expect?”
“Well, sorry.” I mumbled. “I guess I’m a little freaked out at the prospect of coming face to face with Beelzebub.” I took a deep breath and centered myself. “Okay, this isn’t helping; we just need to focus here. We can’t go to that trial! We have no idea what it’s about and no way am I chancing a meeting with Lucifer!
“Totally, agreed!” Jamie’s eyes were as big as saucers as she nodded her head frantically. Now what do we do? How do we change to the hall that leads to Seth?”
“Well, am I a Madea or not?” At her blank expression, I just threw up my arms and sat on the floor. She quickly followed by sitting a little too close and wrapped her tiny arms tightly around me. “Let me breathe a little.” I shifted out of her iron grip and taking a deep breath, I opened my mind and reached out for Seth.
Hell was beige all over. It was incredible. Nothing was frightening; evil souls weren’t burning in a pit of fire. It was like any other unremarkable office building in any city on Earth. I reached out further, searching for any signs of Seth, my mind traveled along its halls and corridors tasting and feeling. Nothing was at all what I had expected.
I was feeling along a wide hall when I finally sensed him. “Oh, God!” I gasped. “I can feel him, he’s alive!” I grabbed for Jamie’s arms and squeezed. “He knows I’m near.” I could feel his mounting excitement at the touch of my mind to his. “Okay, um, I think I know what to do.” I stood, dragging Jamie up with me.
Before we could get to our feet, I zapped our bodies out of the hall that led straight to the Devil and shifted our position to the hall that I thought Seth was housed in. At the center of the hall was a bustling courtyard. Witches, demons, and all sorts of creatures rushed to and fro. Humans were posted at random doors. Some were checking what appeared to be some sort of identification while others were waving metal detecting wands. It was like Hell’s version of airport security.
“Are all humans civil servants?” I whispered close to Jamie’s ear.
“I think it depends on how they died.” She pulled me closer as she spoke. “If they killed themselves but were generally pretty good people, I believe they serve in the first circle of Hell for all eternity. You know, limbo. But, If they were real shit heads when they ended it, well I think they suffer a far worse punishment.”
“Oh.” I frowned as I tried to study a young woman taking a trolls identification. I couldn’t see any marks or signs of the way she had killed herself.
“I never would have guessed that these people were suicides.” I mumbled as we were pushed deeper into the crowd.
“No.” Jamie frowned. “Hell has no effect on us because we’re living. Only the dead can see the true horror of this place. Be glad we can’t see how they died or what really paints these walls. We’d never be the same, I assure you.”
“You mean this is all smoke and mirrors?” I felt sick. This was such a mistake.
“Yeah, and be thankful for it. Now, do you know where you’re going?” She looked around the vast expanse, her bushy eyebrows touched in a worried frown.
I could understand her stress. “Well, for now I’m just trying to get a feel for his location. I think he’s being held on this level.”
“Gra… I mean, Yolanda. Who’s that over there?” she pulled me hard to the side, causing me to stumble. “No way!” She jerked me forward like a rag doll; her little dwarf arms were strong as hell. “Do you see who I see?” her voice rose with excitement. “Oh my God!” she clutched my cloak in tight little handfuls and squealed.
“Who?” I tried to see through the crowd while untangling myself from the maniacal grip she had on my clothing. “I don…. Holy shit! Is that Lucian?” I felt adrenaline surge through my small frame. My heart rate jumped and I turned, grabbing Jamie’s arm, I started to run. Lucian’s broad back and blonde head was all I could see through the crowd. It was him. I’d know that man anywhere.
“Follow him!” I shouted stupidly as I dragged poor Jamie along beside me.
Lucian wove through the crowd with ease. He obviously ranked pretty high down here considering how