Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

CLIO

In the shadows near the legs of the table, a dark lump the size of a house cat quivered. Huge almond-shaped golden eyes opened, blinking rapidly at Clio.

She gaped as the creature writhed, its long tail snapping back and forth, the end adorned with a dark tuft of fur. It was a miniature dragon with folded wings, mottled gray scales, a dark mane running down its long neck, and a delicate head with small horns.

And the little thing was wrapped from nose to rump in a web of red magic.

"Oh," Clio breathed, her fear waning. The miniature dragon was caught in a spell. How could anyone attack something so cute?

As though to defy her thought about it being cute, the dragon bared its sharp teeth. It hissed in warning and scuffled backward, scarcely able to move its legs. Clio passed a hand over her eyes, focusing her asper. The weave that fueled the web appeared, revealing a simple binding.

"Can I help you?" she whispered, slowly extending one hand. "I can get that binding off in no time."

The dragon hissed again, cowering against the table leg.

"I promise not to hurt you." She shifted closer. "Let me help."

The creature's golden eyes narrowed. Its snarl faded, and it huffed softly. With a grumble, it lowered its head in what Clio took as permission.

Cautiously shifting closer, she reached for the dragon and touched its scales just above its shoulder. A quick zap of magic broke apart the first half of the web. She touched the dragon's rump and gave the spell another quick zap. It fizzled out and the dragon uncurled from its contorted position.

"You're okay," Clio whispered. She hesitated, then reached out. "I'm going to pick you up now."

She lifted the creature into her arms. It growled and tried to squirm free, but it didn't bite or scratch.

"It's not safe under here for little dragons," Clio told it. "Let's get you out of harm's way."

Holding the dragon tight, she scuttled to the last table in the row. Should she leave the dragon here or try to smuggle it out of the hall?

Before she could decide, someone on the other side of the tablecloth lifted it up.

A daemon crouched in the opening, a foot away. Gray eyes like roiling storm clouds sliced across Clio, swift and unfriendly. The daemon's face was cold, expressionless—and familiar.

It was a draconian mercenary. Not Raum, but the younger one.

Clio froze, panic zipping through her.

The draconian held her stare as he stretched out a hand and scooped the dragon from her arms. The tablecloth fell back into place, leaving her alone.

"Hey!" she gasped, her paralysis breaking. She dove out from under the table and crashed headfirst into the draconian's legs. Her skull connected hard with his shins, and she swallowed a yelp.

He stepped back. She scrambled to her feet and glanced around wildly to make sure no one had noticed her reappearance. Kassia stood at the other end of the long table, looking worried.

With her dignity safe for now, Clio whirled on the draconian. "What do you think you're…"

She trailed off. The dragon was perched calmly on his shoulder, its tail curled lazily around his neck. It trilled in a friendly sort of way.

"Oh," Clio mumbled. "The dragon is… yours?"

The draconian nodded, still expressionless. A couple of inches taller than Lyre and noticeably broader in the shoulders, he towered over Clio. The aura of menace she'd sensed from across the room was almost overwhelming while standing right in front of him. At least the older draconian was nowhere in sight.

"Is it okay?" Clio asked.

"She's fine."

Clio shivered. His deep voice slid through her skin and into her bones in a way that wasn't exactly unpleasant—but definitely unnerving.

Shaking off her reaction, she awkwardly brushed her hands together, clearing the dust she'd gathered under the table. "I'm glad she isn't hurt."

He said nothing.

"Okay, well," she muttered, awkwardly turning away from him.

She'd intended to rejoin Kassia, but the first thing she saw was Suhul peering across the room. Without thinking, Clio ducked behind the draconian, putting him between her and the daeva warlord.

The draconian didn't react to her using him as a shield, but his little dragon peered down at Clio from over his shoulder, her head tilted in reptilian curiosity.

After a minute, Clio peeked around his arm. "Is Suhul gone?"

"He's at the other end of the room."

Clio wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt and took a step away from the draconian. Had she really hidden behind an assassin to avoid a sleazy warlord? She needed to get her priorities straight. Then again, an assassin probably wouldn't hurt her unless someone paid him to.

Lower lip caught between her teeth, she studied the draconian, apprehensive but curious. Up close, she guessed he was around her age or a bit younger.

"Um, so …" She cleared her throat. "Do you know how soon I can leave without insulting Samael? Do I have to wait for him to show up first?"

