Page 32 of To Dwell in Shadows
“I don’t want to go either. But the banquet is in our honor. How was your day?”
Selene yawned, then said, “Vanthee showed me around a little. Saw some demons, saw some hellhounds. Went to the library. I must have fallen asleep when I came back to the room.” She smoothed back her hair as she sat up. “The Underworld is kind of a mess outside the palace. It seems so, I don’t know, run-down. Not neat and well-maintained like Aurelia.”
“Yes, I noticed that, too.”
“What did you do today?”
“I had a long conversation with my father, and then he left me atthe Sanctum of Agonizing Rectitude to practice delivering vengeance for the rest of the day.”
“How was that?”
Sam paused, struggling to put the experience into words. “More difficult than I expected.”
“How so?”
“It was draining.” For a moment he considered telling her what Borias had said about Zaybris but stopped himself. She deserved to never hear that fiend’s name again. He gave his mate a forced smile. “I will figure it out, rest assured.”
“It’s a lot to take in. You’re of two worlds now.”
“You are, too. Three worlds, if you include Aurelia.”
“You’re right, I never thought about that.” They sat in comfortable silence until Selene sighed. “I’ll change so we can go to this dinner.”
The celebration was being held in the Underworld’s banquet hall, a space Sam didn’t remember though he must have visited as a child. Towering columns carved with black goat-headed motifs supported a vaulted ceiling. Rows upon rows of long tables lined with ornate chairs stretched deep into the hall before an elevated platform reserved for royalty.
Green mist seeped from the stone walls, giving the space an eerie grandeur. But Sam barely had time to absorb the scene before an imp led him and Selene into a hidden antechamber at the back of the hall.
A hairless demon with a skeletal smile ushered them in.
“Good evening. I am Ghar, master of ceremonies. It is an honor to meet you both,” the demon rasped. “Please be seated. The king would like you to wait here until he arrives.”
“What for?” Sam asked.
“That, I don’t know,” Ghar replied.
Sam and Selene sat on metal chairs between stacks of extra dishes, goblets, and folded linens. While they listened to the muffled clamor of demons filing into the hall, Sam jiggled his leg anxiously.
His parents entered a few moments later, looking serious. Their expressions only deepened Sam’s unease.
Queen Thema followed soon after, practically bouncing with excitement. “Our first festive celebration in the Underworld!” she said to no one in particular. She wore a red dress embroidered with gold thread and had a dragon-shaped hairpin tucked into her tower of braids.
“Ghar, please take Selene and Thema to their seats,” Lamia said. “We need a moment alone with Sam before the banquet starts.”
Selene and Sam exchanged a look before she gave him a reassuring smile, which he returned weakly. She and Thema followed Ghar out into the hall, and then Sam was alone with his parents.
The air seemed to grow heavier once the three of them were alone. Sam waited for his parents to start with some pleasantries—questions about his day or how he was adjusting. But Asmodeus simply began to pace, his heavy hooves making the floorboards vibrate with each step. The room was so cramped that his cape brushed Sam’s knees every time he passed. Lamia’s expression was grave.
“What is it?” Sam asked, his gaze darting between them.
Asmodeus ran a hand over his head between his horns. “Son, I didn’t want to put all this on you so soon, but it’s important. Your mother feels we shouldn’t wait.” He pulled up a chair, the metal creaking as he settled across from Sam.
“What’s wrong?”
When the silence stretched, Lamia said, “Tell him, Asmo.”
Asmodeus sighed heavily. “All right.” When he met Sam’s eyes, something vulnerable flickered beneath his powerful, commanding presence. “Son, my time as ruler of the Underworld is coming to an end.”
Sam blinked. “What do you mean?”
