Wars of the Underworld Page 3

  “Like Astrid?” she asked.

  “Yes. Like Astrid,” Damien said.

  The shadowy smoke of the witch’s corrupted soul left the demon, taking a form akin to a wraith. The demon pointed in a direction, the wraith turned and floated away toward its master’s bidding.

  Damien shifted to face Sadie, sensing her confusion. “Any questions?”

  “A few, actually.” She nibbled on her lower lip.

  Damien couldn’t stop staring when she did that. He wanted to press those lips into his and show her what it really meant to nibble. He just wouldn’t stop at her lips. He cleared his throat and blinked that thought away. “Such as?”

  “Why would a witch commit herself to a demon and risk everlasting peace?”

  “Good question. What else?” he asked.

  “You didn’t even answer the first,” she said, giving him a pointed look.

  “Some don’t commit themselves, Your Highness,” Hobson said. “Such unfortunate souls.”

  “Why?” she asked. “I mean, why are they unfortunate souls for not bonding with a demon?”

  Damien answered, “Some witches are…I guess you’d say, good, and want to remain uncorrupted. However, they are largely slaughtered because they are seen as weak-minded, even though they are stronger and can fight longer with their magic.”

  Hobson added, “In many ways, Your Majesty, witches are forced into their bonding to suit a specific purpose. If a witch chooses not to bond, she is essentially seen as a threat. Though many families have carried the belief that an unbonded witch is lesser and weaker, she is potentially much stronger than those who have bonded.”

  Sadie shook her head. “I’m getting lost.”

  “Perhaps I can clear things up a bit,” Damien said. “The strength of a witch’s magical ability is determined mainly by her heritage. If she’s in a family that has served demons for eons, she’ll be far more powerful than newer families, because magical ability is passed on through generations and becomes stronger with every new one.”

  “I’m following,” she said, nodding.

  He continued, “This tends to lead to a lot of classism within the ranks of witches. However, some demons can give witches more magic than others, depending on if that witch can handle it and if the demon has the power to give.”

  Hobson said, “A witch can choose not to serve a demon, even if her family does, but the consequence is that many of them are killed. They believe she can only realize her true strength if she serves a demon.”

  Sadie narrowed her eyes as that crease between her eyebrows formed. Damien knew she was making connections and the gears were turning in her head. She turned her gaze on him, and he wanted to gulp, lock his knees to keep them from buckling under the weight of her stare and stop himself from just taking her right then and there.

  This woman.

  Only she could make him weak in the knees, cradle him in desire, and cause him to quake under her gaze.

  He forced back a growl.

  “And how many witches have you bonded with?” she asked, chewing that lip again.

  “None,” he said, flatly.

  She cocked her head to the side. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulder, baring her delicious neck, ripe for the kissing, nibbling, and blood rushing touches that would make her melt in his arms.

  “Why not?” she asked.

  “Magic can be given in many ways, though it’s often transmitted and granted sexually. Doing it this way builds a connection to their demon, too, which can never be broken.”

  “Does that sort of commitment bother you? A Big, bad demon, like yourself?”

  She was toying with him now, and he knew it. That only made him want her more.

  He had to be next to her. Smell her. Touch her. He took a seat on the grass next to her. “I only want to be bonded with you, Sadie. No one else, witch or no.”

  “How do you know I’m not a witch? I’ve seemed to have caught you under a rather dangerous spell.” She leaned in closer to him, the tip of her nose brushed his chin and his pants grew even tighter.

  “You have certainly enchanted me,” he said.

  She kissed him, and he cupped her cheek. Hobson cleared his throat. “If you are done, I have more hedges that need trimmed.”

  Damn. I forgot he was there. “Yes, I’m finished.”

  Sadie sat up straight. “No, you’re not. You haven’t told me about warlocks.”

  “Right. We still don’t need Hobson’s demonstrations.” He looked to the butler. “You are free to go.”

  Hobson nodded and went about his way.

