Chapter 36

Acold wind ruffled Ursula’s hair as she surveyed Cera’s home—or what remained of it. With the roof torn off and the door caved in, it hardly counted as a house anymore. She found no sign of either Kester or Cera. Behind her, Zee and Bael coughed, ridding their lungs of ashes, staring at the ruins.

Dread whispered in Ursula’s skull. What happened while we were gone? “Cera? Kester?” she called out softly, but silence greeted her. It felt colder than she remembered.

Bael spoke in a low voice. “Draw your blade.”

Ursula was already gripping Honjo, and she lifted him defensively.

“Stay where you are.” He crossed to the bedroom, pushing through the door and poking his head inside. He returned a moment later, shaking his head.

“Nothing?” asked Ursula.

“Just the burned outline of Emerazel’s sigil.”

“Kester must have taken Cera out of here,” said Zee.

“Where would they have gone?” asked Ursula.

“I don’t know,” said Bael. “But the mark looked at least a day old.”

A chill rippled over Ursula’s skin. “Apparently, someone found the Grotto. I think we need to explore.”

Already, Ursula was pushing through Cera’s front door, Zee and Bael following behind her.

The scene that greeted them was pure devastation. Where once had stood a city of stone houses, now she found a pile of rubble. A few wisps of smoke rose from the ruins, and a deathly quiet enshrouded the place. Ice snaked up Ursula’s spine. This was all wrong.

Her chest tightened. “Either Abrax or the lords must have found them.”

Something glinted in Bael’s hand—an obsidian blade he must have taken from Cera’s house. “Let’s get to my manor.” He pointed to the path out of the grotto. “We can go that way, to the main cave.”

Zee looked Bael up and down. “Wait a second. You can’t go around looking like that.” Immediately, Bael’s massive form shimmered, his skin twisting until he no longer resembled a massive demon. Instead, he appeared considerably smaller, with a stooped back and thin wisps of hair sprouting from his chin.

Ursula’s eyebrows shot up, but within moments, her skin was shimmering as well, deep wrinkles developing along the tops of her hands. “Let me guess. I look like a hag.”

Zee smiled. “I had lots of practice doing hags in the prison. Kept the guards away from my cell.” As she spoke, she transformed into a weedy demon with a single green horn that sprouted off-center from the middle of her forehead.

Glamoured to look like the ragged end of Abrax’s army, they began to hike up the side of the grotto.

Despite the destruction of the hidden city, the path itself was clear, and they were able to move quickly.

When they reached the boulder blocking the city entrance, it only took a single push from Bael to roll it aside. They slipped out onto the cliffside path in the dim violet light. Ursula shuddered, remembering that the Molok lurked somewhere in the darkness below.

As they stood on the side of the cliff, Bael put his fingers to his lips and whistled. A moment later, the soft, rhythmic sound of bat wings beat the air.

Sotz swooped before them.

“You go on,” said Bael. “I’ll take Zee with me.”

Ursula wasn’t sure if Zee’s horned demon scowled or if the frown on its lips was simply its natural resting face.

In any case, when Sotz circled back, Ursula leapt onto his back, grabbing his fur with one hand and clutching Honjo with the other. Together, they lifted off into the darkness, the cool air whipping at her hair.

They reached Bael’s manor,soaring through a hole in the ravaged wall, where great beams of metal twisted into the darkness like steel innards. Starlight shone through cracked shards of shattered windows, and ragged holes interrupted the sleek walls. Burn marks marred the marble floors.

It had been damaged the last time she’d been here—but it now looked considerably worse.

“Thanks, Sotz.” Ursula slid off the bat.

As Sotz launched himself back into the lunar sky, she surveyed the room. The demon lords had ransacked the place, leaving only the half-smashed stones of the mosaic. Scorch marks streaked the floor where some sort of bomb had exploded. An icy breeze blew through the holes in the walls, the familiar creosote smell mixing with the more recent scent of fire.

A screeching of claws turned her head. She watched as the bat carrying Bael and Zee skittered to a stop on the tile.

Bael offered Zee a hand, and she hopped off, looking a little shaken.

“You okay, Zee?”

“I’m fine.” She rubbed her green horn as though soothing it. “Just not used to riding these creatures.”

“It’s a bit of an acquired taste,” said Ursula. “But then it’s amazing.”

Without another word, Zee closed her eyes, pulling the glamour off the three of them.

As he took in his manor, Bael stiffened, his darkening eyes seeming to focus on one of the ravaged upper levels. Ursula followed his gaze to a balcony cloaked in shadows.

“What is it?” asked Ursula.

“There’s someone up there,” said Bael. “Draw your sword.”

Ursula looked at the sword in her hand and inwardly rolled her eyes. Asking her to draw her sword was clearly some sort of nervous habit of Bael’s at this point.

“Who deigns to invade my manor?” Bael bellowed.

Never a fan of stealth, that one.

His voice echoed in the darkness. Then a shadow shifted on the balcony, revealing a familiar silver-haired oneiroi.

“My lord. Is that you?” Cera’s voice rang out in the darkness.

“Cera,” shouted Bael. “You can stop calling me my lord.”

Cera’s pale eyes went wide. “Zee, is that you?”

“Yes, it’s Zee.” said Bael. “Could you send down the cage?”

Ursula was pretty sure she heard Cera softly say “Yes, my lord” as she disappeared into the shadows.

A few moments later, a creaking sound groaned through the manor as the cage-like elevator began to descend. When it reached the floor, they stepped inside, and Bael shut the door behind them. Within moments, the lift began to rise slowly, groaning as it swung from side to side, and they passed one dark, dusty balcony after another. Ursula grabbed the bars with one hand, and the chilly manor air whispered over her skin. She’d once felt so intimidated here. Now, it felt strangely like home—broken walls and all.

Instead of rising all the way to the roof as Ursula was used to, the elevator stopped at Cera’s level. The door creaked open onto a small marble platform. Cera stood at the far end, and as soon as the elevator door opened, she rushed forward to give Ursula a hug.

Bael stepped out onto the platform. “It’s good to see you again, Cera.”

Cera released Ursula, running to hug Zee. “Zee, are you all right? You look skinny. Did the dragons hurt you?”

Zee shook her head. “I’m fine. Where’s Kester?”

Cera’s muscles stiffened as she released Zee. “There was an attack. Abrax and his golems captured him.”

Ursula’s stomach sank, worry blooming in her chest. She’d already seen what Abrax had done to him the first time he’d been captured. She couldn’t imagine he’d be treated any better now.