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The big demon grimaced. “I didn’t say I would let you leave. It was implied he wanted you to stay by giving you the room,” he argued, and she snorted.
I was not as sure as she was that he would help us escape. In fact, I thought it was very likely he might poof away and tell Lucifer that the others were here.
But Aria had no such doubts, apparently, because she was smirking slyly at him and me both.
“You’ll let us leave.”
She soundedso sureas she walked past us both to our friends, beaming. Auren surprised me by pulling her into a hug, and then he looked at me nervously.
“I… I’m sorry I fucked up the whole ‘keeping my sister-in-law safe’ thing,” he said.
That made me smirk despite his genuine discomfort. When I hugged him, he relaxed a bit.
Aria was making the loop, pausing to apologize to Neo, even though I wasn’t sure why. The angel just cackled and hugged her, muttering in her ear before patting her shoulders and sending her on to the next person. “No harm done.”
Not toher, anyway; that was all I cared about.
Auren pressed his lips together. I got the impression that he was ashamed when he looked at the Archdemon again, rolling his shoulders back.
Johnny hugged me tight when I turned around. It was a good thing he was there to ground me for when Auren spoke next.
“I need an audience with Lucifer.”
My heart stuttered.
“The Resistance would like to petition him to take a stance against the war and help us stabilize—”
“No!”
I hadn’t meant to shout, but I did, and it boomed across the room.
Aria was there instantly, gripping my hands as I jerked free of Johnny’s arms.
Barimuz chuckled. Either my panic amused him, or Auren’s audacity to roll into Hell and demand to talk to the Big Boss was hilarious. Meanwhile, I couldn’t control my terror at the idea that he would lock my brother up like he had me.
“Lucifer probably already knows you’re here,” Barimuz mused, sounding more thoughtful than anything as his arms folded over his chest.
Aria gave me a look, then turned to look at the others with a scowl. Our bond tingled with bits of betrayal, and it was my turn to squeeze her hands, hoping it soothed some of the hurt that blossomed in her.
“We’re not asking the man who kidnapped andtorturedyour brother for help, Auren. Learn to read the room,” she angrily scolded.
He opened his mouth—probably to makeperfectsense—but she glared hard enough that he snapped it shut. It would have been hilarious any other time.
“Barimuz.”
The demon in question stiffened when my mate looked at him, purring his name like a siren. All of a sudden, I could empathize with him.
“Please, will you let us go?” Aria asks quietly. “He wants mysoulin exchange for leaving. You already know what happens to the souls he collects.”
Her pleading was soft. It seemingly pulled at all the right heartstrings because the Archdemon’s tail lashed behind him—he looked ready to run from the room just to avoid puppy eyes.
I was almost impressed when her eyes softened at him evenmore, laying it on thick.
“Maybe heshouldhave it,” the demon grumbled, clearly aware that he was being manipulated and unhappy about it. Aria tried not to laugh, her cheeks twitching as she fought back a grin.
“You may go,” Barimuz agreed, sounding imperious as he did so. It nearly made me snort.
When Aria looked at our friends with her best “Well?”expression, the twins winced.
