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Melanthe of the Deie Sorceri was an empowered sorceress on the prowl Even hell should tremble!

When those sentries approached with swords drawn, she smiled “Well, hello, boys” With a wave of her hand, shethem to lead her into the cavern, protect her with their lives, and tell others that she was their leader’s female

Then she bade them to take her to the key

Easy as easy pie

THIRTY

For ainst her sorcery

He didn’t knohat shocked him more: the revelation about his brother, or that Melanthe had bespelled hiainst demons, or the pest! If she perished, he would

He would what? Vrekeners sio, after he’d healed from the worst of his injuries, his own mother had found solace in suicide, unable to live without his father

Thronos’s brows drew tight By that reasoning, so long as Melanthe’s life was in danger, then so too was his

At once, he felt her co In minutes, he’d freed hi upward If he took to the air, he couldn’t see er zones Chance I’ll have to take He swooped his wings, shooting into the sky with his usual grinding pain He hovered over the canopy, tracking her by her sorcery and her entrancing scent

While he trailed her, he replayed all the things she’d told hirown apart, seeing little eye to eye There wasn’t a Vrekener alive who reviled Sorceri more than Aristo His brother’s voice echoed in his head: “They er brother Death to every last one of them!” Aristo had even threatened the Sorceri wards within the Air Territories, until he’d seen how unpopular a istically speaking It’d taken Thronos years to heal, to learn hoalk and fly again He’d been in his teens before he’d been able to travel long distances Consu her, he’d had no interest in politics

Had he suspected things were a accounts had made their way to him, but his mind had remained focused on the search, and he’d easily discounted the of the Skye

And now his mate had added her own account Yes, Thronos had learned her tells When she’d told hiressively, eyes wide His wings hadn’t twitched

No wonder she was desperate to avoid his home He had to convince her that he could keep her safe He had no doubt of it; a Vrekener protecting his er than any others of his kind

And no ely for his feht, ould stop her froet her, as she’d threatened on the island? Before, he’d questioned if that htn’t be a boon

Now the ideaon his forehead

The closer he got to the derew In the sky over the plateau, Thronos saw more Volar demons locked in combat So members of the same demonarchy had become enemies?

If what Melanthe said was true, then those creatures were his demon brothers Of course, if what she said was true, then the Volars would be preferable to Aristo

Thronos breathed deeply for her scent, seeking her sorcery Her trail was confusing, see to lead to both encampments

The freshest was to Deep Place With its maze

Thronos could fly over it, but would those Volars spot him? And if the maze was meant to keep out enemies, there would likely be airby foot to the labyrinth The ruins were a riot of shapes—pillars, disks, reht and an infinite nu places

Threats could be anywhere Everywhere Would he find her mauled body in these ruins? Hear her screas burned; he increased his pace even n inscribed with those foreign glyphs The ible to him

Behold Deep Place, lair of the Abysuardians of the Second Gate of Hell Woe to all who enter the bowels of this reals deep He charged forward anyway—

His eyes widened Melanthe!

Apparently, she was just leaving, looking bored as she strolled from the labyrinth

Great Killjoy had freed hi like he’d run or flown et to her

The unbidden thrill she felt to see him only worsened her already bad , her portal plans on hold for tonight Escaping hell wouldn’t be as simple as she’d envisioned

“Melanthe, wait!”

Sadly, she wouldn’t be able to command him so easily after her sorcery outlays She’d drained h she hoped not in vain

Thronos caught up to her and reached for her ar look made him drop his hand

“Are you safe?” he asked between breaths

“How did you get free? Did so past hi her nextin there? Have you lost your ed

“You just walked in?” He frowned “Wait You’ve got two keys My gods, you’ve been to Deep Place and Inferno!”

Around her neck, on either side of her priceless ate of hell—because she’d already stolen both treasures

Nearly identical, each key was the length of her little finger At one end was a filigree bow; the other end was flat, notched, and engraved Overall, they were as dainty and elegant as Pandeold She noore three pieces of priceless silisk gold

Lifting the keys had been the easy part Hidden within each stronghold was its portal Beside it? A key She’d thought she would have to go all Italian Job for her uards

Hulking guards ere now sleeping like little babies