30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Celeste

" A re you ready?" I asked, looking at each of the men in front of me. Roman had changed into the clothes Beleth begrudgingly provided since it was harder to move in a suit than a pair of sweatpants. He didn't seem as enthusiastic about my suggestion of going naked as I'd expected, so now the two of them were standing before me, looking like grumpy brothers who were fighting over who was more popular at school.

"No, I'm not fucking ready to die for your stupid plan!" Beleth snarled, running a hand through his hair.

"What's stupid about it? I take care of the first trial," I said, gesturing to myself before my hand landed on Roman's shoulder. "Roman takes care of the second." He pursed his lips, his displeasure more than obvious. My finger pointed at Beleth next, and he sneered at it. "And you just need to fight a Prince of Hell and win."

" Just fight a Prince of Hell and win, do I?" Beleth scoffed.

"When you say ‘take care of'," Roman spoke, giving me a dirty look. "You mean to carry you through the second terrain, correct? Or do I need to carry him too?"

Beleth glared at him with the might of Hell itself. "I will fuck you up, bloodsucker."

"You're welcome to try." Roman smiled. "Good luck becoming royalty, then. "

With a growl that sounded more animal than human, Beleth took a step toward him, so I slipped between them just before things spiraled out of my control. I hadn't seen Roman get this worked up with anyone before, even Isaac, so I couldn't understand what about the demon that made him so irritable.

"While I do love the enthusiasm, leave the fighting for our enemies, yes?" I said, poking a finger in Beleth's chest and pushing him back. He relented, if only a little, and bared his teeth at us when Roman snaked a hand around my waist. "Now stop behaving like children and let's go take over Hell, shall we? The faster we finish this, the faster everyone goes on their merry way." When he didn't move, I leaned toward the demon, trying to catch his eye. "Beleth?"

He gritted his teeth but murmured, "Fine."

I looked back at Roman, and he shrugged with his usual arrogance. "As you wish."

Returning my attention to the demon, I offered him my hand. He stared at it like it was a snake waiting to bite him, but still wrapped his fingers around mine and translocated us. The smell of sulfur and rotting flesh assaulted me from all sides, and I covered my nose as I looked around. The sky was its usual gloomy red, with nothing but brimstone and oddly shaped hills around us. And fire, lots of fire that had no problem burning both on rock and water.

I turned around to face our first challenge, the odd-looking forest that seemed to have sprawled out of nowhere. The trees weren't exactly green, but they weren't black either, and despite their creepy look, they were most definitely alive. Alive was good—alive could be manipulated.

Just like the last time, I felt a shiver run down my spine when I heard their soft whispers.

"Be careful," Roman warned as I approached the nearest tree. I waved him off, pressing my hand against its bark, and reaching for its heart. Using my magic on things that came from the earth had always been easy. I had spent so much time in the embrace of mother nature that we had developed a bond, sort of like the one the Fae had with it, but not exactly the same. It recognized and listened to me, but I couldn't control it like they did, only plead for assistance. Exactly as I had done the last time Beleth, and I had come to the trial. The trees let us pass, even showing us the way out—I only hoped they'd be cooperative again .

Closing my eyes, I inhaled a big gulp of the heavy, putrid air and tried to focus on the connection. The forest's painful wails made me shudder, but once it heard my voice, it stopped to listen. ‘Let us pass through, please,' I tried to convey, running my fingers gently over the rough, rotting bark. ‘Keep us safe and guide us to the other side,' I continued, holding my breath as I waited.

The sound of snapping branches and moving earth had me opening my eyes to watch the trunks bend and lift until a path formed, just wide enough for each of us to pass.

"That looks cozy," Roman murmured, intertwining his fingers with mine when I sidestepped the tree. Beleth had moved to the entrance of the tunnel, frowning at the darkness within it.

"It's fine, don't be scared," I chuckled, earning myself a vicious glare. He took a step forward, ready to storm ahead, but I grabbed the back of his shirt. "It's better to stay together. I'm pretty sure they are not friendly to demons." Roman let out a small scoff as he took a position in front of me and I gave him a pointed look. "Or vampires, for that matter."

The edges of his lips twitched as he pressed his mouth to my fingers, bowing his head in mock surrender before taking the lead. Beleth murmured something incomprehensible and when I tried to take his hand, he yanked it back, grabbing my shoulder instead. I had thought I imagined it, but he really was actively trying to avoid touching me. Even now, his grip was on my shirt, far, far away from any exposed skin. That made me… I wasn't entirely sure how it made me feel. Relieved for sure, but also even more confused.

I followed Roman, carefully stepping over bleeding roots and smoldering grass.

I didn't bother conjuring a light—the trees didn't like it, judging by the way they attacked me the last time I tried to use fire to illuminate our way. So I had to rely on the occasional gleam of the red sky through the twisted branches overhead, and Roman and Beleth's steadying hands.

For a few minutes, my steps were the only sound to be heard, when suddenly, both of them stopped at the same time, their hold tightening on me.

