Page 18 of When Monsters Fight
“The Morningstar shattered two decades ago.” This creature might be able to help us, and we needed to get him up to speed quickly. “And Lucifer already knows. I spoke to her in a dream. She asked me to bring the relic pieces to her.”
He took a step forward. “You have them?”
Jilyana shrank away from him, her grip on the bundle of relics tightening, and it hit me that she now knew our full mission. From the annoyed look on Gabriel’s face, he’d realized it too.
Thanatos’s head whipped toward her. “Youhave them. You shield well, little fireling, but you cannot fool a god.”
“We don’t have them all,” Gabriel said. “There’s one in the fifth circle of this place.”
“The fifth?” His brows shot up. “Ah, then you will have a challenge ahead of you. This rocky terrain that houses my many fields of souls is in the seventh circle. You must pass through the sixth to reach your destination.” He winced. “The sixth belongs to a god that does not take kindly to interlopers. In fact, she abhors them.”
We could fight monsters, but I doubted we’d be able tofight a god. “Can’t you come with us to pass through the sixth?”
“I’m afraid not. Zeus barred me from her circle after an incident that occurred some time ago. She isn’t the most forgiving of gods. Maybe you’ll be lucky and find her absent, in which case, all you need do is bypass the guardian that lives in the chasm between the two circles. Time your passage and you won’t be interrupted.”
“And the fifth? Who rules the fifth?” Gabriel asked.
“The fifth is a circle of water ruled by Dione, but she long abandoned it. There isn’t much land to speak of any longer, but you may be able to get assistance from the inhabitants of that circle.”
“And the rest?” Gabriel asked. “The circles leading to Lucifer?”
“Are in her domain. I’m sure she’ll find you when the time is right. I wish I could do more. This world holds a special place in my heart, and if it bleeds into another, then both worlds will eventually die. But death is a part of life.” He waved an arm toward the crater of souls. “And we must accept the natural order of things. If this world is to end, then so be it.”
That was bullshit. “You’re a god. You’re supposed to be able to control such things.”
He snorted again, but this time, the sound held no humor. “And where did you learn that? In a book detailing the responsibilities of gods? There is no such text. There is no list. We are creators. We are raw power. We are endless.” His eyes dimmed. “Doomed to watch the birth and death of the stars, our only consolation lies in the small pockets of life we create among them. Worlds woven together by intricate threads so that they sit in a web so complex that even we struggle to trace the patterns. Sometimes wecreate together, watch over the worlds in union, and others we prefer to go alone.” A whisper of a sigh escaped his lips. “This world, our first, is dear to my heart, and the fact that you are here gives me hope for its survival. But only you can realize it. I will transport you to the edge of my domain, but I can take you no further. Will you accept my aid?”
Everything he said felt true. And any help he could give would be appreciated. “We’ll accept your help.” My words came out breathless, and a wave of dizziness assaulted as the world darkened.
Gabriel caught my weight, helping me to remain upright. “Rue!” He patted my cheek, and I forced my eyes open.
“I’m okay.”
“No. You are not,” Thanatos said. “This world is not for mortals, and your body, although not entirely human, is being affected by the atmosphere.” He pressed his lips together as if considering something. “May I assist you?”
I felt like there was a bear sitting on my chest. “Go for it.”
He touched my forehead with icy fingers, and the chill spread outward from the contact, gripping my head with frosty talons. The weight on my chest eased, allowing my lungs to swell on a satisfied breath.
“There,” Thanatos said. “I’ve adjusted you enough to allow your body to process this atmosphere.”
“Thank you.” I pressed my hand to my breastbone. “I feel better.”
Gabriel smoothed the hair back from my face. “You have some color in your cheeks too.” His smile was soft with relief as his hand dropped to my throat, fingers curling around my neck to press against my pulse. My stomach flipped and my breath caught. “Your pulse is steady.” His tone was slightlylower now, and when I met his eyes, his pupils were dark and large.
Energy pulsed between us. Our bond. Our connection. I pulled away from him. “I’m good. Thanks.” His expression shuttered, and I was glad.
There were boundaries between us. He needed to remember that.
“How far is it to the border of your territory?” Kabiel asked Thanatos.
“A few hundred miles,” Thanatos said. “Just beyond the small settlement of Gehennans that help to watch over my souls.”
“There are people here?”
“Like humans, Gehennans, too, come in various sizes, colors, and temperaments. The inhabitants of my circle are a private bunch, and they do not like outsiders. Luckily, there is little need for them to leave, and we do not get many visitors from other circles. The path to the seventh can be trying for some.”
“What do you mean?”
