“I don’t know,” she said. “They think I mightbe able to, but no one knows for sure.”
“If she can’t close the gateway and she can’tenter Hell…” Bale’s voice trailed off.
I clenched my teeth to rein in my temper whenRiver glared at Bale. I didn’t want River taking one step into thepit of Hell, but the alternatives weren’t any better, perhapsworse.
I could take her from here now, return her tothe wall, and we could make a stand there. However, I had to admitnot evenIcould protect her fromevery abomination of Hell. Eventually, they would outnumber us andeverything would be lost when they did.
I may not care much for most of the humans,but looking back at Verin and Morax as they ran toward us, I knew Icouldn’t sacrifice all of those who had depended on me just to keepRiver alive for a few more years, if we were lucky. Thousands uponthousands had died over the years to fight for me to take my placeas the rightful king of Hell, and no matter how badly I wanted tokeep River from what she was about to face, I could never turn myback on those who had been lost and the ones who still fought.
River had become the heart I’d never realizedI could have, but the demons gathered around me had been myfriends, followers, and fighters for centuries and some, such asCorson, for over a millennium. They would never turn their backs onme in such a way. They would all die to protect River for me, and Iwould fight to the death for any of them.
River wouldn’t walk away from this either. Iwould have to drag her kicking and screaming back to the wall. I’dseen the love she had for her brothers; she would do everythingpossible to ensure they had a future.
She was growing stronger every day. Her fireability was increasing. With her ability to draw on life, she’dtossed Azote onto his ass and heaved me into a tree, even thoughI’d been prepared for it. What would she be able to do with moretime? But time was something we were running out of, and I had noway to get more of it for her if the seals continued to fall.
“We will stop him, no matter what it takes,”I said.
“Should we turn back?” one of the humansasked, drawing my attention to the fact they’d all gathered aroundus as the church fire continued to grow and billow into thesky.
I could feel the eyes of the demons boringinto me. They would agree to whatever I said, but I knew they hadalready weighed our options too. Continue onward and still have asmall chance of success, or turn back and face a turbulent futureand near certain death.
“There is no turning back,” I grated throughmy teeth.
“We don’t know what’s out there!” Irecognized the speaker as the same woman who had become hystericalover the gargoyles. “We’ve already lost half our numbers, and nowyou’re saying some of theworstofwhat resided in Hell is here and more of it could be set free anyday now.”
“There’s nothing worse than us,” Bale saidwith a flick of her red hair over her shoulder. “There is simplymore mindless, but as you can see, we beat the gargoyles, theakalia vine is burning, and we leveled the revenirs. Keep your eyesopen, stay alert, and you will survive.”
“Youbeat thegargoyles,” the woman said. “Wewere decimated.”
“Enough, Jackie,” Hawk said brusquely.
“No, not enough! Don’t think everyone hasn’tnoticed how you three have ingratiated yourself to them, earningextra protection and followingheraround.”
The malicious glance she gave River causedthe hair on my nape to rise and my lips to skim back.
“Who picked this girl?” Bale demanded, hergaze scathing as it raked over the young woman.
“I was picked because of my fighting skills,”Jackie said. “Skills I have no chance of using against monsterssuch as you and your kind, and whateversheis.”
Again, her eyes burned into River. Releasingher, I stepped toward the girl. “I’d suggest you stop looking ather like that; otherwise, you’ll be making your way back to thewall.Onyourown.”
“That would be death,” she whispered, herlower lip quivering.
“I’m a monster. I don’t care.”
“Kobal,” River said from behind me. Her handencircled my wrist as she stepped beside me. “We’ll get throughthis,” she said to Jackie. “We all knew there would be casualtieswhen we left the wall, but this has to be done. It’s the only hopeany of us, or our loved ones, have of being able to survive. Thewall isn’t going to hold out forever. If we turn back now, all willbe lost.”
“Of course you’re willing to keep going.You’re one of them, orwhateveryouare, and you’re sleeping withhim,so he’s going to protect you more!” Jackie retorted.
River’s hand tightened on my wrist, but shecouldn’t stop me from advancing on the girl. “Not the head!” shegasped.
Jackie took a step away from me, thenanother. Shax moved forward to stand between us before I couldreach her. He lifted his hands in a conciliatory gesture.
“I’m not going to kill her!” I snarled athim.
“Frightening her isn’t helping,” Shax repliedcalmly.
I focused my attention on Jackie again. “Youcan cry and carry on. You can think what you will of us, but youevertalk to her in such a wayagain, it won’t be your head I tear from your body in order tosilence you.”