She didn't know why she was asking him. Suhul would know more about political etiquette, but the draconian's complete disinterest in her was a nice change. Plus, the adorable way his little dragon was lounging on his shoulders took the edge off his danger factor.

The draconian waited several long seconds before answering, "Samael isn't coming."

"He's not?" Clio frowned. "But he invited me. I was told it would be a terrible insult if I didn't meet him."

The draconian said nothing. His gray eyes followed another daemon for a few moments before refocusing on her. Irritation tightened his mouth when he saw her expectant stare and realized she was waiting for a response.

"If Samael wanted to meet you," he snapped, "he would have summoned you privately."

"Oh, I see. So it's just a political play." She nodded to herself. Samael had invited her so the others would see her, not because he cared to meet her himself. "I'm glad. I was worried I was actually important or something."

He looked across the room again, oozing "go away" vibes. Clio sighed, figuring she should probably return to Kassia.

With a sharp chirp, the little dragon sprang off the draconian's shoulders and darted away, vanishing into the shadows.

"Ah, Clio, my dear! There you are!"

Swallowing a groan, Clio turned to find Suhul bearing down on her, his eyes squinched with greedy relish. He'd traded his flunkies for half a dozen tall, fit daemons in dark clothes. Bodyguards? Why did he need his guards with him?

"I thought you might have gotten lost." Suhul glanced at the assassin beside her and his leering smile returned. "Ah, curious about the draconian, were you, my dear? Not the best company to be seen in, I must say."

Clio could hardly believe his rudeness. The draconian either didn't care or was too used to similar remarks to react. He leveled his cutting stare on the warlord, who quickly broke eye contact.

"Clio," Suhul went on, now ignoring the draconian like he was a piece of furniture, "since our host hasn't been able to join us yet, why don't I give you a tour of the building? I've seen it all myself enough times to know almost as much as a Hades family member."

She shook her head quickly. "Thank you for the offer, but I need to find my bodyguards and?—"

"Don't worry, my dear. I have guards." He nodded at his henchmen. "You'll be perfectly safe with me."

She stepped away from him and almost backed into the draconian. "No, thank you. I need to?—"

"Don't be silly, Clio." Suhul grabbed her wrist, his fingers cold and clammy. "It won't take long. Don't you want to see more than this one room?"

He dragged her a step forward, and she saw a door between the tapestries only a few paces away. Was he going to tow her right out of the hall? She looked around in a panic, but Kassia—now frantically searching for Clio—had gone the wrong way and was even farther across the room. Eryx was nowhere to be seen.

Clio dug her heels in but Suhul effortlessly dragged her closer. "No, I can't. Let me go?—"

Another hand, warm and strong, closed over her upper arm, holding her in place.

"Release her."

The draconian's low growl vibrated down her spine. Suhul paled and opened his hand obediently. Clio stumbled backward, and the draconian released her arm almost as quickly as Suhul had.

"What's this?" a female voice asked.

Hips swaying with each step, the leather-clad woman Lyceus Rysalis had been conversing with approached them. She contemplated Clio, then performed the same examination of the draconian, her reddish-black eyes burning with what was either loathing or lust.

Lastly, she glanced at the daeva warlord, who was watching her with what was definitely lust. "Suhul, are you monopolizing the Iridian envoy? I haven't even been introduced." She smiled at Clio. "Eisheth Hades. How delightful to meet an Overworlder in Asphodel."

"I was offering her a tour," Suhul jumped in before Clio could say anything. He glanced pointedly at the draconian. "But …"

Eisheth's smile sweetened in a sickly way. "Is Ash being troublesome?"

Clio twisted to look at the draconian. He was watching the two daemons over the top of her head, his expression even more blank than before—but shadows were gathering in his eyes, darkening the stormy gray.

Clio folded her arms. "Do people always talk about you like you aren't there?"

Ash's gaze flicked down to hers. Suhul chuffed in disapproval, as though Clio had done something inappropriate.

Eisheth cocked one hip and planted her hand on it. "Talking to a draconian is rather like talking to a hound. Seems rather pointless, don't you think?"

"That's not… very polite." Clio had intended to be scathing, but Eisheth's patronizing smile sent nervous prickles down her spine.

"I'm afraid you've gotten the wrong impression, Clio," Suhul said. "Manners are lost on brutes like this."

Eisheth glanced at the daeva warlord, and cruel pleasure lit her eyes.

