Mozuzu woke up finally from a long dream. He could remember just bits of it. His last clear memory had been of glaring at the Snake hills in the distance, when a warm gale had blown over him. It was memorable because it was still winter. But he noticed nothing. He didn’t notice anything else for the two months he spent in Snakehills, marching house to house, establishment to establishment, seeking. He still had no idea what he sought. But he remembered the face of the one who sought. Just now, when that foreign energy made him wake up, he saw a clear image of that face. And he knew that he’d been under an enchantment the entire time. The mayor was asking him a question, but his mind was no longer there. He began to force a recollection of the past two months, ignoring even the Messenger, who elbowed him constantly.He didn’t recollect much, but his anger had grown red hot. He’d been used as a pawn to hunt a demon. It might have been better if the demon had been hunted to be kille

Carilliene Regina Immortalis scowled fiercely. Yvaine watched her and Jaron, frowning.Both of them were still busy exchanging glances with the dead Knight, and the charred temporary teleportation sigil, as though either was important then. She would wager her curiosity that the Order was already alerted and on the way. With the loss of their teleportation sigil, there was little else to do, but they shouldn’t stand there waiting for the Order to capture them easily. She looked longingly at the open road leading from the alley to the edge of town. Just a few kilometers. Just a few more minutes for her suppression to leave her. She still had Jaron’s teleportation sigil. “The Prince take the Order and their damnable Purgers!” Jaron finally cursed loudly and foully. Thunder rumbled above, and Yvaine edged away from him. The Cambion turned to glare at Carilliene. “I take it your mother didn’t give you another?”“I would have used it by now if she did.”“You would? Wonderful. I thou

Nur climbed down from her observation post on the tree, sliding smoothly to the forest floor. She pocketed the looking glass, shook twigs and leaves from her uniform and stamped her legs in her boots. From what she’d known and seen, they were just a day away from Yellowstone, the Capital of Nialli. A day of hard traveling to cross the border into Nialli, another day of harder traveling to cross the city of Pinfold and its outer towns, and now she could see the distant walls of the Capital. Their journey had been executed as fast as only Purgers could achieve it, otherwise it would take them three to four days to get to the Capital from Snakehills. But now that they were here, she didn’t see what she expected to see. None of the towns around Pinfold had so much as whispered about the demon occupation of their neighbor. Even Pinfold was quiet. The Messengers had known, though, and Nur charged them to spread the news. At Pinfold, two Knights who’d wintered there, had joined their p

“Why is he coming here, mother?”“I suppose we’ll fund out soon enough. But if I had to guess, I’d say it has something to do with the death of that soldier your sister accompanied to the Middle Aether,” Lilith answered. She stopped her hand from stroking Inanna’s hair. “It can’t be. Why should he care about one demon?”“He doesn’t. Aren’t you supposed to be the one with knowledge of politics, daughter? I suspect that the Cambion must have told him of his meeting with me, and that is enough for Hornker. He cares about what I’m planning in the Middle Aether, and he’ll use this soldier as the price of admittance.”“But we cannot let him know about that—”“Maybe, daughter. His arrival now might just be what we need. We’ll see. He’s here.”“The Demon Lord Hornker, and his entourage!” the Steward announced loudly. Inanna looked up curiously. A being marched into the throne room, with all the fiery aura of a sovereign general. His blood red and silver embroidered cape billowed be

Jhanice looked at the barrier around Snakehills. She could still feel him through that. It puzzled her why he hadn’t escaped already, especially since he must be aware that Wyvrill was here. Four days now she’d felt him. He seemed too calm, although she couldn’t know that from just the aura of his affinity. But she suspected so. His face on that first day after the barrier was raised and they arrived had all but confirmed it. He wore that infuriating smile as that Demon Princess declared that the people of Snakehills were her hostages. His face had changed, sure enough, but there was no hiding the soul behind those eyes, nor that smile. He was the one who declared that the entire town would be slaughtered if the Purgers dared to try breaking the barrier. She believed him. And so did Wyvrill, apparently. Even now, she couldn’t convince herself that they’d been right in what they did to him all those years ago. She was complicit, even if she was still had no authority among the