  Settling in closer to Sadie, Damien said. “Warlocks are the male counterparts of witches, but they process magic in a different way. They can only access power through the use of infused weapons which are mostly minor and short range. They are limited and less desired but can still bring an enemy to his knees if they are in large enough numbers.”

  That spot in Sadie’s forehead appeared again, and her eyes became distant. Any second now, she would chew her lip, and Damien wasn’t sure he could restrain himself.

  “I want to see them for myself,” she said. “Will you take me?”

  He struggled to hide the disappointment he felt when she skipped over his favorite part. He smiled at her, kissed her forehead and said, “I will personally see to it that you are able to meet a few of them. They can easily pull up portals to the underworld and be here when I call. It would be even better if you could get the demons that control them on your side as well.”

  Sadie smiled and kissed him. She seemed to bubble over in excitement, which made Damien chuckle.

  The rest of the evening was spent answering questions and spending time with his woman.

  SADIE

  Just before her bath, Sadie made her way to her weapons room and took stock of everything. If she were to get warlocks on her force, she would need suitable weapons for them.

  She processed the information Damien shared with her, and she wondered what it would be like to meet one in person, and if she had unwittingly met one before. She didn’t want to rely on preconceived notions or Hollywood’s depictions, but she also didn’t know what to expect.

  Especially with the little note about demons having to have sex with a witch to bond with her. She didn’t like the idea of any of her men having bonding, sexual rites with any woman.

  Down girl. Taking a calming breath, she made her way to her small room. She trusted her men and believed Damien when he said he hadn’t bonded with anyone. Her initial reaction was silly when she considered the reality of it all.

  Entering the small room, her eyes took in her battle dress that hung neatly on its mannequin, all cleaned up and repaired from the last battle she had worn it in. Her sword hummed to her the second she drew nearer. She loved that sword.

  Maybe it was initially used by a warlock? Hecate, she had learned, was known for being ruthless and taking a sword that had the incredible power hers did, certainly seemed like a thing that would happen.

  Then again, maybe that’s how the previous queen acquired all of her weapons. By taking them.

  Either way, they were hers now.

  Satisfied by the stock of weapons, she left the weapons room and headed straight for her bath. The hot water would help relax her, and she could further reflect on her newfound information.

  Chapter Five

  Sadie

  “Halt!” Sadie called out to Pyra, her pet dragon. She trained in one of her courtyards with the creature to practice commands.

  Pyra instantly responded, digging her claws into the earth, kicking up clouds of dust behind her. She bent her neck to look back at Sadie and gave a little growling purr which made a laugh bubble out of her chest.

  “Good girl. Now, to me.”

  The dragon spun, wings catching the light and glinting in reds, oranges, and yellows, and rushed to Sadie’s side and nuzzled her hand. Her eyes took in Sadie’s and she instantly felt that fun, close, and loving energy t
hat made them so connected. Sadie responded with a good scratch to the top of her head.

  Next, Sadie conjured up some smoke walls, reinforcing them with extra strength and setting several of them throughout the courtyard in a makeshift obstacle course. As she did so, she considered revisiting Hecate to further glean information from the dead queen about why she’s so feared and hated… maybe even gain some insight into how she could handle her latest threat.

  “Seek,” she said.

  Pyra took off, climbing over walls, crawling around them, and knocking some over, making them dissipate into nothing before colliding with the ground.

  Then she recalled what happened the last time she went to get information from Hecate and wondered if they had just started off on the wrong foot. Perhaps, if she put her foot down and told Hecate that she was dead and had had her time, and now it was her turn to deal with being the demon queen, the ghost would finally back off and accept her fate.

  But she didn’t want to further fuel whatever hate the dead queen seemed to harbor for her either. If siphoning a part of her soul was a sign of hate to begin with.

  She was still new to this world and the rules that came with it.

  Her men would likely be displeased if she tried to go in alone again.

