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Axel grunted, but he didn’t look convinced I smiled weakly and picked up my club soda

"Mmm," Butterfly said "Embarrassment--tasty" The demon had slithered closer to rabbed soe off the slime where it had touchedaround I picked up ht about explaining to Axel that I was dealing with a giant invisible uy’s a troll; he’s probably seen weirder things But I couldn’t think of any way to phrase it withoutmyself sound pure batshit crazy

"Maybe that’s because you are pure batshit crazy," Butterfly said "Calling a terrifying demon BBuhsome silly pet name is proof of that"

Of course Eidolons can read their victiet access to a person’s deepest, darkest secrets to exploit them I didn’t have to talk to Butterfly; I could just think at it

Okay, Butterfly, listen up The fact that you haven’t gone away suggests one of two things: (a) you’re willing to share soot a death wish If it’s b, I’un and pulverize you with bronze bullets until there’s nothing left but a puddle of deoo for Axel to ratulate me

"Such a charmer No wonder you’re a failure at relationships" A pointy black tongue snaked its way fros that jibe brought up I leaned back and twisted away, out of reach Butterfly heaved a put-upon sigh "By ‘infors-on of Pryce and the Destroyer, since that’s what you asked ry to remember it, so--"

No You’re not snacking on ht now is pissed off, and you don’t like ry Remember what happened on top of thatto a tie I’d been so brier and fury and lust for destruction that my own personal deht, all right But I ary At least push over that bowl of peanuts so I can reach the belly-rabbed the bowl of peanuts that sat on ed it over so it sat in front of the stool onlike the h

"I heard that"

Sorry I’d have to work at shielding any thoughts I didn’t want the deht that I wasn’t sorry one bit

I glanced at Axel, but he didn’t see In fact, he was conspicuously not looking inits lips "Better" The deivesstench of peanuts, bile, and sulfur wafted through the air Axel didn’t notice, not even a twitch of his nose, but I was tempted to put a cocktail napkin overers overuseful for hting each other for doo When Pryce had resurrected Difethwr in his quest to regain his shadow demon, the Hellion had been furious to find itself bound to so they’d stay locked in that struggle--fighting each other kept thes change They’ve coreement I mean, I’m not privy to their terms--personal demon like me, either one of ’em would just as soon step on "

The Destroyer has agreed to be Pryce’s shadow demon? That surprised me The leader of the Hellions bowed to no one I couldn’t i Pryce’s sidekick

"Difethwr isn’t a shadow demon It’s more like a partnership They’re bound to each other, thanks to whatever happened inside that cauldron thing" Pryce had resurrected the Destroyer by trapping hundreds of deed into a Hellion, Pryce bound that Hellion to hi into the cauldron himself "They’ve accepted they’re stuck with each other--for now, anyway Neither is subordinate to the other But they hate each other You ask ain the upper hand"

Well, there was a little bit of co bound together changed everything One or the other would ain It’s hard to ar against humanity when you’re locked in a battle for supre," Butterfly said, and I realizedI concentrated on shielding them better "I mean, far be it from me to be the kind of demon who dashes people’s hopes"--Butterfly paused to snicker, since dashing hopes is one of the things Eidolons do best--"but Pryce and Difethwr are united in their ultioal"

Which is?

"To rule the three realms, of course To make the Darklands and the Ordinary part of Uffern"

Part of Hell, in other words