A smile rounds Lincoln’s mouth. “We’re ready to go, Marty. Initiating Pulpitum transfer in three, two, one.”
With a jolt, the platform speeds into the earth. Normally, I enjoy watching the streaks of rock, water, and magma fly by as we hurtle toward our destination. This time, though? The ride is anything but pleasant. All I can think about is getting this codex to the courthouse before it’s too late.
Even worse, my inner wrath demon is going berserk. It senses danger from Acca, and that sense is never wrong.
I only hope we arrive in time to stop whatever they have planned next.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The Pulpitum slams to a halt. Lincoln and I now stand at the end of a long black corridor. I pat the backpack behind me. The codex and Lucifer’s coin are still safe inside. I exhale a shaky breath. At last, we’ve arrived in Antrum with the evidence we so desperately need. At this point, all that remains is getting to the courtroom.
Lincoln and I step off the Pulpitum and into the darkened corridor. Rustling noises echo from the shadows. We pause.
My tail arches over my shoulder, ready for battle. “Who’s there?” I wouldn’t put it past Acca to leave soldiers in here, just in case Lincoln and I returned in time. Warrior energy streams through my muscles, preparing me to fight.
Lincoln ignites his baculum into a torch. The flickering light reveals the outline of two familiar figures seated in the darkness. I grin.
It’s Walker and Cissy.
My shoulders slump with relief. Walker is my honorary ghoul brother, and Cissy is my best friend. It’s beyond awesome to see them.
Cissy stands and bobs a bit on the balls of her feet. The movement makes her blonde ringlets bounce. Today she wears the purple robes of her office as a Diplomatic Senator. “They’re here!” She leans over to pull Walker to his feet. “Wake up.”
My brows lift. As a ghoul, Walker needs almost no rest at all. For him to have zonked out—and be so deeply asleep that he didn’t hear us arrive—something big must have gone down.
Walker slowly rises. His tall stature and death-white skin are classic to all ghouls. The sharp lines of his face soften as he focuses on Lincoln and me. “At last. I came here when I got news of your sanctuary. I knew you’d return, and when you did, that this would be your first stop.”
“I’ve been coming and going,” offers Cissy. “But Walker’s been here the entire time.”
My throat tightens. No wonder Walker dozed off. He’s been waiting for us at the Pulpitum non-stop. Note to self: make Walker one of the cough syrup cocktails he loves later.
A tense moment follows. There are no tearful hellos or long explanations. We all know what’s at stake. If Aldred isn’t put behind bars, Lincoln and I could end up in the dungeon.
“I know the fastest way to the courtroom.” Walker races off into the darkness, making his long black robes billow with the movement. Lincoln, Cissy, and I try to keep pace. For a ghoul, Walker can really haul ass.
“I’m so relieved you made it!” Cissy positively beams. “How was sanctuary in Heaven?”
“It was…Fine?”
Cissy’s big blue eyes narrow. “You’re a crap liar, Myla. I want details and I want them now. I’ve been waiting here too, you know.” Like all quasi-demons, Cissy has a power aligned to one of the seven deadly sins as well as a tail to match. Her sin is envy, and her backside is of the golden retriever variety. At this point, Cissy’s tail is wagging furiously, which means she’s super-excited. Envy demons covet gossip of all kinds, and Cissy wants to be the first to know what happened.
Eh. She can live with waiting.
“You’ll get plenty of information shortly.”
“But, Myla—”
“Trust me, Cis. Not now. I need to focus on the courtroom.”
“Of course. You’re getting your game face on.” Cissy winks in my direction, which is a surprise. The girl I knew six months ago would have had an envy-inspired hissy fit. But becoming a Senator has shown Cissy what’s really important. These days, she drops the envy crap a lot more easily.
“What happened while we were gone?” asks Lincoln.
“Aldred has been grandstanding all week,” answers Walker. “He insists that you’re hiding out in Heaven because you’ve no real evidence against him. He’s even started a major referendum on where to imprison you.”
“Of course,” says Lincoln. “And the investigation into Cryptan’s death?”
Walker shakes his head. “We never put any tracking systems in the Vault. Why would we? People hardly went in there.” Walker’s an engineering genius. He’s done a ton of work in Purgatory and some projects in Antrum, too. So if there were recording thingies in the Vault, he would know. “Unfortunately, we’ve no proof who came and went that day.”
“Aren’t there any spells you can use?” I ask.
Walker frowns. “We’ve tried. There are many magical blocks in place. I’m not sure we’ll ever see the truth of the thing. At this point, we’ve only Aldred’s lies.”
“And what of my people?” asks Lincoln. “Do they believe this subterfuge?”