  Maybe if she took all four of them, that would save her the headache of hearing about it later? They could help ward off another attack. And if Hecate attacked, that would prove to Sadie that her and the ghost were at odds. She would then have to figure out how to best handle the previous queen.

  Either way, she needed answers.

  At some point during Sadie’s reflection, Pyra had grown bored of the walls and started to chase some small insect through the courtyard. Waving a hand, Sadie dismissed the remaining walls and wondered if the dragon would play fetch.

  Focusing on her hand, she felt the tug of warmth from her amulet, forming a ball of purple light, making it pliable and solid. The ball sparked as it grew into an orb of bright yellow light.

  Satisfied by her creation, Sadie reared her hand back and threw the ball, catapulting it to the far corner of the courtyard.

  Pyra immediately ran after it. Sadie laughed.

  Well, what do you know? I have a dragon that plays fetch. How fun!

  Sadie threw the ball up into the air and watched as Pyra wiggled her butt, eyes on the ball, then pushed off with her back legs into the air. She flapped her wings, soaring higher, aiming for the ball. Catching it in her mouth, she spiraled downward, landing on the grass.

  That gave Sadie a thought.

  Pyra’s strength was in the air. She could use that in a battle to launch devastating fireballs toward the ground and her enemies. She could also train her dragon to evade counter attacks.

  Using her mental connection with her pet, Sadie told the dragon to fly and avoid getting hit. The dragon cocked her head to the side and made a grunt. Sadie giggled.

  “Trust me,” she said before conjuring balls of smoke and shadow.

  Pyra launched into the air as she tossed the balls up.

  Sadie sent commands in intervals… bank left, swerve right, dive. She studied the way her dragon moved and knew she could hone her pet’s skills for use if need be.

  Of course, Pyra would need armor.

  She sent the ball of light up into the air in another direction then tossed balls of smoke and shadow for the dragon to avoid in its pursuit of the prize, making sure to use her mental connection with her pet to help avoid injury.

  Pyra obeyed. Not only that, but it was fun, and the dragon seemed to enjoy herself as well.

  Now, she finally had a fun past-time to help relieve stress.

  Between throws of the ball for her dragon, Sadie practiced with conjuring the vines. She made little arches with them, adding in walls of smoke to make it even more engaging for Pyra.

  Her thoughts eventually wandered back to the queen, and she questioned why Hecate was still even here if she’s dead. What could she possibly want to stick around for? Wasn’t there some sort of ghostly, demonic paradise waiting for her? A Valhalla for demon queens?

  She may not have had the answers to those questions, but there was certainly one who might. Hobson. She would just avoid directly addressing the Hecate topic.

  Sadie reached out to the fortress and summoned him.

  Moments later, he cleared his throat. “You summoned me, Your Majesty?”

  She turned and faced the butler. “Yes, is there an afterlife?”

  Hobson stared blankly at her and seemed to wait for a follow-up question. He had remained quiet for so long, she wondered if he had turned into a statue.

  He rapidly blinked and said, “For what purpose is your question?”

  She shrugged. “Curiosity.”

  “Is that all?” he asked, a stony eyebrow lifted as his eyes slightly narrowed.

  He apparently didn’t believe curiosity was the only reason for asking. She had to think of a way to quickly get some answers without directly referencing the dead queen haunting the south wing.

  She nodded. “Mmm-hmm!”

  “I’m not aware of such a thing existing. When we die, we are typically absorbed by whatever killed us, or we become nothing.”

  Unless you’re Hecate, apparently. She nodded as she bit her lip. There had to be more of a reason why that woman’s ghost was stuck in her fortress. Maybe she was trapped here somehow. Or maybe there were more sinister things at work than just a malevolent ghost meandering the halls of the fortress. Sadie just couldn’t guess as to what.

  “Is there anything else?” Hobson asked with his arms behind him.

  “What about the empusa?” Sadie wondered how the creatures could still be so loyal to a woman that shouldn’t even exist if Hobson’s theory was correct.

