Page 83 of Hex
“Bingo.” Just as Loki says this, it’s like a lightbulb goes off and his resigned attitude does a one-eighty. “Unless…”
Sage perks up on my lap, she too sensing the shift in Loki’s tone. Fenny, who’s been lying on the sand this whole time looking at us bored out of his fucking mind, raises his head. Suddenly, he’s looking down on us, his breath like a gust from a hurricane, and we’re all hanging on to Loki’s next words like they’re sacred and life changing.
“Sage is the answer and killing Rafi was the only way to save the other Dei.” Well, that was anti-climactic. Loki’s declaration doesn’t help us in the least. How the fuck was she supposed to know the other Dei were in danger?
“That doesn’t feel like a solution. More like grasping at straws.” Sage’s optimism dies along with the mood on the deck.
“You are all forgetting one important piece of this puzzle.” Loki takes a sip of his bright-pink drink with a fucking umbrella, swallows, then grins like the joker in Batman. “She’s a tribrid. Killing for the greater good is in her blood. Killing her would destroy the balance.”
Silence descends and not even the horrible house music in the back can ruin this moment as we all digest Loki’s words.
But that serenity vanishes in an instant as the glass door slides open and an angel steps outside, parchment open, wings blocking the exits and determination clear on his face. Behind him, the music has stopped and every one of the kyn previously dancing are now staring at us.
“Sage Bayley, daughter of Hekate, daughter of Atlantis, mate of the demon Conquest. Witch, demi-goddess, and demi-angel, you are hereby called to appear before the Council of theThirteen. Charges have been laid, evidence has been weighed. The time for your soul to be judged has come.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Sage
Fuckedy fuck fuck.
Never again will I complain about how mundane my life is. Not that I’ve had the opportunity to do so lately, but that’s the whole point. It’s been one thing after another.
My hands are trembling, my heart beating rapidly, and I recognize that a lot of these fearing-for-my-life feelings are similar to near-orgasm ones. Damn shame that there isn’t time for one of those.
We’re in the Great Library, currently being led down a long and dark corridor lined with burning sconces on the walls. There are no glowing orbs, no kyn walking around in their oversized robes. The only thing that reminds me this is the same building are all the deep-colored woods and domed ceilings.
From the base level, it’s impossible to tell that there’s a whole other world up here. Well, not world, but close enough. This is where the Dei meet, and they all have their own areas and rooms where they can stay overnight or conduct business—according to the quick rundown Hack has given me on the way. The placewe’re headed to is the central hall where their meetings are held, and also where judgement is passed.
It isn’t the typical trial kind of situation, with a jury and an audience. No, they don’t need any of that. Their opinions are the be all and end all. There is no going back from their decisions.
It’s no wonder I’m shitting myself.
“The four of you should head that way, toward your Dei’s quarters. I will take Miss Bayley to judgement.” The angel who appeared at Loki’s has refused to let me leave his sight. To be fair, I don’t blame him. Given the chance, I would definitely have run. This is fucked up.
“Fuck no. Where my chosen goes, I go.” Hack doesn’t let go of my hand and I feel the tickle of one of his vines curling around my wrist to keep us tethered.
“Liege Hack.” A loud and deep voice has us all turning behind us, finding the gigantic demon that is Samhain heading our way. “You cannot interfere. You must do as the angel says.”
“Dei Samhain, all due respect, but absolutely fucking not.” Hack’s grip on my hand tightens.
“Terrence, I will escort Miss Bayley. Fuck off.” Samhain smirks and winks at the angel, who is holding his chest in outrage. The angel doesn’t argue, though. He looks like he really wants to, his mouth opening and closing, his eye twitching, but he curls his fists, raises his chin, and storms off back the way we came.
“Now stop being such a stubborn fuck and go to my office. I bugged the meeting room as soon as technology was invented, have been updating it ever since, so you can watch the whole thing on the monitors.” He tries to wave them off and holds out his arm for me to take.
Hack growls, low and guttural, the sound coming straight from the depths of Hell/Heyl—never not going to be confusing. On top of this, the other three are growling too, all of them with their chests rising and falling as though they’re about to burst.
“It’ll be a lot fucking harder to persuade the other Dei that she isn’t a threat with you all growling like possessed dragons. Get your asses to the end of the corridor, sixth door on the left. Someone will take you to my office from there.” He rolls his eyes and adds, “Fine, suck her face off first.”
“Samhain knows the drill.” Slash chuckles and I’d swear my eyes are deceiving me because he and Samhain fist bump, but that’s the least weird thing about this.
Samhain, Pierce, Slash, and shadows in the rough form of Slay, walk a little farther down the corridor, starting up a conversation I can only hear rumblings of.
Inhaling so deeply I almost choke, I turn my eyes to Hack.
“Any help with what to expect?” I try for an optimistic grin, but it’s half-hearted at best.
Hack cups my face, his palms warming my cheeks.
