Page 66 of Truth Revealed

Pandora yelled something unintelligible, a few of her demons dashing forward as if she were a general in a war. The young demon slipped away quickly enough with panic on his features as he turned toward Daria’s group and ran, zigzagging through the tables in the middle of the floor.

“God, are we doing this again?” Betrayal growled.

Death pulled her to the back of the pavilion and into the shadows of an alcove. From the exposed pipes, it probably used to be a water fountain area, but now it was bare, dark, and tucked away as the perfect hiding spot. Locks of dark hair brushed her cheek as Death leaned down to whisper in her ear, “I think I believe Truth.”

And then he was gone, wading into the fight and pulling a dagger from who knew where.

Pandora cackled like a B-rated villain from somewhere in the pavilion and yelled over the fighting. “You-uth!” she called, cutting his voice into two syllables. “Come here, please, I’d like a word.”

“Truth isn’t lying.” The voice was far too close, startling her. Daria jerked on reflex, her fist clenched as she turned around and brought it up, but the younger demon flinched away. “Please!” he cried out, his hand over his face to block the hit. She paused just before impact, and then he rushed to explain. “I wanted out. Truth approached me, yes, and we exchanged information a few times, but only because we made it out to seem like he was the double agent. But it was me the whole time.”

“What useful information did you give him?” Daria asked, advancing on him with gritted teeth. His back pressed into the right wall of the alcove.

He shrunk away as if trying to sink into the wall. “Nothing good. That’s why this has all gone to shit. I was able to call him, wake him up before we got to your house—but that’s it. Pandora doesn’t share her information with anyone who isn’t in her inner circle.”

“Who’s in her inner circle?”

“Deceit. But I do have some information for you,” he said, gaze darting over her shoulder.

Daria glanced in the direction he was, and then turned around to face the female demon he’d been with. She was Daria’s height, with dark eyes and darker hair.

Okay, my hiding spot is getting a little crowded.

“I’m Fear,” she introduced herself. “You’ve been having some fucked up dreams lately?” she questioned in a rush, her words coming faster than Daria could keep up with. “That was me, you’re welcome. Pandora wanted me to send you your worst fear in the form of a dream, hoping it would stir up your chaos or throw you off your game. I’m sorry, for what it matters.”

A grunt tore their attention to the left, a demon in the fight having been backed into their corner. Just before he crashed into them, Fear sneered and slammed her palm into his back. He dropped to his knees in a second, screaming out for help while scratching at his skin.

Misery glanced up at her in confusion from the other side of the demon, blade raised, before he took in the two demons on either side of her. A lopsided grin curled his lips. “You good?”

Staring blankly, Daria nodded once. “Think so.”

“Cool.” Then he was gone, back into the fight.

“Wait,” Daria started. “What’s my worst fear then? Prove that it’s been you.”

Her head tilted ominously as she stared at Daria, her gaze taking on a faraway look. “You’re afraid… of the deaths you’ve been dealt. Specifically the myth of the light at the end of the tunnel. You haven’t experienced it, and you’re afraid of what that means for you. You’re afraid that one day, your chaos won’t bring you back. You’re afraid of the light as much as you’re afraid of what never reaching it means. Or if one day you will meet the light… and won’t come back.”

Fear stood up straight and smiled at her. “Sound like it?”

With a gulp, Daria nodded, just as entranced by her words as she was terrified of them. “Yeah. Sounds about right.”

“Great, so like, can you help us?” she requested, nodding at Youth as if Daria wouldn’t know who she was referring to.

“Ah, there you are, Youth.” Pandora’s voice was far too close, sending chills over Daria’s skin.

She stood just outside their alcove, looking down her nose at the three of them, before her gaze settled on Daria.

“You have been a pain in my ass,” she sneered callously.

Daria’s fingers itched for a weapon as she stepped from the alcove, pushing the other two behind her.

“I could say the same thing about you, Grandma. Hate to break it to ya, but you’re going to have to go through me to get to him,” she warned.

It was impulsive, and she might regret it later, but she believed Fear, and by default, Youth. Which meant she believed Truth too.

Her gut twisted with nerves and her chest tightened as she stared up at the woman who was the root of all her problems.

Most people loved buying those kits and finding out who their distant ancestors were, tracing their roots back, drawing family trees and having them framed. Daria could give less of a fuck about her family tree. She’d love nothing more than to take an axe to the thing and then pull the stump up—roots and all.