Page 25 of Hell Sent

He’d heard of them. Many of the mortal slaves in the hells had once been itinerant knights of their god Paladius. They wandered the planes searching for monsters to kill or mortals to rescue.

But here, the Paladins were in familiar territory. He suspected they would prove more formidable than they did in the hells.

“I know what they are,” he said. He touched her arm, pulling her to a stop.

She peered up at him, suspicious. “What are you going to do?”

He just arched an eyebrow at her, because he assumed it was obvious. This was different from the farmhouse. These Paladins were armed and clearly had ill intent. How did she expect him to defend her and leave their enemies unharmed at the same time?

“Azreth, don’t do anything rash. Paladins fight for good. They help people.” She winced slightly, then added, “Supposedly. They are capable of seeing reason. If we can convince them you don’t mean anyone harm, they won’t hurt you. Maybe they could even help us. Don’t do anything until I say so.”

He bristled. “You do not command me.”A part of him wondered if she would betray him to them. It was possible that allying with a demon hadn’t been all she’d hoped for.Maybe these Paladins were better equipped to help her.

She quickly amended the order, grasping his arm gently. The touch sent a nervous prickle over his skin. “I’m asking you. As a favor. Please don’t hurt anyone.”

She was desperate again, like she’d been with the family in the farmhouse, her eyes wide and shining. It was an expression he’d only seen on her face when she was worried for someone else. Mortals cared for each other in a way kin didn’t. Or at least, Raiya did.

Something twisted in his chest. When she begged him like this, like it was something important to her and he was the only one who could help, he felt an alarming desire to obey her.

He had to think rationally: she understood this land, and he didn’t. He should accept her guidance. He wasn’t foolish enough to make the same mistake twice.

So he turned to face the Paladins, his arms at his sides in a nonthreatening posture.

That lasted about two minutes.

To be fair to Raiya, she could not have known that these particular Paladins had been bought and sent by Lord Han-gal, and were not simply a wandering patrol.

She was in the middle of trying to negotiate with them when Azreth spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked up just in time to see an archer in the distance and an arrow already in flight.

He spun, pushing Raiya down and stepping in front of her. She made a startled sound as he caught the arrow in midair just before it hit him. A rank, metallic scent hit his nose, and he scowled, looking down at the arrowhead. Iron, of course.

One of the Paladins urged his mount forward and sped toward Azreth, his sword swinging low. Azreth sidestepped him, grabbing the man by his gauntlet and yanking him off his mount. He took hold of the collar of the man’s cuirass with one hand, grabbed the base of the cuirass with the other, and smoothly used the momentum of the fall to fling the man twenty strides down the road. The sword nicked him in the process. He winced, looking down at the angry, dark slice in his forearm. Iron again.

He let his glamour fade. The mortals balked at the sight of him, even though they’d already guessed what he was, but they recovered composure quickly. They surrounded him, but they only attacked him from behind, so he was constantly spinning to fend off attacks. It was still not much of a fight. He evaded their iron weapons and took them down one at a time, knocking out some with his fists and kicking or throwing others.

After the blows stopped coming, he looked for Raiya and spotted her on the side of the road. He drew in a sharp breath. She was prone in the dirt, and a Paladin was on top of her, his arm locked around her neck, strangling her. Her skinny fingers clawed at his arm without effect, and the Paladin kept squeezing.The armored man was so much bigger than she was. How much pressure could her body take? How long could she go without air? Did he know he might kill her?

Of course he did. He had chosen to attack Raiya instead of Azreth because she was the smaller opponent. He had jumped at the chance to hurt someone who wouldn’t be able to stop him.

Azreth’s vision tunneled. He crossed the road rapidly, and the man looked up in surprise. He started to scramble up, reaching for his sword. Raiya gasped, sagging to the ground.

Azreth grabbed the Paladin and lifted him off his feet before he could move.It was as easy for him to kill the Paladin as it had been for the Paladin to attack Raiya. It was fitting, he thought, as he crushed the Paladin’s chest and back between his palms. The man wheezed as his ribs snapped and caved in. The rich smell of fresh blood filled the air.

As Azreth dropped the Paladin’s mangled corpse, Raiya stared up at him in horror, touching her throat. Her cheeks were speckled with red blood—not her own.

He paused for the first time since the fight had started, watching her face. Was she hurt? He began to reach for her, but she recoiled. Something inside him withered.

Setting his jaw, he turned to scan the road. There was only one Paladin left. The one Raiya had tried to negotiate with—he’d heard the man call himself Adamus—was standing a little farther down the road, watching them nervously.

When Azreth started toward him, Adamus quickly dropped his sword and held up his hands in surrender, which surprised him. But these Paladins were clearly not above deception—not that he could blame them, but it made them difficult to trust.

Azreth took him by the collar and picked him up off the ground. The Paladin made a short, choked noise before putting on a mask of calm. His face was unlined and slightly rounded with youth. His skin was pale and his hair was a light yellow-brown, anemic-looking, and Azreth wondered if he was unhealthy or if this was just his natural color.

The man closed his eyes and began reciting something under his breath. He was speaking to his deity. Or, trying to.“Lord Paladius, I thank you for allowing me the honor of dying in your service. I return my body happily to Mother Astra, knowing I have done your will in fighting evil…”

He didn’tsoundhappy. Did mortals lie to their gods as much as they lied to each other?

Azreth could hear Raiya getting up and running to him, probably meaning to stop him from killing the Paladin. He exhaled softly in frustration.

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