifer deigned to stare down at her with glacial black eyes. “Bianca has no business here.”
Ouch! She wasn’t going to take that lying down. He should know by now that when he got pissy with her, she got fighty. “You and I are not done.”
“Yes, we are.” His expression was a beautiful, frigid mask. “I have fulfilled the terms of the blood oath.”
If he wanted to keep it all business, then so be it. She owed him an explanation for her behavior and maybe an apology, but he wasn’t going to get either while he kept her standing at his front door like a Jehovah’s Witness. “Not yet you haven’t. You swore to bring the witches back.”
“And you swore to release me from the amulet.”
“I did.”
He snorted. “Long after I no longer required it, and I found your witches.”
“We’re still missing one.” She dug Leona’s crystal out of her backpack.
He stepped so close to her it forced her head back to hold his gaze. “You broke your end of the oath, thus nullifying the oath.”
“You’re breaking your part now.” She folded her arms and kept her glare going. “You got your powers back all on your own, without mentioning that little fact to me. As soon as I was able, I released you from the amulet.”
“I didn’t need you.” He growled.
“Semantics.”
“Details.”
“Irrelevant.”
“Pivotal.”
“Lovely.” Raphael clapped his hands and beamed at them. “Now that we have that sorted, let’s have a drink.” He strolled past Lucifer into the palace. “Ah, Narcissa.” His voice floated back to their frozen stare down. “You’re looking as lovely as ever.”
“Thank you, Lord Raphael,” a female answered. “Would you care for refreshments?”
“I would.” Raphael sounded delighted. “I’m hoping you can manage some of those wonderful blinis I love so much.”
The female laughed. “For you, always, Lord Raphael.”
Bianca wasn’t sure what blinis were, but she could go for a glass of wine.
“You going to let me in?” she asked Lucifer.
