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“For your sake,” began Inanna, “I hope that is true.”
*
In his chamber later that evening, Cain told his consort of the conversation as they dried themselves off after their shower. She didn’t interrupt. She remained silent, her eyes sharp as she absorbed every word.
“Do you believe them?” Wynter asked once he’d finished updating her.
He sighed. “I don’t disbelieve them. But I also don’t feel I can trust that they’re being truthful. And I refuse to take any chances when being wrong would result in incredibly dire outcomes.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t be quick to take them at their word either. No offence to them—I don’t even know them. I just mean that this isn’t a time you can exercise blind faith.” Slipping into one of his shirts, Wynter twisted her mouth. “There’s only one reason I find it difficult to believe they’d be behind Saul’s escape.”
Cain crossed to her and then helped her button the shirt. “What’s that?”
“For them, it wouldn’t merely be a monumentally dumb thing to do, it would carry the kind of consequences that mean dark, eternal, no-holds-barred suffering. As Eve pointed out, he can tell you who released him when you recapture him. She, Rima, and Noah sold their souls to Dantalion, and they know what will happen to said souls if they earn his wrath.”
The Ancient would throw them into the deepest pit of hell.
Tipping his chin at the people he passed, Cain strode through his bailey toward the arched opening in the stark stone walls. Three days. It had been three days of nothing. The Aeons were a no-show, though their lack of action didn’t make anyone suspect that some wouldn’t eventually come to Devil’s Cradle.
More, Saul hadn’t been found. The entire city had been searched—every house, every tower, every other building, not to mention every spot of land including the woods and the arena. There was nothing to indicate that the Aeon was in the underground city.
The town on the surface had been just as rigorously searched but, again, there was no trace of him anywhere. It was looking likely that he’d fled Devil’s Cradle, but no one was ready to relax in that assumption—hence why Cain hadn’t pulled away the guards he’d placed on Wynter’s cottage. He also regularly visited her at least twice a day to check on her, just as he intended to do right now.
“Sire!” a female voice called out.
Cain looked to see Demetria hurrying toward him, her hand scrunching the side of her long bohemian dress.
Stopping in front of him, she said, “I was hoping I could have a quick word with you, if you have a moment. It’s important,” she stressed, her brow creased.
“All right.” Cain tipped his chin toward the empty, alley-type space between the barn and stables. They both headed over there.
She turned to him, her eyes bright. “I had a vision via Nemesis.”
“A vision?”
“Yes.” Demetria smiled, a relieved sigh slipping out of her. “Maybe Kali got so sick of me constantly reaching out to Her that She took pity on me. Or maybe She just wants this message to be passed on to you and the other Ancients. Whatever the case, the frequency between Nemesis and me isn’t blocked anymore.”
“What did you see?”
The oracle’s smile faded, as did the bright sheen to her gaze. “Saul was meeting Abel and a large army somewhere in the badlands.”
Tension tightened Cain’s muscles. “Where?”
She shrugged, her expression apologetic. “I don’t know the land well enough to be specific, I’m sorry. It’s just so vast.”
“Could you tell which direction they came from?”
Biting her lip, Demetria shook her head. “Sorry, Sire, I have no idea.”
Annoyance simmered in Cain’s blood. “What were they talking about?”
“I couldn’t hear anything, I could only see. I tried lip-reading, but I only made out a few words and sentences.”
“And what were they?”
“Saul said his sister’s name several times. He told Abel, ‘You sent her to her death.’ Or something like that. Abel seemed to be defending himself. At one point, he said, ‘didn’t expect her to die.’ They argued, and then Abel was saying the words ‘help’ and ‘coup.’ I think maybe Abel wanted his help with raiding the town. They stopped arguing then, and Saul said, ‘I’m listening.’ That was when the vision cut off.”
Cain forced his back teeth to unlock. “How large was the army?”