"Exactly so, Suhul," she praised with sudden sincerity. "Samael's draconians are well-trained guard dogs, nothing more."

To Clio's disbelief, Ash remained silent. He seemed bored, as if he'd heard it all a hundred times.

"Yes, yes," Suhul blustered. "You see, Clio? We should?—"

"Oh no," Eisheth interrupted. "Dear Clio looks frightened. This draconian is nothing to be feared, child."

Clio blinked. She looked frightened ? What?

"Suhul, you should show Clio that Samael's pet draconians are harmless." Eisheth gazed at the daeva warlord with adoring expectancy. "They would never lay a hand on one of his guests."

It was glaringly obvious that she was manipulating him. Surely a warlord would see right through it.

Suhul puffed out his chest. "Yes, of course. Look, Clio."

She was so surprised he was falling for Eisheth's act—or deliberately pretending it wasn't all pretense—that she didn't react as he reached right over her head. His fat fingers zoomed straight for Ash's face.

Suddenly there was a long, wicked dagger in Ash's hand.

Without the slightest hesitation, he thrust the serrated blade up through Suhul's wrist. Hot blood splattered Clio's face.

"Actually," Ash said flatly, "Samael's other pet draconians would never harm his guests."

Suhul's flabby jaw hung open as he stared at the blade sticking out of his wrist and the wet crimson soaking his sleeve. Then Ash ripped the blade right through the daeva's hand, splitting his palm in half. Suhul screamed.

His six guards charged Ash.

With his bloodied dagger in hand, Ash caught Clio's arm and swung her out of the way of the charging daemons. He continued his graceful pivot, nonchalantly flicking his fingers, and black flames erupted in a wide arc that threw his attackers back.

His magic was black . Clio had never seen such a thing before. It wasn't the shadow-tinged gold of Lyre's magic-eating clock spell—it was pure ebony power.

Over the cacophony of shouts and the thundering footsteps of daemons running toward or away from the fight, exuberant laughter chimed. Eisheth stepped back as a guard slammed to the floor at her feet.

"I'll see you in the bastille later, Ash," she called gleefully. "Don't be tardy!"

Still laughing, she turned and sauntered off.

Jerking her attention away from the woman, Clio dove out of the way as Ash tore into the guards, now holding another long dagger. Where was he getting those? Black flames rippled down the blades, and he tore the steel right through the other daemons' shields like they weren't even casting. If she'd had the leisure, she would have loved to get a good look at what exactly he was doing with his strange magic.

As it was, she could barely keep clear of the battle. She scrambled out of the way as Ash tossed a daemon into the wall beside her. The guard hit with a sickening crack and slid down the tapestry, leaving a streak of blood in his wake. Daemons were converging from around the room to watch, and trapped behind them was Kassia, trying in vain to force her way through.

Meeting Clio's eyes, Kassia jerked her hand in an emphatic gesture. Clio looked around and saw the nearby door. Kassia was telling her to get out of the line of fire—to escape the room.

As Ash unleashed a spiraling band of black power that filled the air with the agonized screams of his assailants, she flung the door open, fell through, and slammed it shut behind her. Something crashed into the other side, and she sprinted away without glancing back.

Note to self: do not antagonize draconian assassins. She'd thought Ash wasn't that bad, but the current slaughter suggested otherwise. Yes, Suhul had insulted him and tried to grab him, but those guards hadn't said a word—and now he was ripping them apart.

Ripping them apart effortlessly , despite those daemons being trained warriors too.

Clio forced herself to focus on where she was going. The dark, glossy wood walls and matching floors went on forever before she came upon a junction. She stood for a minute, looking in each direction, then picked one at random. Minutes stretched as she wandered down one corridor and up another, unable to find a staircase to take her down a level where she'd have a chance of locating the exit. Eventually, she found a hall lined with windows and stopped to peer outside, but the vista of lights offered no clues as to where she was or which direction she was walking.

She leaned on the sill, waiting for the shaky feeling of adrenaline to wane. She was lost, but sooner or later, she would find her way out of here or find someone to take her back to the entrance. Not the end of the world.

Her neck prickled.

Before she could turn, hot breath washed over the top of her head and a hand slid around her neck in a lover-like caress.

"Hello again, Clio," a voice purred in her ear.

Magic was already spinning into her body from the hand on her throat, and she couldn't even scream as blurry darkness closed over her.