Darkblood Prison - G.K. DeRosa Page 0,38
the years that I’m fairly certain I could rise up in his place.”
“And take over the sixth realm of the Underworld while in prison?” I choked out. Was this guy delusional? He was serving a life sentence at Darkblood and for a hellus demon that could be a few centuries.
“Let me worry about the gritty details, little girl. Are you interested in helping me overthrow your traitorous cousin or not?”
I drummed my fingers on my forearm, my arms still firmly crossed over my chest. If everything Delacroix had said was true, then sure. But what if he was lying to get what he wanted? I still didn’t have proof that Thax had orchestrated the night at the Fae club and my subsequent imprisonment. “First, I need to know something.”
He nodded.
“Is Thax the reason I’m here?”
“Of course. He wanted you behind bars where he could keep an eye on you until he discovered more about the prophecy. You know what fickle things those damned oracles can be. You change one little thing and the course of history is altered forever. When he found out about your big night out, he sent one of his more attractive men to sabotage the evening. Eliason did offer you a drink, didn’t he?”
Ice spiked through my veins, and a chill raced up my spine. That demon had poisoned me. I knew it! “But how did Thax know where I was?”
“The dark lord has more spies than the entire SIA. Surely, he’s been keeping an eye on you since Remy’s vision.”
No one was supposed to know I was in the Nether Lands with Emi. What if she was in danger now too because of me? I shoved the dark thought to the back of my mind. No, Logan would’ve told me if something had happened. He promised to have her surveilled since I got into this mess.
“How can I trust that you’re telling me the truth? How I do know you didn’t set this whole thing up?”
He raised his clawed paws and pursed his lips. “I suppose you’ll simply have to believe me. After all, have I ever lied to you?”
Not that I knew of.
“And why would I care about a young demon girl with a distinctive glowing tattoo?”
True, why would he? Unless this seer had prophesied something about him too. But that didn’t make a lot of sense since he was only an upper level demon and not a creature of much consequence. That I knew of, anyway.
“Then it was my tattoo that the seer saw? That’s what connected him to me?”
Delacroix’s head dipped. “Smart girl.” He steepled his hands on the table, and his long nails click-clacked as he drummed them together. “What I’m wondering is what exactly that mark is concealing.”
“Nothing,” I spat out, more harshly than intended. Way to keep your cool, Azara.
“You can keep your business to yourself. Now, do you want me to provide you a way into Thax’s castle that will ensure your success? I know you and your Triad buddies have ways in and out of this place. I haven’t survived all these years without learning a few tricks myself.”
The mention of Thax’s castle reminded me of something—or rather someone, important. Vander. If we were going into the Underworld, we had to bring him back with us. “One more thing.”
He grunted and sat back in his chair. “Very demanding for someone with little bargaining power.”
“Obviously I do have bargaining power, or we wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”
“Touché.” Delacroix folded his thick arms across his chest. “What is it?”
“We need to get Vander out too. I understand he’s frequently moved throughout the castle. I need you to find out where he’ll be when you get us in.”
He let out an exasperated huff. “It won’t be easy, but I’ll see what I can do. Vander has proven to be quite a valuable resource for the warlord. How do you think I knew so much about you?”
My brows slammed together, but I tried to hide the shock on my face. How did Vander know anything about me?
“Ah, I see you are still unaware of an integral part to this story.” A broad grin stretched his mouth, and his tongue swept over his dark lips. “I’ll let the SIA agent share that bit of information with you once you retrieve him from the depths of Thax’s castle. Hopefully, there will be something left of him to find.”
Oh, gods no. If Vander didn’t survive, I wasn’t sure Talon would either.
Azara, where are