Black Night

“Just tell me who did it,” J.B. said grimly.

“No,” I said. “I don’t want you to get involved in this.”

“For chrissakes. When the hell are you going to trust me?” he said, rubbing his hands through his hair in frustration.

I looked at him in surprise. “I do trust you. You’re probably the closest friend I have after Beezle.”

There was speculation in his green eyes. “Really? Closer than Gabriel?”

“Gabriel is my bodyguard,” I said stiffly.

J.B. snorted. “He wants something to do with your body, but it ain’t guarding that he’s thinking about.”

That was the second time in less than twelve hours that my relationship with Gabriel had been questioned. Apparently, we had done a super-crappy job of trying to keep things secret. What made it even worse was that nothing had really happened between us. There was just a lot of longing and the restless nights that go with it.

And this was yet another topic that I was not keen to discuss in a room full of avidly watching courtiers.

“Did Wade tell your mom about the wolf killing last night?” I asked.

“Yes, and she’s not happy about it,” he said with a small smile. He seemed to enjoy his mother’s annoyance.

“Why not?” I asked. “I mean, beyond the obvious.”

“It’s a terrible insult to the wolves that this occurred in Amarantha’s own courtyard. It indicates a breach of security and violates a ton of faerie rules involving etiquette and the safety of guests.”

“So she’s pissed because now they have more leverage to negotiate for that land that they want. They’ve been insulted and she has to repay them,” I guessed.

“Uh-huh,” he said. “She’s in a real snit about it.”

“Well, if she’s anything like my father, then it would be good for her to not get her way now and then.”

“I think so, too . . .” he said, and trailed off.

He stared at something over the heads of the courtiers. The room had gone completely silent except for the swishing of fabric as everyone turned to look at the main entrance to the court.

I stood on my tiptoes and tried to see. Unfortunately that only made me five foot two instead of five foot. Considering that most of the faeries were built on the tall and lean scale this meant that all I saw were a lot of shoulder blades.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Shh,” J.B. said.

The faerie toady who stood by the door announced the arrivals. “Lord Focalor of the kingdom of the fallen, escorted by Antares ap Azazel and sundry demons, and bearing a gift for Queen Amarantha.”

Antares. Focalor. What in the four hells were they doing here?

The crowd parted as they approached the throne. I could see Antares, and the demon that had been in my vision, the one that had negotiated with Samiel. So my guess was correct—he was Focalor.

A crowd of smaller demons followed behind Focalor and Antares. Antares held a leash in his hands attached to a figure who walked between my half brother and his lord.

His back was covered in lash marks, he was filthy, his black wings drooped, and his hands were bound behind his back. But his head was high and his dark eyes burned with anger.

It was Gabriel.

13

THE ROOM BROKE OUT IN FURIOUS MUTTERS. MOST OF the faeries seemed shocked that Focalor had not only entered Amarantha’s court under his own banner and not Lucifer’s, but that he’d done Amarantha the insult of bringing lesser demons with him. I knew all of this was important. I knew that it probably meant that Focalor was moving openly against Lucifer. But I only had eyes for one person.

“Gabriel,” I whispered, and I started toward him.

“Don’t,” J.B. said, and he grabbed my hand and pulled me back.

“Why not?” I said angrily under my breath. “I’m within my rights to take him back. Gabriel is my bodyguard.”

“But he came here with Focalor’s party. You would be insulting Amarantha if you tried to take him from the demons in front of the entire court.”

“Do you think I care about insulting the queen?” I hissed. “Do you see him? Do you see what they’ve done to him?”

J.B. squeezed my hand. “I see. I know. Don’t worry. We’ll get him back. But let’s find out what they want before we go in all guns blazing.”

Focalor had approached the throne. Antares stood a few feet back with Gabriel. I could see the metal collar they had put around his neck. It was lined with spikes that protruded from it every few inches and Antares was obviously taking pleasure in yanking on the leash so that Gabriel’s flesh would bleed anew.

The little knot of demons stood farther back in the center of the room, and all the faeries were taking care not to brush up against them accidentally. The courtiers had pressed back against the walls and cleared an area of several feet around the demons.

Amarantha appeared to be disgusted by the whole proceeding. Violet, standing at the queen’s right hand as always, looked like she was either going to puke or faint. I couldn’t blame her. The stench of the demons, that sulfuric cloud that always seemed to follow them, was slowly filling the throne room. The servants were attempting to discreetly open the gigantic windows that lined one side of the room, but the courtiers pressed back so far that it was difficult for the servants to do their jobs.

I, on the other hand, pushed forward so that I was in front of the crowd, close to the throne and with a clear view. Antares caught my eye and winked menacingly. I felt magic crackle over my fingers and suppressed the urge to blast him into kingdom come. I was sure that would violate some desperately important accord of the faerie court, and the only thing I wanted right now was to get Gabriel back. If I had to control my temper for a few minutes, then so be it. But Antares was going to pay for this, sooner or later.