September Moon (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #8)

“I have the scroll.”


Chapter Twenty-Three

I was dumbfounded. Then I was skeptical. “Are you fucking with me?”

“I wish. Saber was telling the truth. It’s no longer corporeal. What he didn’t say, because he doesn’t know, is that I’m the one who has it.”

I studied Falon, searching for a lie in his silver eyes. Thankfully we were only swaying to the music, or I would have certainly lost my footing. It was tough to wrap my mind around his claim.

“How is that even possible?”

For the first time since we met, I saw a glimmer of doubt in Falon. I wouldn’t go so far as to say there was fear there, but it was pretty damn close.

“Is there somewhere we can go to talk?” he asked, dropping the pretense of dancing. “I have a feeling you’re going to ask a lot of questions.”

“Yeah, there’s a place. I don’t think Arys will wait here though.” I put several feet between Falon and me, glad to be done with the dancing. Stopping by the makeshift bar, I poured myself a glass of whiskey before leading the way across the yard to the cemetery next door.

As I’d expected, Arys trailed along behind us. Coby and Shaz remained behind at his command, but neither of them appeared to be happy with that. They meant well, I knew that, but neither of them could do anything against Falon anyway. If he was here with ill will, I was pretty much screwed.

We crossed the large backyard and broke through the trees into the graveyard. The music and voices carried to us, but somehow didn’t manage to ruin the peaceful effect of the place. The cemetery was comforting to me. The energy was calm and peaceful. Traces of sadness flavored the atmosphere from mourners who came to visit, though that wasn’t very often. For the most part the energy of the graveyard felt simple and final. As if those whose remains occupied the ground were very far from this place. I liked that.

I perched on a headstone belonging to a William White and waited for Falon to continue. Rushing to believe anything he said would be stupid, and he was right, I definitely had a lot of questions already.

He leaned against a tall monument-like headstone across from me. “Listen up, Hound. I’m only going to say all of this once. If you’re too drunk to remember this tomorrow, it’s all on you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, taking a large swallow of whiskey just to annoy him. “Start talking. Tell me why you have the key to Lilah’s kingdom. If you do indeed have it, that is.” Irritation furrowed his brow. I enjoyed picking at him if only because he loved doing it to me so much.

“Lilah secured her throne when she learned of Salem’s intent to cage her. She made it impossible for another to claim her kingdom, unless they completed the ritual that was recorded on the scroll. The scroll was a physical object though the magic it invokes is pure demon magic. Veryl discovered it and hid it, using it as a way to control her. She found it after his death.”

“I knew it,” I interrupted with a self-satisfied whoop. So I had been on the right track after all by searching Veryl’s office.

“Anyway,” Falon continued with a glare. “She destroyed the physical scroll, containing the words upon it in nothing more than an unseen orb. A psi ball, if you will. She gave it to me before your sister sent her back to the angel’s prison, and I want to give it to you.”

“You’ve had it this whole time?” I scoffed. “Sounds like bullshit to me. Is that why you were banging her?”

He frowned and ignored the urge I’m sure he had to tell me off. “Demons don’t half-ass anything. The power contained on that scroll is the only way to access Lilah’s vacant throne. It was bound with twin flame power because she is a twin. Her kingdom is inaccessible to any other than her without the scroll. And only if all of the puzzle pieces are in play.”

“And just what does that mean exactly?” I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of this. The twin flame reference made my skin prickle.

Arys stepped through the trees, a silent shadow in the moonlight. He came to stand next to the headstone I sat on and motioned for Falon to answer my question.

“The twin flame power is the key. Created by twin flame blood, it can be destroyed the same way.” Falon glanced from me to Arys and back, waiting for a reaction. “Of course, Lilah and Salem are immortals. Which is why it requires more than merely your weak mortal blood. Are you putting this together yet, Hound?”

“It requires my life.” It hit me with a sudden earth shattering realization. It was Lilah and her damn twin flame that tied Arys and me to this. “Because I’m a twin flame Shya can use me to open it. That’s his goal in keeping me alive while he looks for it, isn’t it?”