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“I love a good apology,” he chuckled darkly. “You lesser beings love to apologize.”
“Leave them alone,” I said. “We agreed to come with you.”
He shrugged. “You think you can use that as a bargaining chip, but really, you never had a choice. I let the poor girl go because I can appreciate a good, old-fashioned, powerful woman who has no idea how powerful she is.”
His eyes gleamed as he watched Neo scramble to Reese’s side and began to heal her. “One day, she might command the Heavens through him, and I’d like to be able to say I spared her life.”
Sariel returned to my side. “So you’re saying she owes you.”
“They both do, and I will cash in. Now, it’s time to go. I’ve had enough fun.”
“There’s no guarantee you’ll come back,” Johnny interrupted. “What the hell are you guys thinking?!”
“We’re thinking this’ll be fine,” Sariel said, eyeing Barimuz.
“I think if Barimuz wanted to hurt us, he would have a long time ago,” I added. “We’re not in any real danger.”
“You’re going toHell,” Marilyn called out. “You’ll be surrounded by danger. You can’t do this alone.”
Barimuz sighed. “Once again, he only wants to meet with these two. The rest of you can stay here until we come back… unless I’m instructed differently. In that case….”
He trailed off, an evil smirk on his lips.
“In that case, they’re fucking dead, and we’re next,” Neo said softly, cradling Reese’s head in his lap and stroking her hair.
“See?” Barimuz said gleefully. “The angel gets it! Stay put and be good, or else….”
He made a slitting motion with his fingers across his throat.
“...you’re dead.”
“This is a bad idea,” Johnny repeated as Barimuz extended his hand to Sariel and me.
“We haven’t had a good idea in weeks at this point,” Marilyn mumbled.
I hesitated for a split second, then turned to Marilyn. “If… if we don’t make it back and you somehow manage to survive, I want you to find my family,” I told her. “Tell them I love them, and I am so sorry.”
Marilyn bristled at my words. Sariel, too. “You’ll do it your fucking self, or so help me God, Aria….”
I smiled wobbly. “Right.”
I eyed Neo, Johnny, and Reese once more before grabbing Barimuz’s hand.
“Hey, Johnny, when you see Credence and mom again, tell them I’m sorry,” Sariel said at the last minute.
Johnny nodded jerkily.
Barimuz rolled his eyes. “Sodramatic. Hold on to your stuff. Literally. We’re going to Hell.”
And then the world around us vanished.
21
INTO THE NINTH CIRCLE
ARIA
Ihad never formed any objective opinion on Lucifer before now. As I stood amidst what appeared to be a maze of cubicles, I considered what I thought Lucifer, the Devil, might look like. What he mightbelike.
