Reign of Night (Thorne Hill #7) - Emily Goodwin Page 0,117

vegetation around is dry and dead.

“We need to go in,” Julian says. “Once we’re in, we have to find a hall that leads to a throne. There will be a sigil on the ground. Anoint it with your blood, and it will lock all the gates.”

“Oh, why does that wound way too easy?”

“Because I didn’t mention the hall will be filled with demons.”

“Great.” I let out a breath and adjust the flower crown on my head. “Let’s go.”

Crows caw above us, and a weird, muted light shines down upon the ground. The place looks earthy, but the feel is all wrong. Julian holds out his hand and summons his dagger.

“When we get to the sigil, I’ll cut your hand,” he tells me. “Put it on the center of the pentagram.”

“What is this sigil, an oh-shit button or something?”

“That’s exactly what it is. The trick is, though, it has to be an archangel who activates it. I just hope your blood is strong enough.”

“Me too.”

With a nod, Julian sprints forward. My low heels are not what I’d choose to wear to a trip to Hell, but it’s not like I had time to get dressed for this. Julian pushes large iron doors open and—oh shit—he was right. This place is crawling with demons.

My heart jumps into my throat and I look past them, finding the sigil on the ground. It’s a large pentagram, with the archangel sigils carved around it. Just get to the pentagram, I tell myself. That’s all I have to do. Get to the pentagram, put some blood on it, and then Julian can fly me home in time for the second serving of cake. Which isn’t a thing, I know, but I’m making it one.

We step into a dark and cavernous grand hall of Lucifer’s castle. The place smells like brimstone and it's way more rustic and gothic than I’d peg Lucifer’s style to be. A circle of hellfire burns around the throne, which is tall and black and encrusted with millions of jewels.

“Get to the pentagram,” I whisper to myself. “All I have to do is get to the pentagram.” Getting away from it, out of this dark castle, and back home where my baby shower is still going on. Swallowing hard, I curl my fingers into fists. “What’s the plan here?”

“Activate the sigil and don’t die.”

“I like the simplicity of it, but uh, how do we get past them without dying?”

“I’ll distract them,” Julian, holding his dagger up. “Get to the sigil and then get out of here.”

“Not without you.”

Julian’s brows push together, and his usually stoic face shows more emotion in this moment than I’ve seen before. “You might have to.

“Julian, no. I refuse to accept that.”

“We have to close the gates,” he says, ignoring that he just said he’s going to sacrifice himself. “That’s what matters, Callie. The fate of the entire world depends on it.”

“We came to Hell together, we’re leaving Hell together. And if you want a distraction, I can give them a distraction.” Hellfire sparks around my fingers.

Julian nods. “And I’ll kill as many as I can.”

“I’ll get to the sigil and then we’re getting out—together.”

Julian doesn’t say anything or give me the smallest nod this time. “Be careful, Callie.”

“You too.”

We crouch behind a big stone pillar, getting a little closer to survey exactly what we’re walking into. Most of the demons are in human form, to some extent at least. The bodies they’re in are decaying with scabs and scar tissue covering most of their exposed skin. The smell of sulfur fills the air, so strong I can taste it.

It’s hard to see the pentagram beneath all the demons, and if I can’t even see it, then there’s no way I can activate it. We need to clear out this room. I look at Julian, meeting his eyes for what won’t be the last time.

Inhaling, I push my shoulders back, hold out my hands, and summon hellfire.

“I hear you’re looking for a new leader,” I say, voice echoing off the stone walls. “Well, I’m here.”

“The half-breed,” a demon sneers, gnashing his teeth at me.

“I’m really over that name,” I say, wiggling my fingers and making the hellfire rise and fall in my hand. “And as your new queen, I’m going to order you to stop saying it.”

“Hell needs a king, not a queen!” the same demon sneers.

“Seriously?” I quip. “Not only are you literally pure evil, you’re sexist too? Well, I don’t feel sorry about this.” I close my