I kneel down beside Adair as well. “Now, we wait for her to wake up and see reason.”
Lincoln raises his right eyebrow. “You really think that’ll happen?”
“Not a chance. We’ll ask her for my igni back, she’ll say no, and then—” I don’t want to talk about the killing part, but we both know that’s the most likely end game.
Lincoln rubs his chin thoughtfully. “I don’t think she’ll see reason, but she may follow tradition.”
“I’m listening.” No one knows better than me the power of tradition, rules and brainwashing. I see it every day.
“Ever since our encounter at the Ghost Towers, I’ve been considering the best way to approach Adair. Last time, I ordered her to speak to me. But I think there’s a higher ritual that I can invoke.”
“You mean, like a thrax ceremony or something?”
“Precisely. She and her House have given oaths of fealty to Rixa. If I ask her something in the names of those oaths, she can’t turn me down. In theory, anyway.”
My tail makes a stabbing motion at Adair’s chest. I smack the arrowhead end. “Down, boy. We’re talking to her first.” I shift my attention to Lincoln. “Go ahead. Give it a try.”
Lincoln gently sets his hand on her upper arm. “Adair?”
Her eyes flutter open. “Lincoln.”
“Am I your Prince?”
“Yes.”
“Will you honor your oath to my House and title, as you and your ancestors have done before you?”
Adair stares into his face for a moment. “I don’t know.”
My breath catches with a mixture of surprise and joy. She’s thinking about it. Actually considering sticking to her oaths. I take back all the nasty stuff I said about thrax worshipping ceremony. Go tradition!
Lincoln’s voice takes on a steely tone. “I am your Prince. You made these vows knowing their import. Now, will you honor them?”
“I…I…” Adair hunches over, her body curling forward in pain.
Lincoln leans in closer to her. “You can keep your title. Stay Great Lady of your House. All will be forgiven if you give Myla back her powers.”
“No, no, no.” Adair curls her body into a tighter ball. “Too soon to pay.”
I remember Adair saying the same thing at the warehouse when we captured her, and then later, at the Ball of Welcome. “She’s talked about this before. Something about paying a price for everything.”
Lincoln speaks louder. “What’s happening, Adair? Maybe I can help.”
With a wild groan, Adair flings back her arms and head, her spine twisting in a painful arc behind her. “Too soon to pay!” Fast as lightning, her body twists and elongates before us. Her limbs turn gangly; her fingers stretch until they have three fat knuckles. I outright gasp.
Unholy Hell. Adair is turning into Armageddon.
Only, while the King of Hell’s flesh is black and smooth as stone, this merged version has human-like skin that’s colored grey. Adair’s Scala robes reform into a charcoal-colored tuxedo, as well. It’s almost identical to the one always worn by the King of Hell.
This must be the payment Adair mentioned before. She made a deal with Armageddon. It makes perfect sense. If you want to gain demonic powers, there’s no one stronger than the King of Hell. And Armageddon isn’t the type to do something out of the kindness of his heart. There would certainly be a price.
The reformed Armageddon pokes at his stomach. “I’ll have you know I was quite busy torturing some Seraphim when you decided to get all wobbly about our deal. Actually contemplating giving back your igni, after all we’ve been through? Sad little thrax.” He frowns. “The very thought made me call in my debt early, and I never like changing my timelines. I wasn’t planning on taking this odious form until you’d moved a soul or two.”
Armageddon looks up. The lines of his face freeze with shock, as if he’s noticing Lincoln and me for the first time. “Although, seeing the situation, I’ll change my mind. Nice work, Adair.”
I ignite my baculum. “You can’t be here. I locked you into Hell.”
“Well, I’m not here, technically. I’m still in Hell. The little thrax sold her soul to me for a vial of my blood.” He cups his hands and looks at his nails. “I’m just taking possession of her spirit early, so to speak.”
“Possessed.” The word echoes through my mind. “So once Adair moved some souls, then you’d move into Adair.”
“Now you’re getting the idea. Never occurred to you, did it?” He steeples his three-knuckled fingers under his chin. “I love it when I’m brilliant. With Scala power, I can take over the after-realms. Now, what were the three of you discussing?”