City of Dust

Chapter Twenty-One

Ehtab summons me to his throne room the day before our plan is to be put into motion. It's a struggle to keep the nauseated expression off of my face as the four red guardsmen lead me to the elevator.

Act as if he doesn't know, I tell myself over and over as the elevator descends into the pit. He's going to try and throw you off your game.

As soon as the elevator opens, I'm thrust into a whirlwind of chaos. The doors to Ehtab's chambers are thrown wide open; people in white lab coats stream in and out, some carrying small objects like candles or what look like hymnals, others move long wooden pews inside. The smell of incense hangs heavy and cloying in the air, covering the sulfuric scent of Hell.

Are we having a church service?

That seems like a rather odd choice for a demon.

Ehtab stands in the middle of the chaos in his human guise, observing and directing the scientists. He turns around when the guards announce my presence.

"Ah, Hunter!" he exclaims, a broad smile on his illusionary face. "Did you think that I forgot about you?"

So, he's playing the jovial host, I note. Be calm, be cool, and be respectful. "No, my Lord."

Ehtab nods. "Well, I did not. Tell me, what do you think of our preparations?"

I make a show of looking around the chamber. There are even more torches illuminating the space, but the light is never reflected in the inky black pool in front of his throne. A pulpit has been erected in front of the massive throne and rows of pews are being set up on either side of the long pool.

Well, I'll be damned. It looks exactly like a church service. Was Ehtab planning on giving God a big, purple middle finger as he chucked one of His angel's children into the pool?

"Very impressive, my Lord. I like the torches."

Ehtab chuckles in that fake-amusement way people in power put on for us lesser beings. Suddenly, the laughter cuts off. An icy hand grips my heart as Ehtab stares sharply at me.

"Why does she smell?" he demands of the guards, nostrils flaring like a bull.

Oh, that. I start breathing again, relief coursing through my body. I've once again grown nose-blind to my own odor. The brownies offered to bring me soap, but I refused. It wouldn't do for the guards to notice that I started smelling like lilac or lavender when I hadn't been offered the option of a bath. Because of that, I wasn't offended when they started visiting me with masks over their mouths and noses.

"Uh ..." one of the poor men stammered.

"It wasn't in our orders," another answered, leaning away from the furious demon.

Ehtab whirls in a cloud of dust, emerging in his real demonic form. "XENIA!" he bellows, leathery bat wings sweeping a dozen lab coats off their feet. Someone cries out about their leg being broken and is hastily dragged out of the room.

Ah, crap, I forgot that he's actually naked.

Kayleigh's mother runs up to the demon lord. "Yes, my Lord?" She's carrying a computer tablet in one hand and a stylus in another.

Ehtab looms over the woman, red flames dancing between his bovine horns. "Why has no one offered this Hunter a bath?"

For the first time, I spy fear in the woman's eyes. She noticeably swallows, hands shaking. "I ... I didn't think ..."

She doesn't get to finish her excuse, because Ehtab cuts her off. "I will not have her foul body odor profane my temple," he growls, baring an impressive set of fangs as I try my best not to feel offended. "She will have a bath every day as well as have access to fresh clothes. Those will be burned," he adds, pointing at my robes and scarves.