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“Why? Think about how many women have suffered loss? Over and over. They try and try. It is a constant food source for aparasitelike that.” I could hardly push the words past my teeth. “I want her out of Farryn’s body, and I’d like you to accompany me on a bit of a journey.”
“Journey to where?”
“The Obsidian Mountains.”
“Is that not in the same vicinity as the Noxerians? Are you serious? I set one foot on their territory, and they’ll string me up and cook me alive.”
“You said you have a way to mask your vitaeilem.”
“Yes, but I am …exceptionallygood looking. They’re going to know I’m Elysiumerian in one glance.”
Arrogant prick. “I’m happy to rearrange a few features, if you’d like.”
“Why do you require company on this trek?”
“I intend to meet with Venefica there,” I lied, lifting the stone from my pocket.
The intrigue in Soreth’s eyes damn near lit up his entire cell. Should’ve known something rumored to be nothing more than a myth would entice him. “The black witch?” His voice held an annoying pitch of awe.
“It’s possible she might have a way to release the soul from Farryn. But I am unfamiliar with her alchemy. I thought you might be able to assist. Her lair is said to sit on the edge of Eradye, and will require yourla’ruajh.”
“It’s quite risky.”
“It is. But what’s a little risk, to say that you are the only scholar in the heavens to lay eyes upon Venefica.” Without a doubt, I had to have been the most manipulative bastard in all five realms.
The plan was to make the trek toward Ariochbury, which happened to be just east of Obsidia, which meant Soreth would be none the wiser, up until we reached the castle. At that point, I would slip himfeleszunguiz,or cat’s claw. A very potent knock-out drug, to which angels just happened to be susceptible. I’d used it a number of times back in the day, when I hunted the A’ryakai. Odorless, colorless. He’d never know, until the point when he’d eventually wake up in the Noxerians clutches. And by that time, I expected to be on my way back to Farryn.
“Very well. I will accompany you.”
47
JERICHO
“May I ask why we’re traveling by horse, when we’ve perfectly capable wings that would not only get us there faster, but would be far less painful to endure?”
I climbed up onto Onyx’s saddle and waited for Soreth to mount his steed. “A set of white wings in the air would draw every fallen angel out of his burrow. They’d easily capture you, of course, seeing as you’re so unfamiliar with the lay of the land, and they hunt in packs, meaning that, after you’re in their clutches, they’d subject you to unspeakable humiliation and sexual acts, before draining all of your vitaeilem and ultimately sending you off to absolute death, or Ex Nihilo. But if you’re up for a chase, I’m happy to accommodate.”
“Horse is fine,” he grumbled and awkwardly climbed up onto his like a haughty angel with a full set of perfectly functional wings. “How do you manage to keep your balls from getting smashed?”
“Learn to embrace the pain,” I said, glancing up to see Farryn staring down at me from her bedroom window.
I’d visited her earlier that morning, after a final dose vitaeilem from Soreth, to say my goodbyes. Her cramping had lessened from the day before, but her spirits remained downcast. It killed me having to leave her again in such a state, to risk that my father might come after her in my absence, but I had to get her out of his clutches, and the only way to do that officially was through the Noxerians. As much as I’d wanted to claim her, to ensure that my father would never touch her, doing so that soon after having lost the baby might’ve brought harm to her.
While the idea of leaving her weighed heavy on me, fortunately, I knew firsthand how skilled Vaszhago was at killing Mortunath, having fought alongside him as a Knight, and I trusted he’d keep her safe, as the agreement bound him until she turned cambion.
With sadness still shadowing her eyes, she waved at me.
I waved back, and my gaze caught on movement to my right, where Cerberus trotted around the corner of the cathedral. Once the hound laid eyes on Soreth, a deadly glow rose to their surface, and his lips peeled back into a vicious snarl. Seconds later, Fenrir and Nero prowled up alongside him, snarling in the same threatening manner. Without a doubt, they’d remembered the angel and what had happened to their siblings by his hand.
“Do you recall the hellhounds I salvaged from that day in the cave? The ones you told me would never remain loyal to me?”
He snorted, sliding around on his saddle in what I guessed to be a poor attempt to adjust his groin. “Vicious little mongrels.”
“It seems they remember you.” I canted my head toward the hounds, and not a moment later, all three of them lurched into a dead run.
“What in God’s name!” Soreth frantically jerked his body back and forth. “How do you get this damned beast to move?” Panic laced his voice, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
I trotted up next to him and gave the steed a slap to the ass, which sent it into a gallop toward the gate. “I wouldn’t loosen your grip!”