"We're being watched," Roman whispered, his back pressing to my chest when he moved closer. I looked around, but my sight was too weak and I didn't want to waste my magic on something so trivial.

"We need to move faster," Beleth said just as quietly and I nodded, nudging Roman to start walking again. His movements quickened, the hand that held mine started pulling me relentlessly with a speed that had me tripping every few steps.

A loud howl sounded from somewhere and we all scanned the trees, trying to determine where it had come from. Another one followed, then another, and even I could tell they were surrounding us.

"How many?" Roman asked, turning to face the forest just as Beleth did.

"Four," Beleth replied, his shadows already seeping out of his body.

"Don't use your powers for this!" I hissed at him, but he only bared his teeth. "We can take care of them, you just stay out of the way." At that, his eyes turned black, and it took everything in me not to roll mine. "Stop being so stubborn! Do you want to win or not?"

"Necromancy doesn't work on hellhounds," he spat, but his shadows retreated under his skin.

"I know. But punching them in the face with a branch does," I smirked while I pressed my hand to the nearest tree, begging the forest to protect us once again.

The howling drew closer, snarls deafening the sounds of snapping wood and feet thudding over hard ground. Roman released my fingers and leaned forward, preparing to charge, when I spotted the first creature—well, I saw its red eyes right before the monster jumped from the tree above us.

Roman grabbed it by the front leg before it could reach us, swinging it in the air and smashing it into the dirt. The beast tried to get up despite its broken limbs, but the vampire stomped on its face and its skull exploded in a bloody mess.

More eyes appeared in the darkness, followed by a flash of teeth. Beleth cursed under his breath, but his shadows remained beneath his skin, so I pressed my other hand to the rough bark and whispered another prayer to the forest.

A second hellhound charged and Roman moved in front of Beleth, catching the beast by the shoulders and killing its inertia. Long, black nails dug into Roman's thigh, but he barely noticed, too busy pulling the monster's jaw in two opposite directions.

"Come on!" I snarled, glaring at the silent trees. "Protect…" Something slid around my waist and I looked down, eyes widening when I noticed the branch tightening its hold on me. "Fu…" was all I managed to get out before I was yanked back with so much force, the air whooshed out of my lungs, silencing my scream. I wrapped my arms around my head as I flew between the trees with deadly speed, but to my relief, I didn't hit a single one. At least not until the moment that thought crossed my mind.

The crash wasn't bad enough to break my bones, but it still left me aching and disoriented, and by the time my vision cleared enough, the outside world was shrinking. More and more branches twisted around me, swirling like snakes as they formed a cocoon around my body.

"Stop!" I urged, clawing at the wood. "Release me!"

‘Protect,' the trees whispered, and the wood tightened even harder, pressing on my legs and chest until they were ready to snap. My view of the world narrowed and the tiny spot that allowed me to see the twisted trees in front of me sealed completely.

"No!" I screamed, calling on my magic until fire exploded from my palms. The trees screamed but didn't release me. My head started to pound as the air grew thinner and the pressure on my chest increased. Darkness crawled into the corners of my visions and I was just beginning to suffocate when the wood splintered and a fist flew toward my face.

I screamed, but no sound came out of my mouth and neither was there pain because instead of hitting me, the bloodied fingers wrapped around my throat. Shadows crept into the crevice like tentacles, fighting against the branches as they moved to close the gap. The tree started to shake from the effort and a familiar roar of frustration deafened the ringing in my ears before wood burst all around me.

The branches that held me fell to the ground, and I tilted forward, my weight pulling me down before I could remember how to use my limbs. A pair of strong arms caught me while I struggled to fill my lungs with air.

"I thought you were supposed to handle the first trial, Red? You're epically failing."

I lifted my head to glare at Beleth, but when I saw a hint of relief in his eyes, my anger vanished. Darkness filled his gaze as he yanked me to my feet, releasing me right before Roman's voice asked from behind.

"Are you alright, darling?"

I whirled around just as he stepped over a bush, his shirt hanging in ribbons from his shoulders and black blood dripping from his mouth. When I nodded, he strode to my side and picked me up.

"Let's get out of here before more of them come. "

Without waiting for a reply, Roman broke into a sprint. The demon seemed to have no problem keeping up even with his human body, but when Roman finally set me down, Beleth was panting and staring at our next challenge with a sour expression.

The forest ended so abruptly that it looked like a painting where the artist had stopped drawing in the middle of a canvas. The dark trees, bushes and wilted grass vanished, leaving only gray stone and puddles of burning water. There was no movement or sound except for the gurgle of the strange ponds and the cracking of the flames, but I knew that the moment we took a step into that seemingly picturesque hellish landscape, the serpents would come out.

"We move fast and don't look back," Beleth said. "They can come out of anywhere, at any time. Don't stop until you're at the other end." His eyes darted to the looming cave in the distance before he locked them on Roman. "This trial is all about speed. Let's see what you've got."

The vampire snorted, moving to pick me up again. I wrapped my arms around his neck, taking a deep breath while he whirled toward our destination.

