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“Some demon named Tozaryn wants to be the new king and is opening the gates to Hell,” I say and see Melinda jump. I don’t think she’d come to the same conclusion I had, and the news is startling.
“Yes,” Julian tells me and looks at the demon. “Are you done with him?”
“I got all the info I could from him. He’s in a fresh body, and I’d like to return it to the ambulance he walked out of.”
“May I?” Julian asks, tipping his head as he looks at the demon.
“Be my guest.” I step to the side and Julian goes right up to the demon, holding out his hand. Light glows around his fingers, and the demon’s black eyes begin to lighten until blue light pours from the sockets. The demon screeches, sounding like a thousand harrowing cries in the dark.
The body slumps forward, looking very dead again, and Julian lowers his hand. “I don’t have much time,” Julian says, words coming out a little rushed. He’s always so calm and aloof. Seeing him looking slightly frazzled makes me even more frazzled in return. “But I had to tell you. The demons aren’t opening some of the gates. They want to open all of the gates.”
“At the same time?” Lucas comes over to me, resting a hand protectively on my shoulder.
“Yes,” Julian answers.
“But they can’t do that, right?” I ask, heart hammering.
“The rituals they’ve been doing aren’t opening the gates but using the power of the Ley line to break the seals that hold them all shut. Once the third seal is broken, every single gate will open.”“And you’re the queen of Hell?” Easton asks incredulously, leaning back and setting his beer on the table. Julian left right after he told us all the gates will open at the same time, having to fly out because he thought someone was looking for him. I didn’t get any more information, and I know I have hours of research ahead of me.
“Future queen, technically,” I say. “I put a claim on the throne but haven’t been inducted or anything, if that’s even how things work in Hell.”
“And it’s because Lucifer left,” Melinda goes on, making sure she’s following.
“Yes.”
“So if he’d go back, all this would be over?”
“Yes,” Lucas says definitely.
“We don’t know that,” I counter, unable to help but defend Lucifer.
“Really?” Lucas raises and eyebrow. “If there was a king in Hell no one would be trying to fill his spot.”
“I know. But Julian did say demons try to take over all the time.”
“And they’ve never been successful.
Melinda twists her napkin between her fingers. “What’s the plan then? If two of the three seals are already broken, we’re—”
“Fucked?” Easton supplies and the couple next to us turn with a glare.
“I’m not giving up hope yet,” I say. “Tabatha is organizing a nationwide spellcasting on the night of the new moon with the covens closest to the hot spots.”
“Nationwide,” Lucas muses. “There are Ley lines all over the world.”
“Right. I’m banking on them needing to be within some sort of close proximity. The Ley lines that travel under the oceans are very difficult to tap into.”
“That makes sense,” Easton says with a nod. “And I hope it works.”
“Me too.” I let out a sigh and stab my salad with my fork. I’m either having another bout of morning sickness or the stress of everything is making me feel icky. A salad sounded so good when we got here, and when I saw one being set on a table near us, I had to have it. I’ve eaten two cherry tomatoes and that’s it so far, and I don’t think I can stomach any more.
Lucas rests his hand on my thigh. “It will work. If anyone can face impossible odds and come out on the other side, it’s you.”
“Don’t jinx it,” I tell him, knowing he doesn’t believe in jinxes. “And I think we should postpone the baby shower. It’s the day after the new moon phase, and there’s not really any point having one if the world is going to end.”
Lucas frowns. “The world isn’t going to end. And if you want to postpone it, then that is what we’ll do.”
“Eliza is going to be pissed.”
“She can deal with it.” Lucas gives my thigh a squeeze and Elena kicks me hard again, right in the ribs.
“Feel,” I tell Lucas, moving his hand to my stomach.
“Eliza is planning your baby shower?” Melinda asks. She got her invitation and already RSVP’d. “That’s…unexpected.”
“She planned our wedding too,” I say, leaning back and swallowing hard. I taste bile and my stomach churns, making me grimace.
“Are you all right?” Lucas asks, rubbing my stomach. I don’t have the heart to tell him it’s making me feel even more sick.
“I’m a little nauseous, but that’s nothing shocking when you’re pregnant, right.”
