The silk curtains and lush linens that adorned Vile’s bed brought back memories of her past—memories of what she’d fought to overcome. But she knew why he chose to live like this. It was a reminder of his harsh reality and the soft life he’d lost at the hands of those who had betrayed him.
“You are incapable of seeing the bigger picture of what the Bringers are planning, Sha-hera.” Vile smoothed his hand along the burnished material and curled his talons around the carved claw at the end of the chair arm. “That, my dear concubine, is why I am the Demon King and you still serve me.”
Sha-hera clenched her jaw. After a thousand years he still wouldn’t let her forget her former occupation or that she had attended him at the most base level. Only by her wits had she risen in rank among his other concubines. By virtue of her will to survive had she supported his plans to overthrow the Bringer King. She given up her soul for the chance at freedom—and still he would not let her forget.
Losing her temper would be fruitless. She needed to keep his trust so she could still have the independence to move about without his spies following her. With a silent exhale, she relaxed and donned the face of the compliant servant. It was a character she played well. “What bigger picture would that be, my king?”
“The Bringers search for their lost kinsmen. I am sure of it.” He tapped his talon on the end of the chair’s arm. “Several of them have already infiltrated the Shadow World on different occasions. I’m sure they’d not hesitate to do it again, especially since they know about my little menagerie and have already stolen back one of bodies.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Did he suspect her part in allowing Rell’s sister to leave with her human body? Sha-hera had shown Rell the frozen Bringers in hopes of drawing her support away from Icarus, but then the little demon had disappeared and Sha-hera had been unable to locate her—until tonight.
Though she’d told Vile of the Bringers, she’d kept the part of Rell being transformed back to human to herself. Bits of valuable information were rare and she’d take any opportunity to gain the upper hand. She was tired of serving without acknowledgement for her loyalty. She didn’t know how she would use the information about Rell’s transformation but better to plan than give up her edge.
She plastered on an innocent expression. “What missing body?”
“Bowen’s daughter.” His hand stilled. “Did you not know?”
Sha-hera bowed her head. “No, my king. Obviously it is another betrayal by Icarus.”
“Do you really think so?” He stood and flared his wings. “He seemed quite surprised to find that the Bringers had escaped.” Vile prowled toward her and it took all of Sha-hera’s will to not move. He stopped behind her, speaking into her ear. “Perhaps there is another traitor amongst my demons.”
“I will ferret them out if there is.” Playing guiltless seemed far wiser than confessing to her crime. “May I ask, my king, what could the Bringers do with an empty body?”
“A very good question.” Vile brushed her thick braid over her shoulder and traced a pattern on the back of her neck with his talon. She tried not to shy away when the point of his claw slid over the delicate area at the base of her skull. One jab and she would crumble, unable to move. “One I plan to answer soon.” He circled, stopping six inches in front of her. “Perhaps they endeavor to restore her to human form.”
Sha-hera blinked, trying to hide the fact that the Bringers had indeed been successful. “I’ve never heard of such a thing happening. How would they do it?”
A humorless smile spread across his mouth. “That is for me to know and for you to never find out.”
He turned, walking back to the chair and sat again. She cursed her stupidity. All this time she’d thought Vile had been sharing his plans and secrets with her, when actually he’d been using her—just as he had when they had been Bringers themselves.
“Gather the succubus army.” Sha-hera noticed how he no longer called it her army. “And move all the Bringers. Take them to the Threshold.”
“The Threshold?” Fear replaced her anger. The place was dangerous, even to the Bane. Time and reality defied natural law there. “But if we move the Bringers to the Threshold, you may lose them if there is a power rift.”
“Better to lose them, than to let them fall into the hands of our enemies.” He pinned her with a glare. “It would take more than a few Bringers armed with immortal weapons to breach the Threshold. The bodies will be safe there until I have need of them.” He tipped his head toward her. “See it done.”
She executed a slow, delicate bow of her head. “As you wish, my king.”
She settled her face into what she hoped was an unreadable mask, but inside Sha-hera seethed. She’d become complacent as the Captain of the Succubus Army over the past centuries. Instead of remaining focused on the real battle going on right in front of her, she’d squabbled for scraps of control with Icarus, which she now saw was exactly what Vile had wanted. Divide the power and keep them off-balance. Icarus had been smarter than her, catching onto what Vile was doing long before she had. Where she thought she had bested Icarus, she’d really only served Vile’s intentions.
She pulled the door shut behind her and looked at the two sentries. They were from the king’s private guard, followers from the beginning of Vile’s rule. “Stay alert, we may be having visitors.”
The two succubi from her army, Mia and Leah, waited beyond the guards at the edge of the corridor. “Did you tell him about the Bringers?”
“Yes.” Sha-hera strode down the passage leading to the war room with the two demons on her heels. “We are to move the king’s prisoners to the Threshold.”
Both demons stopped. Sha-hera slowed her steps, exhaling an impatient breath. She squared her shoulders and faced her comrades. “Is there a problem?”
“Vile has never allowed any demon near the Threshold.” Mia exchanged a worried glance with her partner. “And the journey is treacherous.”
“Is that fear I hear?” Sha-hera took a step toward them. “Trust me, if you do not do as you’re told, your fate will be far worse than delivering the Bringers to the Threshold.”
“Yes, Sha-hera.” Mia bowed her head briefly and scooted past, followed by Leah. “We will see to the preparations.”
She stared at the two demons’ departing backs. They’d been her friends once, serving in the same concubine harem. For a thousand years they’d fought together, having joined Vile’s cause in hopes of gaining freedom from the world of man. But a thousand years later, they were still shackled, now to the whims of the Demon King.
Though the other succubi believed themselves free from the persecutions they once faced among the Bringers, she bore no such illusion. Until she escaped Vile’s control she would never truly be free. Though she did Vile’s bidding, she never stopped looking for an opportunity to further her own cause. Centuries ago she’d given up her soul, so what did she have to lose now? An amusing and dangerous thought came to her. She wondered what the Demon King’s son would give to know the truth about his past?
…
The opening into the Shadow World was located approximately ten feet above the ground on a narrow ledge. Jade led the party, with Luc next, and Rell directly behind him. The three knew the entrance better than any of the other Bringers. One at a time, they climbed to the rocky outcrop and inched into the narrow opening.
Pitch-blackness surrounded Rell and her breathing became more labored the farther she crept. Only a few weeks had passed since she’d last been to the caverns, but the situation was so very different now. How would she react when she entered her old home?