Black Night

I turned my head toward the mirror, and instead of the field of stars that manifested when I wielded my magic, I saw the burning heart of the sun, the light of the Morningstar.

“I think that when Focalor sees you, he will think twice about crossing Lord Lucifer,” Nathaniel said.

“Never mind Lucifer,” I said, and the new power inside me called out for battle. “He’d better worry about crossing me.”

15

NATHANIEL FITTED ME UP WITH A SCABBARD THAT slung across my body so that I could carry the sword on my back. Despite my growing suspicion that someone had been controlling Nathaniel during his attack, it was difficult to stand still while he touched me. Whether by his own power or another’s he was the one who had put his hands on me with the intent to harm.

When he was done—with a lot of apologies on his part and a lot of indrawn breaths on mine—he made me practice my draw.

“Better swordsmen than you have cut their own necks drawing their swords this way,” he said. “But you are so small that you would not comfortably be able to carry the blade at your waist.”

Despite my total lack of experience the sword leapt to my hand easily and smoothly every time.

Nathaniel stood back, satisfied. “It is coming to your call. That is good. It will help you when you face the unknown.”

There was a knock at the door, and I opened it. A servant stood there.

“Queen Amarantha requires your presence in the throne room, Ambassador Black.”

I glanced back at Nathaniel. “Showtime. Are you coming?”

He shook his head. He looked tired, and sad, and in pain, and I didn’t know how to feel about that. “Go with the grace of the Morningstar.”

I nodded, and then followed the servant to the throne room.

I tried not to think about what was going to happen. Nathaniel’s gift had given me a little more confidence, but the odds still did not look good. The fact that no one had ever survived the Maze was something I tried not to think about.

The courtiers were assembled when I entered the throne room. The wolves stood near Amarantha’s throne at the front of the crowd. Wade looked deeply troubled, Jude frowned like he wasn’t sure about how to feel, and James . . . There was a strange, almost bloodthirsty, light in his eyes.

I didn’t have time to wonder about the wolves’ feelings. I had my own skin to worry about.

I crossed the room, and as I passed the courtiers they whispered.

“Did you see her eyes?”

“Where did she get that sword?”

Focalor and Antares stood in front of Amarantha’s throne and they both turned to watch me approach. When Focalor saw my eyes, his jaw clenched, and I thought I saw a flash of fear in his demon eyes. Antares was too stupid to be worried about any threat from me. He looked pathetically eager.

I saw J.B. and Beezle standing a little to the side. Beezle rested on J.B.’s shoulder and I felt a strange pang of hurt. Beezle never did that with anybody but me. J.B. looked like he was going to be sick.

Amarantha clapped her hands together in satisfaction when she saw me. I was happy to see that she had put on something more substantial than the lingerie model getup she’d had on earlier, although the dress’s low cut still didn’t leave a lot to the imagination. Subtle, thy name is not Amarantha.

Gabriel was nowhere to be seen. I wondered if he was being punished for defying Amarantha earlier, or if she just didn’t want him anywhere near me before I went into the Maze.

“Ambassador Black, you will be pleased to hear that Lord Focalor has agreed to participate in the challenge of the Maze. His representative Antares will be entering the Maze with you.”

“Big surprise,” I muttered.

“The terms are as follows,” Amarantha continued. “Ambassador Black will enter from the east side of the Maze. Antares ap Azazel will enter from the west side at precisely the same time. The thrall Gabriel ap Ramuell is held at the center of the maze. Whoever reaches the thrall first will take him as their prize. Once you have successfully returned with your prize, I will commence negotiations with the winning court. Are these terms acceptable to you both?”

Focalor nodded. “I look forward to negotiating a treaty with you, my lady.”

So Focalor seemed to have gotten his confidence back. Apparently a little power of Lucifer manifesting inside me wasn’t enough to worry him.

“Are the terms acceptable to you, Ambassador Black?” Amarantha said.

“I have one term of my own,” I said.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw J.B. close his eyes in frustration. Well, I wasn’t going to get anything without asking for it, and even if I managed to get out of the Maze alive and with Gabriel, there was still the Focalor problem to deal with. The least I could do was to make this contest about more than Gabriel. If I could stop the demon uprising, then it was worth any amount of pain I might endure.

I turned to Focalor, who quirked his eyebrows at me, as if to say, “I’m listening.”

“If I find Gabriel before Antares and make it back here first, you drop your grievance against Lucifer.”

Focalor narrowed his eyes. “My grievance with Lucifer is long-standing and far-reaching. Why should I sacrifice my legitimate claim against him?”

“If a representative of your court is defeated by a representative of his—or vice versa—is that not enough to satisfy the laws of the kingdom without further bloodshed?”

Focalor showed his teeth to me. “You are implying that further bloodshed is something I wish to avoid.”