Page 131 of Hell Bound

“Is everything alright? You guys sounded pretty pissed at each other.”

“Oh, he definitely pissed on me. He never listens wh—why are you laughing?” she demanded when I couldn’t hold back my guffaw.

“Sorry, sorry.” I held my hands up. “It’s not funny that you’re fighting, it’s just… he pissed youoffmeans he made you angry. He pissedonyou has a completely different and far more inappropriate meaning.”

“Heangeredme,” she shot me a quick glare, “because he always thinks he’s found some new way to get me out of this abysmal place. I tell him it’s only likely to get both of us killed, but he doesn’t seem to care.”

“Is it really not a feasible solution, or are you just afraid to take any risk at all?”

“What risk would you take?” she snapped. “If it was the commander, what would you be willing to chance on a half-shaped scheme?”

Okay, she had me there. It was easy to endanger myself in a bid for freedom, but if I thought it might cost Lucifer’s life?

“Nothing. It wouldn’t be worth it.”

“Precisely my point. Phynaeus is my only brother, and he’s all my mother has left after my…indentured servitudeto Asmodeus. I won’t ever let her be left alone if I can help it. Akeldama leaves her be, but if Phynaeus stops serving his purpose, there’s every chance she would wipe out my entire family line.”

“I’m sorry, Pyp. That’s terrible.” It wasn’t nearly enough, but there was nothing left I could offer at this point beyond my sympathy. Promising her freedom once Lucifer and I devised a plan would probably only stress her out even more. “You should still go talk to him. If you only get to see him once a year, you don’t want the last conversation between the two of you to be an argument. That kind of regret is a heavy burden.”

Pyp turned thoughtful, her gaze turning the direction Phynaeus must have stormed off even though it was blocked by the curtain. She was stubborn, but there was no denying the longing on her face.

“Go,” I urged, reaching out to squeeze her arm.

A quick nod, and then she was gone.

God, I hoped I was gonna be able to get her home to her family. She didn’t deserve this life.

“Have you seen the queen?” It was muffled, but I picked up Walvor’s voice. “Queen Lilith? Do you know where she is?”

He was getting closer, and I heaved a sigh. There was only one reason why the guards would be looking for me.

Hubby’s calling.

Even thinking that made me want to retch.

I stuffed my protesting feet back into the shoes, only getting through it by imagining what it would be like to drive the sharp heels through Asmodeus’s eyes.

It was the little things that made my heart smile.

Stepping out from behind the curtain, I was met with Walvor's back. It would have been so easy to slip away in the crowd, pretend I’d never seen him.

But what would I gain? A few minutes of quasi-peace in which his temper would probably rise, which he would take out on me?

Hard pass.

“Walvor?” He whipped around, snapping to attention. It was strange how some of the guards treated me like a queen, while others treated me like an unwanted houseguest. “You were looking for me?”

“Yes, my Queen,” he said, bowing sharply with his hand on his sword hilt. “The king desires to introduce you to one of his guests.”

“Lead the way.”

I didn’t try to prepare myself on the way to Asmodeus’s side. I’d just keep my mouth shut as much as I could, smile and nod until I was able to escape again.

“Just as beautiful as I remember her.” I’d just met Asmodeus’s cruel gaze when the demon beside him stole my focus. “So much like her mother. Nitilia was the greatest beauty to ever come out of the Ardent Court, until her daughter surpassed it.”

The tall, handsome demon held out his hand for mine, kissing my knuckles when I gave it.

I’d seen him on the tour of the palace Asmodeus had forced me to go on earlier, but I’d been forbidden to speak to anyone, so we hadn’t been introduced.

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