Ruby Shadows (Born to Darkness #3)(88)

“That is likely. For if there is no Heaven and no Hell, there is also no accountability after death.” Laish sighed. “As you can see, that is not true.”

“So how are the people here being punished?” I asked, looking around. “Nobody seems like they’re being whipped or beaten or tortured in any way. Or do you have some of those horrible pits like they had in Minauros and Stygia?”

“No—none of the people here did anything reprehensible or particularly evil—they simply denied God,” Laish said. “So their Hell is never to be in his presence—never to know his light and majesty and joy. Say what you will of the Almighty but He is a gentleman. If you wish nothing to do with him then He will not force you. If you turn your back on him, He will turn his back on you…for all eternity.”

I didn’t know why but his words made me sad. There was a deep longing in them…a wistfulness that made me want to ask him questions. But once again I bit my tongue.

“Tell me about the buildings,” I said instead. “What are they made of?” Every building we’d passed by was made of the same ivory-white material and some of the supports seemed to curve in strangely organic ways.

“As to that, I believe I will allow Belial to tell you the history of Dis.”

“Belial? Who’s he? Or she?” I added as an afterthought.

Laish smiled. “Belial is an elder statesman—the demon I trust to run Dis during my long absences. Oh don’t worry, mon ange,” he said quickly, correctly interpreting the reluctance on my face. “He is nothing like Druaga or the others of my kind you’ve been unfortunate enough to encounter. Belial is an intellectual—a historian. He loves to tell the story of Dis and how it came to be. And since we will be staying with him in the Citadel of Knowledge, I don’t wish to deprive him of the pleasure of being first to enlighten you.”


“The Citadel of Knowledge?” I asked. “Is that some kind of hotel?”

“Not quite—the bottom half of it is the House of Parliament, where the Council of Elder Demons rule on cases throughout Hell. The top half has been converted into a very cozy living quarters. It is where I stay every time I come to Dis.”

“Okay, so we’re going to your penthouse,” I said. “Sounds good to me, especially after sleeping on the floor last night. Where is it?”

“Just there.” Laish raised an arm and pointed.

I’d had my head turned around, talking to him but now I looked up, following his finger. There, standing before us at the end of the cobbled road was an immense structure that had to be at least five stories high.

And it was shaped like a gigantic skull.

* * * * *

Laish

“We’re staying there? In a skull?” Gwendolyn sounded fascinated and also a bit disgusted. I was amused at her reaction and her wonder at the Citadel. It truly is an awe inspiring structure—very surprising if one has never seen it before.

“That is the Citadel of Knowledge,” I said, nudging Kurex with my knees to get him trotting. It had been years since I’d visited Dis and I found myself eager to see my old mentor, Belial, again.

“Okay, there has to be a good story behind this. Is it a real skull?” she asked.

“Of course.” I was about to say more but as we rode into the courtyard of the Citadel a small imp, no higher than my knee, came scampering out of the cavernous hole in the lower jaw which served as a door.

“Master, Master—they are here at last! Lord Laish is here! I told you so,” he squeaked excitedly.

“Yes, yes, so you did.” Belial came out behind the little imp, leaning on a cane. He was an ancient knowledge demon—the kind called on by astrologers and alchemists—and his back was crooked and humped from bending over his books for untold years. His skin was the bluish-gray of his kind and quite wrinkled. The curly ram’s horns on the sides of his head were pure, glossy black in contrast to his long gray beard. He was a welcome sight.

“Lord Laish!”

As I swung off Kurex, he shuffled forward. I clasped arms with him eagerly.

“Belial—it’s good to see you again,” I said, truly meaning it. After my fall, Belial had been the first to help and instruct me. Despite all my power, I’d had no intimate knowledge of the Infernal Landscape—without him I would have been lost. I had become Belial’s pupil and he had become my friend and mentor. It was a relationship that continued to this day.

“We’ve been expecting you, my Lord.” He looked up at Gwendolyn who was still mounted on Kurex. “Both of you. Good afternoon to you, young lady.”

“Good afternoon.” Gwendolyn’s face said she didn’t quite know what to make of my old mentor.

“And why have you been expecting us?” I asked. “Has news of the battle at the Jealous Heart preceded us?”

“What? There was a battle? With whom?” Belial asked, looking concerned.

“The Skitterlings.” I sighed. “I am afraid there are considerably less of them to guard the Jealous Heart than there were.”

“Oh dear…” Belial made a tsking noise I remembered well and shook his head. “I’m afraid that is not good news. But this is the first I have heard of it.”

“Well then, why were you expecting us?” I led Kurex a little closer so that I could help Gwendolyn dismount.