  “What about them?” he asked, creases of worry continued to wrinkle his brow.

  “Are all of them loyal to Hecate?” she asked.

  Hobson’s shoulders relaxed as he let out a heavy breath. Sadie wanted to ask what he thought she was going to ask, but he beat her to the punch and said, “Most of them are. However, I do believe there are a few groups who aren’t.”

  “I wonder if there is a way to find out where they are?” Sadie asked, staring off at a single blade of grass poking through a stone of a walkway.

  “If I may, Your Highness,” Hobson said, “empusa would definitely not fit well within your rule. Remember that they are mindless creatures. I worry they would turn on you sooner than follow you.”

  Sadie nodded. “Thank you. I’ll take that under advisement. You may go.”

  “Very well.” He nodded and left.

  Meanwhile, Sadie needed a plan to get more allies. She also needed answers. And she couldn’t get them if she stood around playing with Pyra all day.

  She called to her dragon, who came obediently. After giving her a loving pet on the head and neck, she guided Pyra back to her stable and headed for one of the places she was sure would give her answers.

  The south wing.

  Chapter Six

  Mordecai

  Mordecai stood hidden within the shadows. He loved the way it felt to be unseen, the weightlessness of floating and the quick travel, since he could slip through cracks and avoid the whole business of walking. Not that he was lazy, but the mere feeling of being shadow was addicting, and he used his ability any chance he got.

  Footsteps echoed toward him, pulling his attention to Sadie. She had that determined look in her eyes, which made Mordecai wonder what she was up to. He smiled as she chewed on her lip, walking with extreme purpose down the hall.

  She’s so damned adorable. How the hell can a woman be both adorable and badass at the same time?

  He would do anything for her. Spend eternity with her. He had never known love until her or realized just how incredibly lonely he was. He felt he had a purpose now. She had become the center of his universe, and that also meant if she was up to something, he needed to know what. Besides, it would be fun to just
see how long he could get away with it.

  Still hidden, he followed Sadie down the halls of the fortress leading to the foyer and throne room. Keeping his distance, clothed with stealth, he watched as she stopped and cocked her head to the side.

  She turned and faced him. “Why are you sneaking around and following me?”

  Her lips were set in a firm line, but those eyes. Ah, yes. Those eyes were soft and held a light in them. That told him she really wasn’t mad at him. Just frustrated. He smiled again, knowing he was getting a rise out of her. It thrilled him, and he loved being able to calm the storm he caused within her.

  She focused on his smile, and the tension in her shoulders relaxed a little. She grinned and shook her head.

  “What are you up to?” he asked her, narrowing his eyes on her, keeping his debonair, suave tone even. Just the way she liked it.

  “I wanted to go to the south wing to speak with Hecate.”

  Something in him shifted at the mention of the previous demon queen’s name. He knew full and well what happened the last time she visited the queen. If he remembered correctly, he and his brothers all forbade her from going there again.

  Not gonna happen.

  Her eyes focused on his, and he knew they had turned red with the level of anger and protection that had risen within him. “No.”

  It came out firm. No room to argue here.

  She scoffed, rolling her eyes and propping a hand on her sumptuous hip. Damn that woman.

  “I was going to get you and your brothers. We were all going to go.”

  Mordecai wasn’t having any of it though. The risk was too great. He shook his head again and stepped closer to her. “No.”

  Again, firm.

  Her eyes darkened, and she stood a bit straighter. She was so cute when she was angry.

  “Fine. I’ll just go by myself. I need answers only she can give me.”

  He gripped her hips and pulled her closer, refusing to let go.

  She sighed. “Look,” her voice had softened, “I appreciate your protectiveness, but I won’t get anywhere as queen if I don’t have information on what it means to be queen, who her enemies were and why, and what I can do to stop a war. I also want to know if any of her allies are still around. I can’t do that without talking to her. I understand the dangers, which was why I mentioned having you and your brothers with me.”