Cipher (Demonica Underworld #8) - Larissa Ione Page 0,63

that.”

He knew she was kidding about the cave—probably—but no matter what, life as a fugitive from Azagoth’s wrath and his friends’ scorn wouldn’t work for him. He’d always been an act first, ask forgiveness later type of guy, but he did always ask forgiveness.

“I can’t run, Lyre.” Both literally and figuratively. He was pretty sure his right femur was shattered.

“I know,” she sighed. “It’s just...I saw enough of you being tortured. I don’t want you to go through that again, and I’m guessing that if anyone is an expert at causing pain, Azagoth would be it.”

“And you would be right.” He brushed a lock of hair back behind her ear, needing an excuse to touch her where Bael had put his filthy mouth. “Lyre?”

“Hmm?”

“What did Bael say to you? You know, right before you did your vapor thing?”

Lyre gave a casual shrug, but he’d seen the look of terror on her face when Bael was bent over her, his teeth grazing her ear.

“Apparently, virgin fallen angels are hard to find,” she said. “He and Moloc decided to use me for some kind of mating ceremony to make themselves whole.” She shook her head. “I have no idea what that means. Anyway, when Bael sensed that I was no longer ‘pure,’ he got a little cranky.”

“I wish the bastard wasn’t dead,” he growled. “I want to kill him again.”

“Well, there’s always Moloc and Flail,” she said as she channeled a wave of healing power into him. She’d been sending pulses through him every couple of minutes as her power recharged. He wished he could do the same for her, but there wasn’t any guarantee that he’d develop that skill. He couldn’t wait for his new wings to find out.

“I’m sure Azagoth will handle Moloc.” Flail, however, was his.

The mention of Azagoth’s name put a shadow of worry in Lyre’s eyes, and he wished he could reassure her, but he wasn’t a hundred percent on the likelihood of surviving the rest of the day.

“So who are we going to talk to first?” she asked. “Azagoth? Your friend Hawkyn?”

“I don’t know. Whoever we see first, I guess. I have to apologize to everyone. I’m responsible for the death of a child who was the sibling of every Memitim in Sheoul-gra. I owe them all an explanation.”

“Okay.” She went up on her toes and kissed him, her warm lips giving him the courage to get this done.

Except “getting it done” took longer than expected. The battle with Bael had drained him of power, leaving him with a single drop that was barely enough to interrupt the spell protecting Sheoul-gra’s entrance. He was so weakened, in fact, that he couldn’t completely bring it down. He could only pause it.

“We have five seconds,” he said. “Let’s go.”

They materialized on the landing pad, and almost immediately, Zhubaal arrived, his expression a storm cloud. Cipher stepped in front of Lyre, putting himself in the path of Azagoth’s chief enforcer. No one got to manhandle Lyre but Cipher.

He was about to make that clear when he heard Hawkyn call out his name.

“Cipher!” Hawk charged past Zhubaal and tackled him in a massive bear hug. “You’re alive! Fuck me, I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.” He stepped back and looked him up and down. “Are you evil? Tell me you’re not evil. I don’t want to have to put you down.”

Cipher laughed. “I’m surprisingly myself.”

Z watched from the periphery, his hand at his sword hilt, his gaze watchful but non-threatening. He was ready to take Cipher out, but he was trusting Hawkyn to handle the situation.

Cool. Cipher had always liked Zhubaal. The fallen angel had a good head on his shoulders and he was a total dick. What wasn’t to like?

Journey, Maddox, Emerico, and Jasmine, a few of Hawkyn’s siblings, sprinted toward them, all smiles. Word was spreading fast. It wouldn’t be long before Azagoth either sent for him or showed up.

Cipher wasn’t sure which would be worse.

Hawkyn shifted his gaze to Lyre. “Ciph’s last message said he had inside help to escape Bael’s territory. You must be Lyre. I’m Hawkyn.”

“It’s good to finally meet you,” she said. “Cipher has a lot of faith in your friendship.”

“Yeah?” Hawkyn looked like he was about to say something that would be completely humiliating to Cipher—because what else were friends for—but the group of loudmouthed Memitim led by Journey stormed the landing pad.

They tackled him the way Hawkyn had, all smiles and “welcome back” and “tell us everything.”

And for the first