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“Well, if we split up, it would make this faster. Each group should have one warrior and make sure they have someone that knows what the bat flowers look like,” Zissa says.
I don’t like it, but we all agree to split up and meet back here in an hour. After Levi summons more lights and attaches them to our designated leaders, which are the ones who can find the herbs, we break off into our groups.
Group one consists of Moni, Chester, Zeke, and Ryker. They head off to the left, taking the first tunnel. Group two is Levi, Knots, and Knox, and each of them gives me a kiss on the forehead. Before Knots leaves, I try reinforcing his barrier before they head down the middle tunnel. I really hope that with the separation and distance between us, it will still work, but there’s no actual way of knowing until we try. I don’t know if I’m just tired from holding the barrier or if I’m just coming down from the adrenaline rush. Heck, for all I know, my barrier could just be weak and not really doing much in the first place.
Swallowing thickly, I turn to the right tunnel—which looks darker than the others to me—and start down it with Reaper at my feet. I decide to lead since I’m the one that knows what the bat flower looks like, and we can’t do anything without those. Zissa, Lynx, and JP follow closely behind me as I make my way along the narrow tunnel. As expected, Levi’s orb does a good job lighting our path, but it’s the smell that’s getting me. It’s a mixture of blood, stale air, and an obnoxious perfume. Why is that down here?
“Does anyone else smell that?” I ask as I tighten my bandana.
“Yeah, it’s too sweet to be down here,” Lynx says, wrinkling his nose.
“You know who it reminds me of?” JP says as he sniffs the air before pulling his shirt up.
“Angel,” JP and I say as it dawns on us.
“Who’s that?” Zissa asks as we walk into a small cavern.
“She’s a harpy from Hell,” I mention as I catch sight of something purple between two stalagmites as JP explains.
“A harpy is a term Rez has given the mean girls at school. But she really is a part of Hell,” he tells her.
“Really?” I ask as I reach for the purple flower. It actually resembles a bat in flight with its deep purple ruffled wings and long hanging filaments. I only know of these because my grandmother used to have a few of these in her shop I occasionally tended. They are a bitch to start from just the seed.
“Yep, remember in class when we were doing the DNA coding and percentages for our heritage? Angel got 50/50 with Fae and Demon. Her and Emer’s mothers are sisters. Her father is Asmodeus.”
“Who is he anyway?” I ask, holding my hand out for a satchel. Lynx brings it over and hands me a plastic bag out of his satchel that I carefully lay the flower in before giving everyone my attention.
“Asmodeus?” Zissa confirms.
“Yeah. You mentioned him before with the medallion,” I explain.
“And didn’t Lilith or Lucifer mention his kids being delivered back to him on a pike?” Lynx reminds us.
“Oh, yeah,” JP says.
Zissa pales slightly as she hears us ramble on. “Asmodeus is a prince of Hell. Don’t get him confused with L.A.M.B.; they are the ultimate rulers and tighter than blood. They were the first to fall with Lilith. He fell years later; therefore, he’s one of the princes. He’s notorious for his temper, and it’s a fact he’s not happy with Lucifer’s rules.”
“So, he’s a grumpy asshole,” I conclude.
“That’s putting it mildly.” Zissa nods.
“Speaking of that medallion at the market, how did they know we would be there?” I ask, and everyone takes a minute to consider it.
“It means there’s a spy in Lucifer’s house,” JP concludes, and everyone goes silent for a moment. That’s definitely something we’re going to need to discuss with L.A.M.B. when we get back.
“So what does the Bat flower smell like?” Lynx asks as I set it down in his bag.
“They say that no two people would smell the same thing from the flower, since it reflects what your soul is really feeling or what it’s running away from. That’s why it’s a key ingredient to your potion,” I explain.
Eyeing a few more, I pick those as well before we continue on through the cavern and into another tunnel. As I approach another cavern, I spot something reflecting differently on the wall behind a stalagmite. The light hits a pinkish stone wedged in the stone. From my guess, it looks as big as an egg. A Demstone.
“Guys,” I call back. “I see a Demstone.”
I rush to it, but before I can reach out and pluck it from out of the wall, Reaper trips me. I’m sent sprawling onto the floor. Grunting, I silently thank Zissa that I wore these clothes with extra padding. I sit up to chastise him when a knife whizzes right by my nose. Fuck!
Three people are across the cavern by another tunnel. Well, two Demons, and one harpy from hell, Blonde Barbie herself. I pull up my shield and notice Angel running off as I keep my eyes on my would-be killers. Then I run back to our tunnel, crouching behind the stalagmites to not give away my ability yet.
“What’s up?” Zissa quickly comes up to me and tries to peek around the corner.
