He waited patiently while she worked, then took her hand in his again to lead her down the long hallway. With barely a pause, Mordecai easily lifted her over some of the debris scattered across the floor of the hallway.
“What exactly happened? Why is the prison suddenly falling apart? Are we under attack, or is this some sort of prison break?”
“Not really.” He sighed heavily. “Death showed up.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Braxton Lightbringer was here?”
“No, I—you know the new Death god?”
“I do, sort of. It’s sort of a long story. But why would he break into the prison?”
“It wasn’t him. It was Raziel, the original Death of the Four Horsemen.”
Her brows furrowed in confusion. “But wouldn’t he have to be dead for Braxton to replace him? I mean, that doesn’t sound like a job you can exactly retire from.”
“You are right about that.”
Mordecai briefly explained what had happened in the indoor garden. Once he was done, she shook her head in disbelief.
“So, I just happen to be visiting on the day Death destroys everything? Super.”
“I don’t think he meant to destroy the prison. He was just after a specific inmate, then he left once he killed him.”
“Why do you make it sound so bloody reasonable?”
He simply shrugged in response to that.
She sighed. “I guess it’s like what happens in the superhero movies.”
“I have no idea what that means.”
“Superheroes are always making major moves and fighting big bad guys,” she explained, waving a hand in the air. “But they never consider the aftermath and destruction left in their wake. Or how their actions affect the regular people just going about their business.” She paused, then added, “We’ll have to do a superhero movie marathon someday.”
That would be nice…if he ever got out of prison.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, changing the subject. “Why were you allowed to keep your magic? You aren’t working at the prison now, are you?”
“No, I’m actually a student at Trifecta University, and I—”
“What the fuck?” he growled, stopping to glare down at her. “They sent a fucking student in here? What in hellfire were they thinking?”
“I’m here with special permission from the Supernatural Council and the Board of Wardens. I was supposed to test my secret-extracting ability on a few of the prisoners to verify if I can determine if they are innocent or not. I actually came here with a friend. I hope she is okay. I haven’t seen her since I fell through the hole in the floor, so she is probably still on the main level.”
“Then, she should be safe with the guards.” He slowly started walking again as he muttered, “Hellfire, you’re just a baby.”
“I’m turning twenty in a few months.”
“Compared to me, you are a kid.”
“Well, it’s not my fault you’re a dinosaur,” she shot back primly.
The little brat. He almost tripped over his own feet as he choked out, “What did you call me?”
Lifting her chin in challenge, she said, “You heard me.”
That made him laugh. She was young, but she certainly had spine. “You don’t fear me at all, do you, princess?”
She cocked her head to the side. “Should I?”
