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As the last daemon fell to ashes, the cabal surveyed the aftermath. The humans were severely injured, their breathing ragged and weak. The scent of blood mingled with the reek of daemon. Nadir’s heart ached at the sight of the suffering humans, especially as they looked upon the newcomers with terror and fresh tears.
A heavy silence fell upon the group as they considered the tough choice before them. Somehow, that none of the humans begged for mercy only made things worse.
Orias’ voice broke the silence, his tone resolute. “We have our orders, but I find it difficult to justify ending the lives of innocent people.”
Nadir nodded. “We can save them. I can heal them and then hide them on Earth in a place where they can recover. We’ll report to Belial that we’ve eliminated everyone in the burrow, but we won’t mention the humans.”
There was a pregnant pause. Nadir, her resolve unwavering, knew that the time would come when they would have to confront Belial directly. Somehow, she would put an end to his dangerous obsession with purifying the daemonic bloodlines once and for all, but today the lives of these three humans would have to suffice.
“Belial’s becoming increasingly unhinged in obsession with purifying the daemonic bloodlines,” Nadir continued. “If we can’t stop him, the least we can do is protect the innocent.”
“No survivors in the burrow,” Kobol said, as if trying out the lie. “It could work.”
The others exchanged glances, gauging the risks of such a plan. One by one, they nodded until Azimuth was the last one remaining.
“Fine. It’s risky to lie to the prince, but I’m with you all,” Azimuth said. “Our loyalty to each other and our shared sense of morality demands it.”
Kobol rolled his eyes. “We don’t need a speech, Az.”
“Come on,” Nadir said to Az, and they got to work.
Together they checked over the humans, Azimuth using his powers to lull each into a calm state while Nadir used her sense of smell to find open wounds and then lick them with her healing saliva. In a few minutes, all three humans were stable and docile.
“Where do you want to keep them?” Orias asked.
“It’s better if you don’t know,” Nadir replied. “You and Kobol return and give Belial an update. Az and I have it from here.”
“We won’t even mention the humans unless he asks,” Orias replied.
“We’ll tell Big Blue you’re off banging, so take your time,” Kobol added. “But not too much time, if you know what I mean.”
Nadir arched her brow. Before Kobol dug himself a deeper hole, Orias slapped a hand onto his shoulder and ported them both away.
“I really love that guy,” Nadir admitted.
Azimuth smiled. “Same. Where are we taking them?”
“Let’s take them to my old summoning space to start. It’s still locked up and there’s a stocked pantry there. After that, I’ll visit the burners up in Firestone. I bet I can talk them into taking them in for a few weeks.”
Azimuth laid his hands on two of the humans, while Nadir grabbed the third. With her free hand, she grabbed Az’s shirt and pulled him in close, placing a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks for backing me up.”
“Well, I do like the banging,” he teased.
Nadir snorted a laugh and then ported all of them away to safety.
CHAPTER32
ERIN
Erin felt a surge of excitement as she stepped out of the temple the following day, her gaze falling on the handful of people already gathered outside. She imagined the miraculous appearance of the temple overnight must have spread like wildfire. Erin could only hope those present had felt a spiritual call and had come to witness it for themselves. The scent of excitement and curiosity filled the air as the group chatted animatedly, their voices a mix of awe and wonder.
As she approached the gathering, Erin couldn’t help but notice two particularly striking individuals among the crowd—a tall, red-haired man with a mischievous grin and a stout, dark-skinned woman with a wild mane of hair. Both had a magnetic quality about them, drawing Erin’s attention with ease. The two were deep in conversation, and it was clear from their body language that they were no strangers to one another. As Erin drew closer, she heard snippets of their conversation and realized that they were discussing Dionysos and his temple.
“It looks like someone has put quite an effort into this place,” the red-haired man said with admiration. “But the locals are saying it’s new.”
The dark-skinned woman nodded in agreement, her voice filled with awe. “They certainly did not skimp on the details either! The aura of the divine permeates the very air here.” She looked around, her gaze softening, as if seeing something beautiful that nobody else could see. “This entire place seems to hold some kind of power and mystery.”
“Hail, travelers. I’m Erin,” she said, introducing herself to the duo. “Are you here for the temple?”
