Page 19 of Not Today, Satan
My muscles clench as I examine the picture for any other clues about her. But she remains an image frozen in time on a sheet of paper.
And now that I’ve burned every other trace of her, Father won’t be eager to talk with me. It’s not like I can be all, “Hey, Pops, you know that book you stashed with pictures of my human mother? Yeah, I burned it to a crisp. Sorry ’bout that. Wanna go get a lemon hellato together?”
The only way I’ll learn about her—and about myself—is by talking to her directly.
I have to know where I really come from. But in order to do that, I need to find her.
My gaze flicks to the second photograph, and I narrow my eyes.
Mom’s picture was taken in Los Angeles, the same place Nathan Reynolds is from. Maybe he’ll recognize the park. It’s a long shot, but he knows Earth in a way I don’t. He could help me find her. Or at the very least, teach me Earth customs so I’ll blend in.
I gnaw on my upper lip. I’ll convince him I’m helping him escape because I believe he’s innocent.
And once I’ve located my mother, I can send him back here for Father to deal with.
My hands shake as I place the photos on my end table.
I’ll do it tonight, after everyone is asleep. I’ll sneak away from my quarters and into the cities of sin.
Then I’ll break Nathan Reynolds out of Hell.
IX.
I spend the rest of the day mapping out the Underworld in my head.
Hell is broken into the cities of Dominus, Lapis, Aquarum, and Nix. Within them are thirteen lots containing sinners arcing across a vast rectangular area. Dominus is the only city without lots. It’s the farthest point North, and it’s also home to me, Father, and the demons.
We can reach the rest of Hell via flying chariot, boat, or bridge.
Chariot and boat are out of the question. While they’re the fastest modes of transport, they’re also the most heavily guarded. We’ll have to leave on foot.
Lapis, the city of stone, is next door to Dominus. It’s the biggest of the cities and contains five lots stemming from the sin of Wrath—for those violent toward others, thieves, the prideful, the liars, and the fraudulent. Lapis is made of dark granite and is a series of endless cliffs and caves.
Going through there will require a ton of climbing but will also provide the benefit of cover. Once I’ve actually gotten Nathan Reynolds out of his lot—ifI get him out—Lapis should be the easiest area to traverse. As long as we can avoid the lots. Those are dangerous places, even for me.
Nathan Reynolds will be in the closest lot, and in theory, he shouldn’t be hard to reach, but the souldiers will be suspicious of me lurking.
My stomach’s been a knot since deciding to leave. I’ve bounced between wanting to empty the kitchen fridge and hurling my guts everywhere.
I glance at the clock, wringing my hands and willing the numbers to speed up.
The crescent-shaped sword hanging on my wall winks at me. It’s heavy as I ease it down, glinting orange and red in the light of my room. A mixture of pure silver and demon blood, this sword is one of the few weapons that can harm a demon. It’s another gift from Father, this one bestowed at birth. A reminder that anyone who falls out of line will be punished.
I’ve never used it, but I’ve taken combat lessons with a wooden version to learn how to strike a wounding blow.
Swishing the sword through the air, I practice the stances I’ve been taught. It’s heavier than wood, but not difficult to wield.
I’d rather not need it—no part of me wants to battle the people I’ve grown up with—but my gut aches again knowing that I won’t have a choice if Father figures out what I’m doing. The demons once tasked with protecting me will become my hunters at his command. Their loyalty lies with Father, not me.
The sheath attaches to the belt of my dress with little effort, and I jam the sword into the holder. I grab my hooded cape from the back of my bedroom door and tie it around my shoulders with shaking fingers.
Once I break Nathan Reynolds out of Lot Thirteen, we’ll need to get to the outer banks of Lapis, a place I haven’t been to since I was a child, when Father flew me out there in his chariot. Since I’ve only seen the rest of Hell from above, I’ll have to use my memories of the layout to get us to the exit.
The clock strikes eleven, and I almost fall off the bed. I will my body to stop shaking before shoving the photo of my mother into the bodice of my dress and pulling my hood over my head. It’s not a fantastic disguise, but it should keep me shadowed as I make my way out of Dominus.
Grabbing the shoulder bag I’d filled earlier with food and water, I steal into the empty hallway. My heart thuds so loudly in my chest that I’m sure it’s going to give me away.
Inching down the hall, I keep my ears pricked for the slightest sound.
