The Darkest Touch

“I don’t understand,” Keeley said, flicking Torin an apologetic glance. “But I’m not going to worry about it.” To the girl, she commanded, “Picture Viola.”

Danika, who did look a bit fatigued already, closed her eyes. Light immediately burst from the tip of the Rod, filling up the room.

Torin moved to Keeley’s side, banding his arm around her waist. On the walk to the room, his friends had tried to talk him out of going with her, sending someone else in his place. Someone who wouldn’t cause a plague if things went bad. Like Anya or Kaia or even Strider. But Torin had flat-out refused. Where Keeley was, he’d said, he would be. End of. Remembering made her shiver.

Doing that a lot lately—loving it.

Loving him.

Then the light dimmed, the air parting to reveal another realm, a doorway, and it became clear Viola was where Cameo had been. There was a throne room, just as the female had described. Fires raged, and demons scuffled throughout. Lucifer sat atop the throne of skulls that had once belonged to Hades, drumming his fingers against the arms, waiting for something. Someone?

Where was—

There. Keeley’s stomach twisted. The girl had to be Viola, for she was just as Torin had portrayed her. Blond hair. Cinnamon-colored eyes. Bronzed skin. Perfect curves. She was chained to a wall, arms and legs spread, clothes stripped away. There was a gag in her mouth.

What crimes had been committed against her?

At least when Keeley had been imprisoned, she’d been alone.

Going to kill her tormentors before I save her. Might even make her my new best friend. Everyone needed a sidekick.

Torin’s hold on Keeley tightened. “Ready?”

She nodded, unfolded the Cloak and covered them both. She could have flashed to the girl since she knew where to go...maybe. The underworld was a tricky place and could snare a flasher in a maze of tunnels. If she reached her, though, she could have flashed her right back...again maybe. What if Viola was warded? But what Keeley couldn’t do was flash Torin, since he still had his own wards. He had to go through the portal opened by the Rod, which meant she was going through the portal. Of course, that meant they would both have to leave through the portal, too; once they stepped through, they would be bound to it, whether it remained open or not, until they once again stepped through it, severing the tie.

Together they walked through it, entering the throne room. Smoke thickened the air, darkened it. The scent of sulfur and rot stung her nostrils. Screams of pain and cackles of glee assaulted her ears.

The place was bigger than she remembered, the smoke thicker. The screams louder and more numerous with every minute that passed. Beside Viola was a female with short dark hair and the lean muscle mass of a warrior—also chained. Who was she?

Torin noticed her and stiffened. “Pandora.”

Under the Cloak, no one could hear their conversation, so neither of them had to be quiet. “If Pandora is here, your boy Baden is probably nearby, too. But I didn’t wear the serpentine wreaths and won’t be able to touch them. We’ll have to come back for them later.” When security would be even tighter. Fabulous.

“No need. I have the wreaths under my hoodie,” Torin said.

Resourceful man.

“But it looks like they won’t be necessary,” he added. “Pandora is wearing a pair of her own.”

Keeley looked, and sure enough, there were metal bands wrapped around the girl’s wrists, peeking out from underneath the chains. “Good. Let’s get this rescue mission underway. Ease forward, your steps aligned with mine...good...good.”

As they closed in on the females, Keeley studied the two more intently, checking for injuries she might have previously missed. There were no visible wounds on either girl, but there were smears of soot on their stomachs and thighs to suggest they’d been manhandled.

Someone must pay. Keeley’s hands fisted, and the walls of the palace began to shake.

Still perched upon his throne, Lucifer looked around, frowned.

Hello, Someone.

Torin’s warm breath fanned her ear. “Did you know the human stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks, otherwise it will digest itself? Also, I looked it up and discovered beetles taste like apples, wasps like pine nuts, and worms like fried bacon.”

“You know the weirdest things,” she said, and the shaking stopped. “But beetles actually taste like peanuts.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“We’ll need to create a distraction if we’re going to get the girls home without putting them through a battle,” she said. And there was only one way to do that. “I’ll take care of Lucifer. You get the girls through the portal, then come back for me.” While she could flash throughout this realm, she wouldn’t be able to reenter the portal and leave it without the Cloak. “Tomorrow we’re going to have a serious discussion about the removal of your brimstone scars. What if I need to flash you out of harm’s way when you reach me?”

“Consider them gone,” he said, surprising her. “But I don’t like your game plan. Don’t like the thought of you doing anything with Lucifer.”

“Torin—”

“Even still, I know how smart and powerful you are,” he continued, “so I’ll expect you to be careful. One tiny scratch, and I’ll be angry.”

The hits of awesome just kept coming.

“I wish I could kiss you,” she said. Later, she thought with a shiver. A reward to them both—damn the consequences. “You be careful, too, or I’ll be angry.” Then she flashed just outside the throne room, leaving the Cloak with Torin.