Xev nodded. “And with it intact, he could take possession of her.”
Appearing as sick as Nick suddenly felt, Kody groaned at the sound of those words. “Are you telling me that we gave a Charonte to a D?v?”
“We have to find Simi.”
“Wait!” Nick grabbed Caleb’s arm as he started for the door. “For those of us informationally challenged … hello? What exactly is a D?v?”
“One of the scariest, most lethal classes of demon.” Caleb passed a pained stare to Menyara. “They are a special nightmare. Like parasites, they’re drawn to other powerful demons and gods. Once they find them, they can drain them and use their powers, similar to a siphon, except they don’t have to make physical contact. They just have to be within a few hundred yards. Then they move into the host and make him or her their bitch.”
“You think it’s what got Nashira and Dagon?”
“Maybe.” Xev sighed. “I wouldn’t put anything past one. They were a vital part of the Mavromino army, since it’s hard to kill an army made up of the faces of dead loved ones.” He passed a gimlet stare to Caleb.
“You’re never going to let me live Zykesh down, are you?”
“No. You annihilated my entire army—right down to slaughtering all the city’s chickens.”
Caleb rolled his eyes until he saw the horrified gape on Kody’s face. “My men were hungry after the battle.”
“And used the bones of my men for skewers to roast those chickens.”
“It seasoned the meat while it cooked—gave it a nice … okay, I can see your point. Your anger might have some merit.”
Kody finally managed to close her mouth. “So what I’m hearing is that we owe a huge debt to Lilliana for pulling Caleb out of play for a time and taming him down a bit?”
“Yes,” Xev said. “By removing Malphas from battle, it allowed us to gain the upper hand. He was one of their few generals who could and would strategize. And my brother knew exactly how to maximize damage. And hit you hardest where it did the most damage.”
“Yeah, but Lil was right. I was a lot deadlier when I fought to protect her and her people, than I was while I fought because I was pissed at my father and wanted to get back at him.”
“Indeed. Mal was the only commander we ever had who led his troops against the D?v, and not only survived the battle—he won.”
Nick arched a brow at him. “How’d you do it?”
“A Malachai sword will kill them and they’re attracted to powerful enemies. We lined up our strongest and armed them with Malachai swords.”
“How’d you get Malachai swords?”
“Trophies,” Kody whispered. “Whenever a Sephiroth kills a Malachai, he or she takes the sword as a trophy of their skill. It’s a badge of honor for them.”
Caleb nodded. “Back then, there were Sephirii who had decorated their entire rooms with those swords.”
Nick curled his lip at the thought of such a grisly thing. Not that it was that grisly. Just that he would have probably been one of those Malachai they were so proud of killing.
Aeron moved to squeeze Nick’s shoulders. “If only we knew where to lay hands upon one of those swords, eh, mate?”
Nick snorted as he saw where this was heading. “So I’m the sitting duck … now there’s a big surprise. Y’all might as well cover me with Mark’s duck urine while you’re at it, too.”
Xev made an annoyed “heh” sound.
Ignoring them both, Caleb continued. “And we have to pull a D?v out of a Charonte.” He crossed himself.
“Dude, you’re not Catholic.”
“No, but much like Clovis, to win this round, I’m willing to convert.” Caleb took a deep breath. “All right, crew. Let’s go find Simi and try not to die.”
“Let’s do it.” Nick clapped his hands together to encourage them. “Should I ask for our odds of survival?”
“No!” they all shouted at Nick in unison.
“Okay,” he said slowly as his ulcer came back with friends. “To certain death, dismemberment, and undignified screams, let us march!”
CHAPTER 17
Nick hesitated on the street, not too far from Menyara’s store. “Are you sure this’ll work?”
Caleb nodded as he took Nick’s sword. “You didn’t have your powers earlier. It’s why the D?v didn’t try to possess you, then. Now, it’ll sense them and leap. When it does…” He held the sword up pointedly.
Then collapsing it, he handed the hilt to Nick who slid the sword into his pocket.
As he did so, Nick froze. A peculiarly surreal sensation engulfed him. No, not engulfed.
Slapped. Like an enemy with an iron gauntlet that had just laid open his cheek to challenge him for a duel.