But how could a single dyad demon have the powers of a mated pair? Most female dyads wouldn’t survive without their tether. When we fought Mourn and Dusk back at the ruined hospital, they certainly didn’t. However, those two were lesser demons. Greater demons often have untold powers, and I know for a fact that there was once a greater demon dyad pair: Drusus and Daria. My father fought them at the Battle of the Gates. Supposedly, that’s where Drusus and Daria died. An odd chill settles into my heart.
Maybe Daria somehow survived. And kept Drusus’s freezing powers to boot.
If that’s true, then Daria would fit the perfect profile of a combination lust monster, shape shifter, and freezy demon. Could that even be possible?
One person knows whether Daria might have made it. My father.
I grab Dad’s hand as the orchestra music swells. “Tell me about the Battle of the Gates.”
“Now?” My father shoots a worried look at Cissy, who shrugs in a way that says “whatever, let’s humor her.” Dad slaps on a patient smile. “Fine. What do you want to know?”
“The only dyad demons who were also greater demons were at that battle, right?”
“Yes. Drusus and Daria.”
“How did they die, exactly? Did you kill them?”
“Me? No. One of my foot soldiers stabbed Drusus through with a sword. Good fighter. He cut their tether as well. Do you know what that is?”
“Sure. A tether is a line of dark energy that connects dyads.” I stare at him with a “go on already” sort of glare.
“That was it,” says Dad. “A number of warriors saw their tether cut. We never found the bodies, though. Not that we were going to expend a lot of trouble trying to answer that mystery. Dyad demons can’t live without a tether.”
More bits of information fall into place. “Is there any chance Daria lived?”
“What is this about, really?” asks Cissy. “Are you getting cold feet?”
Dad sets his hand in my shoulder in a protective move. “If you want to call this off, we’ll do it. Whatever you want.”
“What I want is information about Daria. Could she have survived?”
“I’ve never seen a dyad survive having their tether cut.” My father bobs his head, considering. “That said, Drusus and Daria were also greater demons. Those kind often have unusual powers. You know, like archangels.” He purses his lips. “Although, dyads specialize in shape shifting, lust, and freezing people. Even if those powers were extreme, I don’t know how that would help them when their tether was cut.”
“But it could happen.”
“If Daria somehow managed to keep them both alive, maybe.”
So, Drusus and Daria could still be alive, and they might have enough power to stay that way. Damn.
My heart rate picks up speed. “What do you think happened to the bodies?”
“Charybdis would be my guess. Many from that battle got pulled in there.”
“That’s a magical vortex on Earth,” explains Cissy. “Basically, it’s a hole in the desert that pulls in supernatural beings. Every so often, it spits one out again.”
I nod slowly. Charybdis. I remember Lincoln saying something about that. It’s a popular spot for demon hunting on Earth.
My father scratches his cheek. “I suppose if Drusus and Daria survived having their tether cut, then they could have gotten dragged into Charybdis. It could have spat them out at any time. That’s a lot of ‘ifs,’ though.”
I bob a bit on the balls of my feet. My warrior sense tells me I’m getting closer. “Let’s just say that somehow, Daria lived. Would she ever want to help Armageddon?”
“Certainly. Demons can be very loyal, in their own ways. She fought on Armageddon’s side in the Battle of the gates. We’re in Antrum, though. There’s no way Drusus or Daria will get you here, even if they did survive.”
“What about the demon alarms? Could Daria have gotten in, especially if she masqueraded as a quasi-demon?”
“Perhaps. That said, even if someone did get through, you have the greatest warriors in the after-realms before you.” Dad’s eyes fill with worry. “Please, Myla. Enjoy your day.”
At this point, Dad and Cissy are done humoring me. In fact, they both look not-a-little freaked out. And the music is about to switch to my processional. I steel my shoulders. This is ridiculous. Whatever this thing is with Mrs. Pomplemousse, Dad is right. It can wait.
“Yeah. Sure.” I return my focus to the Chapel floor, but I can’t stop watching Mrs. Pomplemousse. She raises her right hand. A small cloud of black dust swirls around her torso.
My breath catches. I saw this happen once before—back when we were fighting the dyad demons in the ruined hospital with Desmond. Mourn pulled in some black dust right before he tried to freeze Lincoln and me.
Hells bells. I was right. Mrs. Pomplemousse is Daria.
My eyes widen as Mrs. Pomplemousse raises her other hand. Something golden gleams in her palm. Oh-the-Hell-no.
That’s Lucifer’s coin.
I rush forward, screaming. “Dyad demons are here! Run!”
Everyone stares at me in shock. From across the Chapel floor, Lincoln takes off for me at a sprint.
Suddenly, a great burst of darkness erupts from around Mrs. Pomplemousse.
This is just like what happened with Mourn and Dusk. The male dyad, Mourn, released a cloud of black particles that froze Desmond in place. There’s no forgetting the unique look of that darkness.