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“That we know of,” Daniel said with a weighted look. He held up his hands. “Look, the more I think about this, the more questions come up. All I’m asking you to do is consider the possibility that someone wants you to think Lucifer did this.”
Universe alone knew Wrath wasn’t looking for any reasons not to end Lucifer, but Daniel was making an annoying kind of sense. “You think he’s being set up, and by extension, me as well.”
“It’s a possibility.” Daniel shoved his hands into his pants pockets. “I think it’s worth bearing in mind.”
Wrath didn’t want to believe this wasn’t Lucifer, and that, in itself, was a problem. “Anything else?”
“Yeah.” Daniel cleared his throat and flushed. “Any idea how to avoid Rosabella?”
Not that he had ever tried, but Wrath answered honestly. “Not a clue.”
* * *
Having limited power made it easier for Wrath to avoid detection as he made his way across Shade’s demesne heading for Lucifer’s on the other side. His inability to use his wings made walking his only option. Slapping on a reasonable glamour as one of Shade’s lot, he trudged toward Lucifer’s demesne. Word picked up in taverns and from traveling demons was that Lucifer was missing, along with him and Shade. He’d also heard more than a few times that the news that he had lost his power was out. It would still take a brave or a foolish demon to take him on, but you could never underestimate the might of stupid.
And there was a lot of stupid happening across Shade’s demesne. Shade’s demesne was a mess. Even more of a mess than when he’d last been here. Bolder demons ran wild, taking advantage of Shade’s absence. Those demons still loyal to Shade cowered in their dwellings, confused and frightened and staying out of trouble. He’d avoided more than one pack of roving demons made up from all seven hell prince’s hordes.
He traveled through abandoned settlements, homes and livelihoods destroyed. Huge swathes of Shade’s lush jungles had been hacked down and burned to charred remnants. It made him concerned for his own demesne. Some of his demons would stay loyal, but many, like he had seen here in Shade’s territory obeyed only under the steady pressure of a boot on their throats.
Still, the level of chaos from Shade’s short absence gave him pause. Daniel had asked him to look around and take notice of what was happening, and it was impossible not to. Hell was descending into total chaos, and it bore no relation to the amount of time Shade had been missing. For this amount of mayhem to have taken over, a guiding hand might be behind it. Other than the higher demons, most demons were ugly cockhammer stupid. They lacked the brain cells to put something this widespread and quick into action.
He was passing through what had been a prosperous settlement. The riverside tavern still smoldered from a recent fire. A demon and his partner stood by the smoking ruins speaking quietly as Wrath approached them.
They both eyed him with suspicion as he asked, “Was this your tavern?”
The demon nodded.
“What happened?” Wrath indicated the debris.
“Fire.” The demon spat.
His demoness eyed Wrath warily. “Who are you?”
“A friend of Shade’s,” he replied. A friend who’d like to pull the hedonistic shitgoblin’s ass through his nose, but admitting that would get him nowhere. “I am checking on his demesne.”
“Shade.” The demoness narrowed her eyes at him. “Shade should be here.”
“Agreed.” Wrath nodded. “Who did this?”
The demon squared up to him, swelling to three times his size and answering Wrath’s question as to how he had survived when his tavern had not. “You ask a lot of questions.”
“Shade cannot be here.” Wrath hunted for a good enough excuse. “He is chasing a rogue angel.” That would work with most demons. The only thing they hated more than each other were angels.
The demoness nodded as if that mollified her.
Her mate was a tougher sell. “What angel?”
“Haziel,” he improvised and sent a mental apology her way. It was the only angelic name he could come up with in a hurry.
“Haziel.” The demoness squinted her yellow eyes. “Is she not part of Ramiel’s host?”
“Yup.” The best lies needed a touch of truth. “Pretty little thing. Green eyes, lots of hair. Not a lot of brain.”
The demon nodded as if he’d met Haziel. “What did she do?”
“Can’t say.” Wrath nodded.
“Can’t or won’t?” The demon still remained his impressive almost twenty feet.
