Lips Red As Blood

22 |

For a moment, even though the concept seems impossible, Cora can almost taste the pain coming from the devil as his body hits the ground with a sickening crunch. 

The pain is agonizing, as Asher continues to roll down the hill. Even when he takes a sharp inhale, he still strategically holds onto Cora, making sure no part of her touches the ground. 

Then, they reach the end of the hill, landing in the flat area. 

Soft grass tickles Cora's cheek, light dew slowly dripping onto her skin, as her body accidentally crushes a bunch of butterscotch-gold flowers. Hovering a few inches above her, Asher's green eyes cling onto her, lips parting slightly. 

For a moment, Cora's heart beats a touch faster, watching as his sooty lashes lower. "Angel," Asher mumbles softly. "Are you hurt?" 

That question makes Cora's eyes pop wider before she inwardly slaps herself. What is wrong with you? she demands, wanting to physically slap herself so that she snaps out of... whatever the hell is happening right now. Instead of staring at Asher like he took off his shirt, you should be asking— 

"'Are you hurt?'" Cora says, wrenching herself up. "That's the question I should be asking you, idiot. You literally launched us off an airplane, threw us into another dimension, and slammed your body on the ground so hard, I'm surprised you haven't broken any bones." 

Asher rolls to the side, looking up at the sky. "It's going to take so much more than that to break me," he murmurs, a smile straying onto his lips. "So much more." 

He breathes in the minty air, casting his gaze upwards. The sky is too beautiful, buttery clouds lying lazily amongst the creamy pink-orange sky, a sliver of gold from the sun melting into the scenery. 

That's when Cora feels like something is wrong. 

"How can this be Hell?" she sputters, launching to her feet. Cora gestures at the slowly awakening city, watching as city lights slowly slip away to the sun. "It's too pretty." 

Even the grass looks pretty, frost dripping off the dark green — and for a moment, Cora feels jealous of a piece of grass for looking pretty for no reason. 

"Lust," says Asher, taking a deep breath, like he's arrived home. Which he has, Cora thinks feverishly. He belongs here, remember? "People lust for pretty things." 

Asher plucks out one of the flowers, the petals a shade of dandelion yellow. The moment it's plucked out, the flower instantly shrivels away, falling into a pile of ash. 

"Oh my God." Cora stares at the pile of ash in horror, leaning closer as she tries to make out what's inside. "Are those bones?" 

He shrugs. "Yeah, everything pretty here is made out of the bones from the people who had to have punishments." 

Cora gapes at him. "Wait, you're kidding, right?" 

"Nope." 

With that, Asher stands up and tramps through the field. Cora watches, memorized, watching as the golden flowers fall into dust whenever Asher steps on it. It's a whirlwind of dust and gold and bones, intertwining together. 

Then Cora snaps out of it, quickly following Asher. 

It's been twenty minutes since they arrived in the city, and although Kai is leading the group with confidence, it is very obvious they're lost. 

"We're lost," Cora grumps, passing vendors that call out enticing deals ("A revenge love potion that drives someone insane for love!" one calls out. "An outfit made entirely out of silver and stars," someone else says. "Sandwiches that Leticia herself ate!" the third chirps.). "Just admit it."