“It’s been thirteen years since humansaccidentally opened the gateway and four years since Bale had hervision about the last of Lucifer’s descendants still being alive.I’ve beentheplan for those four years.”
My hand stilled on her cheek. “This was theplan to try to prevent a full-blown war that may end the Earth, butif I can figure out what is opening the seals and put a stop to it,we can make a stand against Lucifer on Earth too. He willeventually come out.”
Her breath sucked in, and she bit her bottomlip. “So many people will die if he walks the earth again.”
“Those deaths and his rise will beunavoidable, especially if Lucifer keeps opening the seals.”
“I can stop that, or at least figure outsome way to close the gate.”
“River—”
“Give me more time! I’m getting strongerevery day. I may not have figured out the key to closing thegateway, but I will!”
“Fine,” I relented. “Another week, and thenwe will have to come up with something else.”
“You plan to go into Hell no matter what,”she said, “to stop what is going on with the seals, even if I can’tgo with you.”
My fingers curled into her supple flesh. “Idon’t like the idea of leaving you behind without me to protectyou, but it must be done. The sealscannotcontinue tofall.”
“Then we will find out if I can withstandentering Hell.” She grinned at me and kissed the tip of my nosebefore rolling away. With fluent grace, she leapt to her feetbefore I could snatch her back against me. She’d redressed beforegoing to sleep last night, but now she rushed about gathering hersupplies for a bath.
“We should go now,” she said around thetoothbrush clamped between her teeth. “I just have to get cleanedup first.”
“River!” I shouted and jumped to my feetwhen she darted through the forest faster than a woodnymph—creatures I hoped Lucifer would be smart enough not torelease, but then, I doubted it. I stalked through the trees afterher. Before she entered the water of the nearby stream, I caught upwith her and grabbed hold of her elbow. “Don’t goanywherealone!”
She barely glanced at me as she dropped herthings on the bank. I released her elbow when she started tuggingoff her clothes. “There’s not much time,” she said.
Her eyes focused on the opposite bank. Ifollowed their direction but saw nothing standing on the otherside. She frowned as she tilted her head to the side.
“What is it?” I asked.
She shook her head and plunged into thestream. I watched as she dove beneath the surface before burstingup again. She scrubbed at herself with the lemon-scented soap fromthe camp. Shedding my clothes, I followed her into the water towash beside her. Every once in a while, her gaze would go to theplace where she’d been staring before she’d jumped into thewater.
I kept expecting something to materializethere. Nothing did.
***
Kobal
River barely waved a greeting to theskelleins as she sped through the bar toward the door to thehallway. Corson, Bale, Erin, Hawk, and Vargas stared after herbefore turning to me. “What’s with her?” Erin inquired.
“I told her we would have to figure out anew plan if something doesn’t change soon,” I replied.
“Why?” Vargas asked.
“We cannot continue to sit here and take thechance of being discovered while supplies are running out. We mighthave to return to the wall, and prepare for a war before I returnto Hell. I won’t continue to put her life at risk by staying hereif she doesn’t possess the ability to close the gateway.”
Erin spun around so fast I had to abruptlystop walking or run the girl over. She folded her arms over herchest as she glared at me. “Shecando this.”
My eyebrows shot into my hairline and mylips flattened as I glowered back at her. Erin’s arms fell away andsome of the anger melted from her, but she didn’t back away as shewould have done before befriending River. Actually, before then,Erin would have been too afraid to dare speak to me. Despite thefact I’d killed others for less insubordination than this, Erin hadearned the right to speak her mind when she’d unfailingly stood byRiver’s side time and again. So had Hawk and Vargas; even now theyboth gave a brisk nod of agreement.
“We always knew there was a chance shewouldn’t be able to do it,” I replied. “It was a chance we had totake. With her abilities, she is still the greatest weapon we haveagainst Lucifer and his followers. We can’t risk her further if wecontinue to get nowhere here.”
Erin’s eyes blazed with fire. Hawk placed ahand on her arm, pulling her back a step. “He’s right. We can’tstay here if it’s only putting us at risk. Come on, Erin, let’sgo.”
She relented to his nudging and turned awayfrom me. My heart plummeted when I realized River hadn’t waited forus by the first door to the hallway. I raced forward and crashedinto the door to discover her almost at the end of the hall.
“River!” I bellowed.
