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While it was true vamps weren’t easy to kill, I’d personally offed three hundred twenty-seven vampires in my time as an assassin for the Dominae. But I didn’t think it was smart to remind Tristan about my checkered past as an assassin. “I’m sure I have lots of fans there.”
“I wouldn’t be so flippant about it if I were you,” Tristan said. “Chances are good you’ll be running into old enemies as part of the tests.”
That shut me up. In my head, a list of potential enemies appeared. In addition to the ones I’d killed for the Dominae, there were countless others of every race.
Tristan cleared his throat. “Past the Bloodlands are the demon areas. The lower-level temptation demons such as Nasties, Greedies, Lusts, Vanities, and Mischiefs”—he nodded at Giguhl—“live here in the Gizal region.”
“What’s it like there, Giguhl?” Rhea asked the demon.
“A total shit hole.”
“It’s true. Low-level demons get the worst real estate.” Valva nodded. “The more serious demons—Anarchies, Blasphemies, Vengeances—live here in the Zigal region. Much nicer digs, but technically it’s more like one large realm divided into two neighborhoods.”
“Yeah,” Giguhl said. “Gizal is what mortals would call the wrong side of the tracks. The snobby Lilitu demons got the prime real estate of Zigal.”
I looked closer at the map and saw that on the border between Gizal and Zigal there was a dark pit drawn between the two sections of the demon region. The area around the hole looked just like a Hieronymus Bosch painting with lots demons stabbing various sharp instruments into the orifices of sinners. “Let me guess—the Pit of Despair?”
Tristan nodded. “Stay away from there.”
“No problem.”
Valva waved a hand. “Oh, it’s not so bad. I’ve spent a few epochs partying by the Pit. The weenie roasts were totally fun.”
All the men grimaced at the demon. She shot them a clueless look. “What?”
Tristan cleared his throat. “And of course all this leads us to the lowest level and Asmodeus and Lilith’s palace.”
I squinted at the large black fortress drawn on the very bottom of the map. I read the wording out loud for everyone. “The Bone Palace.”
“Cheerful.”
“Sounds like the name of a strip club, if you ask me,” Giguhl said. “I don’t know why Asmodeus hasn’t changed it. It’s kind of a joke among the Shedim demons.”
Valva looked at him in shock. “Really? I’ll have to tell Mom.”
Giguhl grimaced. “Please don’t.”
Tristan cleared his throat, so I switched back into student mode. “Okay, so there are what? Six regions?”
“Yes. But five gates. The entrance to Irkalla. And these.” He pointed to the Adamantine Gate, one in Hekatian Fields, another in the Fae Realm, and a final one in the Bloodlands. “Once you make it through the gates, you’ll still face Lilith’s final exam.”
“So how does one get through the gates?”
We all looked at Valva. She shrugged. “Some will demand a toll of some sort; others might force you to answer a riddle or perform a task before they’ll open the portal to the next realm.”
Adam glared at the demoness. “So basically you don’t know?”
“Hey,” Tristan said in a warning tone.
“I’m with Adam,” I said, crossing my arms. “Her answer isn’t exactly inspiring confidence here.”
“Valva already told you these aren’t the normal tests because Lilith herself created them to test the Chosen,” Tristan said, his tone heavy with censure. “While the information we have may be incomplete, we’re lucky to have Valva’s assistance. You’ll remember that when you speak to her from now on.”
“Sorry, Valva,” I said with a saccharine smile. “I didn’t mean to be a controlling bitch again.”
The demon crossed her arms.
Tristan shot me an annoyed look. “Sabina, your humor is brave but misguided. This isn’t a game.”
“You think I don’t know that?” I raised my chin.
Finally, he sighed and said, “So your first task is to come up with a list of enemies. Chances are good some if not all of the gatekeepers will have it out for you.”
I chewed my lip. “Okay. I’m going to need a pen or three… and lots and lots of paper.”
Tristan sighed. “Sabina—”
Giguhl spoke up. “She’s totally not joking about that part. She’s got a shit ton of enemies.”
Tristan looked at Adam and Rhea for confirmation. They both shrugged and nodded.
“When are we going in?” Calyx asked.
Tristan glanced at Nyx. She took over. “There’s a new moon in three nights. I think that’s the best time to go in. What do you think, Rhea?”
Rhea stroked her chin, looking from the map to me. “I agree.”
As much as I’d love three nights to prep for this mission, I didn’t have the luxury of that kind of time. I glanced guiltily at Adam. He grimaced and nodded.
Looked like the time had arrived to come clean about Asclepius’s deadline. “Actually, we might have a slight… wrinkle.”
Several pairs of eyes swiveled toward me. The weight of their stares bore down on me. Not until that moment did I realize how stupid I’d been to wait so long to tell them about Asclepius. No doubt they’d be suspicious about my reasons for holding back. And they’d be right.
“Oh?” Tristan asked, crossing his arms. “And what might that be?”
I chewed on my bottom lip. Crap, this was hard. I glanced at Nyx, who looked more curious than alarmed. I hated that in a few seconds that expression was going to harden with either fear or, the more likely option, hatred.
Unfortunately, my hesitation gave Valva time to butt in. “She’s talking about how Asclepius wants you dead.”
My stomach dropped with dread. Nyx gasped and went pale. “How in the hell…,” I began. But then I realized how Valva knew about all that. I swung around and pinned Giguhl with a glare. “Really, Giguhl?”
My minion blushed and stuttered for a moment. “I… I couldn’t help it. She forced it out of me.”
I shook my head at him. “Unbelievable.”
“How… why?” Nyx stammered.
“I owe Asclepius a favor and he asked me to hunt you down.” I held up my hands to show her I meant her no harm. “That was before I knew you personally.”
