Lord of Embers(The Demon Queen Trials #2)(17)

“He’s also the head of the demon hunters. The Malleus Daemoniorum.”

“Ah.” His eyes glinted in the morning light. “They’re the reason we are locked in this city. They continue to have power over this realm.

Rowan, you chose the most inconvenient mortal to kill.”

I pulled the sheet up over my tank top. “I didn’t choose him. He came for me.” I looked toward the window. “Why didn’t the king come here first?”

“He’ll be on his way from the Tower of Baal. We only have a few minutes to get out of here.” He turned, bounding down the stairs. “I’ve got to take care of something before we go to Hell.”

“What?”

The door slammed behind him.

My heart pounded. With my phone in my hand, I leapt out of bed and hurried down the stairs to change into fresh clothes.

At the wardrobe, I pulled on a long-sleeved black dress and a pair of boots. After zipping them up, I crossed to the window, shielding my body from view as I peered outside. Were there really spies outside?

Cypress trees lined the riverbank, but beyond their trunks, I thought I saw figures moving…

What was Orion doing? Adrenaline lit up my veins.

I rushed over to the dresser and quickly packed a small leather backpack. What did one bring on a trip to Hell? I hoped my inability to burn would serve me well there.

Had Orion said something about a

?

d yin g god

I shoved a toothbrush and clean clothes into the bag. What if my magic powers didn’t work in Hell? What if I burn in the hellfire?

cou ld

My pulse was racing out of control.

I grabbed my fire blanket, a small fire extinguisher, and my gas mask, and shoved them into the leather bag. I’d left the note from my dad on the kitchen counter, and I carefully slid that into one of the backpack’s interior pockets for good luck.

Now

was ready to go, except I didn’t know how to leave here I

without Orion.

My phone buzzed, and I flicked it on to find several texts from Shai.

But it was the final text that made my heart skip a beat.

A n y id ea w h y I j u st got a su mmon s to see th e kin g?

Ah. So that’s why she was calling. My heart thundered, mind whirling through the possibilities.

Of course. Jack knew I was friends with Shai. Jack would have told the king to go after my friend.

The Corwins had probably asked the king for my head on a platter.

Frantically, I typed back to her.

Sh ai. I n eed you to leave th e City of T h orn s.

I watched the three dots move across the screen with a growing sense of dread.

A re

you

kid d in g?

I

can ’t

leave

w h en

I’ve

been

su mmon ed

by

th e

kin g. Someon e is comin g to escort me.

My hands were shaking. If the king captured Shai, he’d use her to keep me here. As Orion pointed out, she was the only person I cared about. She was my leverage.

, I wrote back.

Hid e



U n til I can tell you w h ere to meet me. Orion w ill get u s both ou t of h ere.

Orion slammed open the door, blood spatter on his golden skin. I stared at him. “Who did you kill?”

Without a word, he strode up to me and took the leather backpack from my hands. Opening the bag, he removed the fire extinguisher and the other fire safety equipment.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“We will have more pressing matters than fire where we are going.”

He hurried over to the kitchen and pulled the fridge door open, then loaded my bag with snacks—cheese, fruit, and some bread from the counter.

“Grapes and Swiss cheese? That’s more pressing than avoiding a fiery death in Hell?” I demanded.

“Swiss? Honestly. Comté is actually French, but it’s a common mistake among the unsophisticated.” He pinned me with his gaze, arching an eyebrow. “And you will find out why we need it soon enough.”

I stared at the blood spatter on his neck again. “Are you going to tell me who you killed?”

“No one interesting.” He dropped a bottle of water into the bag. “Just Carl.”

My jaw dropped. “Of all the people to kill in this situation, you chose the harmless mortal nerd? The only nonthreatening person in the scenario?”

“Carl wasn’t just an intern. He was spying for the king. When I took his phone, I found a text message to the king’s spy agency letting them know you were here. But consider it an accident if it makes you feel better. My hands slipped, and I accidentally ripped off Carl’s head and shoved his remains under the desk.” He raised his eyebrows with mock seriousness. “Don’t be so judgmental. It could happen to anyone.”

“You ripped his head off,” I repeated.

“On the plus side, he didn’t tell anyone I was here, and now he won’t be able to. Did any other demons see you last night?”

I was struggling to keep up. “I don’t think so. No one was out in the rain. But the mortal police saw me enter the city.”

“Shit. Okay. I can hear the army marching closer. We need to go before you meet the same fate as Carl.”