"Don't worry about us," he smirked. "Can you do it? You seem rather winded." Beleth flipped him off before turning his back on us and scanning the terrain. Roman opened his mouth, no doubt to tease him, but I pinched his arm. After a very dramatic eye roll, he adjusted me in his arms and muttered. "Hold on tight."

I snuggled my face into his neck, ignoring the black blood soaking my shirt, and almost screamed when he bolted forward. I had never been a fan of him carrying me at neck-breaking speed, but I could tell this time he was really pushing it. So I squeezed my eyes shut until things started exploding around us.

I looked around in search of Beleth, spotting him trying to avoid the first serpent that had shot out of one of the lakes. Roman's step never faltered even as the ground beneath us tilted, the rock cracking in two and a giant head blocking our way.

The memory of Beleth shouting at me not to get eaten flashed in my mind, but back then, I hadn't paid much attention to that. Now… now I understood what he meant. I didn't think stones could have teeth, but then again, I didn't think snakes could be made of stone, so when we were faced with a maw full of four rolls of jagged fangs, all I could do was stare.

Roman halted right before we flew right into its gaping mouth, changing direction to avoid the serpent's attack. With a speed and agility only a vampire could possess, he slipped under its body and sprinted toward the cave looming in the distance like the creature was no longer his concern.

"Wait, we need to wait for—" I tried to speak, but the wind swallowed the rest of my words.

"He said he could handle it," Roman replied without looking back. We had crossed most of the terrain when a roar echoed behind us. The two serpents hadn't chased after us, which meant they had found a new target. Still, that scream sounded more pissed than scared, so he had to be fine.

"Look out for the third one!" I shouted as we drew closer to the end. "It likes to shoot up and…"

The ground beneath us shook again, then erupted like a volcano. My stomach dropped as we were launched into the air, and a sense of déjà vu made me shudder. Roman's hands tightened around me while he tried to balance on the top of the stone plate, now spinning a hundred feet above the ground.

"...do this," I finished bitterly, glaring at the ground that grew more and more distant.

I had warned him about what happened the last time and I had thought his speed would help us avoid it today, but I guess nobody was that lucky. And that snake was so damn fast!

"Do you trust me, Celeste?" Roman whispered in my ear, and when I looked at him, his expression made my heart flutter. Before I thought better of it, I nodded. "Good."

I was still trying to figure out what he was planning when he ran forward and threw me in the air. I screamed, grasping for my magic and preparing to cushion my fall against the fast-approaching ground when a blurry silhouette appeared before me. Roman caught me effortlessly, spinning around to slow our inertia and gripping me tighter against his chest while he took a few steadying steps. Once I stopped shaking, I glared at him with everything I had.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why would you throw me like that, you asshole!"

"I couldn't use my hands with you in them. I caught you, didn't I? I'll always catch you." The smirk that appeared on his lips only fueled my anger, but then I realized that we had done it. We had reached the entrance of the cave in one piece. We were only missing …

Beleth appeared from between two giant boulders, pulling his burning shirt over his head and throwing it on the ground. His sweaty skin was covered with burns and scratches, but he seemed otherwise unharmed.

"Good, you made it," Roman said dryly, setting me on my shaky feet. Beleth didn't speak as he drew within reach, then he suddenly swung his fist toward Roman's head. I gasped, too slow to stop him, but the vampire caught his hand right before it pommeled his face.

"Keep the fight for the real enemy, remember?" he taunted, and Beleth bared his teeth at him. I rolled my eyes. Their little bickering was getting annoying.

"You fucking threw her!" the demon snarled, his eyes turning black. "Her brains would have been splattered on that stone if you had been a moment too late! You fucking psycho!"

Roman raised an eyebrow in amusement, but there was something in his eyes that was all cold and murderous.

"That would have never happened," he said with all the arrogance in the world. "Unlike you, I know how to handle her." I gave him a dirty look, but they were too busy staring at each other to even notice. "Be careful there. It almost looks like you care about her."

"I do!" Beleth snapped without hesitation, his eyes sliding to my face. "Until I win this fucking trial, she's all I care about. If she dies, my power goes away. So protect her or you're never leaving Hell."

My heart gave a little thump, but the strange sensation was quickly swallowed by an overwhelming wave of annoyance. I called on my magic, ordering it to wrap around my hands, and punched them both in the gut with everything I had. Roman's abdomen tensed under my knuckles while something in Beleth's cracked as he grunted in surprise.

"Stop talking like I'm not here!" I hissed, pointing a finger at each of them. "And stop fighting with each other! We came this far, we are finishing this!" Roman looked away, no doubt to hide another eye roll, while Beleth gave me his signature glare. "Did you preserve enough of your power this time? This might be the only chance we get."

His shoulders relaxed, and he stopped rubbing the place where I'd hit him.

"I have more power now than I've ever had before at this stage," he said, heading toward the gaping hole of the cave that was supposed to lead us to the final challenge. "Let's just hope it will be enough."