Lincoln tears open another treasure chest. “This is the last one. There’s got to be something in here.” The last wooden box is so huge, Lincoln has to crawl inside to pull all the items out. He can no longer see what’s happening with Adair and me.
“And is that all you have to tell me?” I ask Adair.
“Isn’t it enough? Now, save yourselves and run!”
“From my kid? Never.” I stand up, adjust my grip on my dagger, and stab her straight through the heart. “I’m so sorry, Adair.”
She crumples forward, smiling. “I’m not.” The particles of her body disappear.
I bow my head. “Goodbye, Lady Adair,” I say in a low voice. “In the end, you died a true thrax.”
With an overly dramatic gasp, Aldred races up to the spot where Adair fell. “What have you done to my daughter?”
Sure. Like he really cares.
“Only what she asked me to. Seems your own daughter couldn’t stand eternity with you.”
“No matter.” He smiles greedily. “I’ll have Connor for company, soon enough.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Didn’t you notice I bypassed Purgatory and went straight to Hell? That’s a little unexpected side-effect of the deal Connor and I made with Sakura.”
“She’s dead now. That can’t hurt him.”
“Ah, but is Connor dead?” Aldred watches my face carefully and smiles. “I can see that he is. And he died while Sakura was alive, I bet. That means he went straight to the torture pits, just like I did. How lovely.”
“That’s enough out of you, once and for all.” I flip the grip on my baculum dagger, lean forward, and stab the old creep deep in his belly. “Adair didn’t ask me for this, by the way, but I’m throwing it in for free. Whatever Adair became, I’ve no doubt it’s all your fault, you crazy bastard.” I slide my blade out from his gut and watch him slowly disappear. A warm sense of satisfaction blooms through my rib cage.
That was a long time in coming.
Maxon pounds on the box’s metal walls, refocusing my attention. “Mommy, where are you? Don’t leave me.”
I crouch down beside the container once again. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Daddy and I aren’t going anywhere.”
“I found something,” cries Lincoln. He runs over in my direction, holding an elaborate sword-hilt.
“That’s it. Dad’s old baculum.” My heart lurches at the sight. Something about it calls to me. My fingers itch to wrap around the golden hilt and kick ass.
Lincoln tosses it my way. “Make him proud.”
Closing my eyes, I imagine the baculum igniting as a dagger. It becomes one, only with orange hues that dance inside the white flame. I tap the left side of the box again. “You still over here, baby?”
“Yes, Mommy. Hurry!”
I raise my arms over my head, and with all my strength, I bring the dagger down into the top right corner of the box’s upper panel. The blade slides through the metal.
“I see it, Mommy!”
“You’ll be out soon, baby.” I turn to Lincoln and smile. “We’re close.”
Lincoln opens his mouth to speak, but a great roar echoes through the throne room, drowning out any words from his lips.
“Open these gates!” cries a guttural voice. “On the command of the King of Hell.”
Lincoln looks at me, his eyes wide with disbelief. “What’s going on?” He scans the throne room. “What happened to Aldred and Adair?”
“Adair traded me information in exchange for her death. We didn’t kill Armageddon; it was a double. The real deal is up at the Walls of Hell, watching for Dad’s army. Once we killed the double, he must have sent his guard down to investigate.”
“Open up!” cries the rasping voice again. “On the order of the King.”
“We better work fast,” says Lincoln. “It won’t take them long to bring the battering ram.”
“The helm is booby-trapped, too. We’ve got four minutes.”
Lincoln rakes his right hand through his hair. “Four minutes will be enough.” He sets his hands around mine, and together, we slice through one side of the box-top. Inside the metal container, I hear Maxon shifting around.
“I see your baculum, Mommy. I won’t let it burn me.”
I can’t help but smile. “You’re smart, baby.”
A fresh round of roars sounds from the lacquered doors. “Open up! I’m Captain of the King’s personal guard. Whoever you are, you won’t keep any of that treasure. It’ll be the torture pits for you.”
I turn the Captain’s words over in my mind. “He thinks we’re demons, trying to steal from the throne room while Armageddon’s away.”
Lincoln sighs. “Makes sense. Armageddon would be down here in a heartbeat if he knew it was us.”
The Captain pounds on the door, making it rattle in its frame. “There’s no way out but past us,” he growls. “You might as well let us in now. If you share your prizes, we may forget we found you.”
“We have to keep going.” Lincoln lifts his hands from mine. “It’ll be faster to make the second cut if we shift position.”
“Right.”