I let out a grunt. “Dude, this is serious. We need you to be serious with us.”
Wilbur gave me a long look. He was usually a lecher, and he could be a real son-of-a-bitch misogynist, but the fact was, he had always come through for us in the past. He had lost his leg because of his friendship with us, as well.
“What’s going on, Dead Girl?” That was as close to an endearment as he ever got with me.
“Demons have kidnapped Nerissa and they’re holding her hostage. We absolutely cannot pay the ransom they’re asking. It isn’t a matter of money, but of . . . saving the world, basically. So we need to sneak into the Sub-Realms, track her down, and rescue her.” I held his gaze, not working my glamour. If he did this, I wanted him doing so willingly because creating a Demon Gate could backfire on him, and in the worst scenario, it could put his life in jeopardy.
“And to get into the Sub-Realms, you have to have a Demon Gate. I take it you can’t go through the Ionyc Seas?” Wilbur knew a great deal about our abilities. He never had ratted us out, not once.
“Right, because the only one who’s been in the Sub-Realms is Vanzir, and he can’t travel through the Seas. He can go via the astral plane, but that’s a highly dangerous trek when you’re talking about leading a group into the demonic realms.” I folded my arms across my chest and leaned back. “Wilbur, I know you don’t have a stake in this . . .”
“But you need my help.” He stared at me so intently that for a moment, I feared he was going to ask something from me that I really didn’t want to give him. But after a moment, he shrugged. “What’s a little Demon Gate among friends? All right, I’m in. But you listen to what I say, do what I tell you, and don’t mess up. Got it?”
I nodded. “Got it.”
“How many people do you need to transport?”
Camille returned from the kitchen and handed a mug of coffee to Wilbur.
Roman straightened up. “Menolly will be taking a group of five vampires with her. I’d rather send more, but the smaller the party, the easier it will be to escape notice. By the laws of the Vampire Nation, I’m not allowed to go—only one crown may be away at war at any given time unless the war comes to us.”
Wilbur stared at him for a moment, then shrugged. “And who else?”
“Before I answer, does anyone know about the day?” I licked my lips, a thought occurring to me. “Is there . . . does the sun shine in the Sub-Realms? Will I have to worry about it?”
Trillian shook his head. “I’ve lived there, remember? When Svartalfheim was located there. You will have no sun to worry about, nor moon to rise over the night. There is a constant glow of fire and smoke, but you will never find the source of it. It’s warm—too warm, and the air is bone dry. Water can be found, but much of it is stagnant and filled with bracken or algae. The vegetation that grows in the Subterranean Realms is twisted and windswept, and dry as dust. A constant wind blows across the land and it never stops. After a while, you begin to hear voices in it and if you try to listen, they can drive you mad. I will go with you. I know my way around to some degree.”
I gulped. It sounded so alien and strange, and so far away. “I don’t want everybody with me. Some of you have to stay here, to guard the portals and our family. Smoky, I think you would stand out far too much.”
“He would, he would positively shine, but I will go.” Shade moved to stand beside me.
Delilah started to stand, but I shook my head. “I will not take you to the Sub-Realms, Kitten. Not if I had to go there alone. I refuse—don’t ask and don’t argue.” She had lost so much of her na?veté over the years, but I would not strip away what remained, and I had the feeling that a visit to the Sub-Realms would wipe the slate clean and leave her without the joyous optimism that helped hold our family together.
Camille started to say something, but I shook my head again. “Neither will I take you. You’re slated to be Queen of Dusk and Shadow. I won’t jeopardize your life. Vanzir—will you come?”
He unfolded his arms and grinned at me. “Thought you’d never ask. Of course.”
“We will go in light. Vanzir, Shade, Trillian, and I will go, along with the vampires Roman assigns me. Better we keep the party light, to escape notice. That makes nine of us.”
Nine, to walk into the darkness. I thought of The Lord of the Rings and was vaguely comforted that the Fellowship had contained nine members. But they had Gandalf and we didn’t. And they, at least, knew where they were going. Although we had coordinates, that wasn’t quite the same. Or at least it didn’t seem so to me.
I turned to Wilbur. “When do we leave?”