Page 14 of Hell Bound

“My Queen.” Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper, but there was a lyrical quality that couldn’t be missed. “I’m here to prepare you for this evening’s festivities.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. Nothing that these demons considered festive would bode well for me, I was certain of it.

“What’s your name?” Maybe if I could befriend her, she’d take pity on me and help me get the fuck out of this extravagant prison.

“Hana, Your Majesty.” Her eyes flitted back up to mine for only an instant, but I could swear I saw pain flash through them.

“Hana, my name is Liliana, but you can call me Lil.”

“My Queen, I—”

“Lil, please.”

She looked directly at me this time, and there was a deep sadness etched across her face that hadn’t been there before.

“I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?”

Rather than respond aloud, she shook her head and fully entered the room, closing and locking the door behind her. She slid the key into the pocket of the dress she wore, and I made a mental note.

Task #1: Get that key.

I’d figure out the next steps later, but since the balcony wasn’t an option, the door was my only means of escape.

That key was the... well, it was the key.

And that meant getting close enough to Hana to steal it.

“So, what can you tell me about this place?” Silence. “I don’t understand how I’m supposed to be queen of a place I’ve never heard of, much less been before.”

Instead of answering my questions, Hana headed toward the bathroom and I heard water running. I followed the sound and saw her adding some kind of oil to the bathwater.

I was about to resume my questioning, but my words caught in my throat.

Curls of what looked like firelight swirled throughout the churning water, tendrils of the same breaking through the surface and rising into the air. It smelled divine, bringing back memories of bonfires on beaches in the summer.

“What is that?”

“Essence of Ash, my Queen. It’s your fav—” She cut herself off, but it was too late. Clapping her hand over her mouth only made it more obvious that she’d spilled the beans.

She knew me.

“My favorite? How can that be my favorite when I didn’t know what it was?”

Hana busied herself gathering other bath time essentials, stacking towels of various sizes, a fluffy bath sponge, and a folded robe. She placed them on a small table that sat beside the tub, then turned to face me.

“I can help you disrobe if you’d like.”

“How is it my favorite, Hana? And how would you know that?”

“If the water is too warm, I can cool it if you’d like.”

“Hana, answer me!” The snapped command was past my lips before I could stop it. She flinched, and I could have kicked myself.

So much for befriending the girl so she’d open up.

“Please,” she whispered, so low I almost missed it over the sound of the water. “He’ll kill me.”

“Who? Asmodeus?”

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