Alice in Demonland

13. Decision and Choice

My head shot up at that. I'd read about the Trial of Three. They would test the Moth physically, emotionally, and spiritually to discover a Moth's true purpose.

"Highness, it would serve your Society better if you did not make me do this."

Had I misheard or did Kade sound sad?

"He dares to speak to us with such arrogance?" Gillian, the Greed warrior demanded.

"We should kill him and end this charade. It doesn't matter what he wants. The fact remains that he should not be down here. He has no right. And we cannot have him in our midst any longer." The Lady Edith sired by Envy and devastated at the loss of Eric spoke severely.

"You can try, but I promise you will not succeed." Kade bowed low as though he were humbled, but he so obviously wasn't.

What the hell was he? In an instant, I knew it didn't matter. I could not allow them to kill Kade. "No!" I shouted. "Don't kill him." Somehow I was drawn to the man and desperate to have my questions answered. I placed my body between Kade and the Society.

"Alice," Wrythe demanded. "It is not your place to come between the Society and our decision."

"Perhaps we should send her back up. She's still young." That was Peter who spoke.

Wrythe shook his head. "Perhaps..."

"I'm not going anywhere without Kade." I had no idea what had gotten into me, but something deep inside demanded I fight for him the way he'd fought against those demons the other night.

"Give her the trials as well," Sabrina said. "We've long said she should face them in order to discover the truth of her sire and her true path. It will help her prepare." The Dark Moth sounded smug.

"We swore never to force the trials on a trainee. She won't be able to handle the weight of the experience," Peter said.

But I felt Wrythe considering it. He believed it would be a good idea and so did I, even if the thought terrified me. "It's all right, your Highness. I volunteer to face the trials."

Kade glanced over at me. "We will face them together, Alice Blackburn," he said, giving me a wisp of a smile.

I nodded as knots turned my insides. But it was the right thing to do. I felt it.

"Then it's settled." Wrythe walked over to a slab of flat granite rock covered in candles and pushed them aside, knocking them to the floor. They clattered before flickering and burning out. "Alice, come and lie down."

As I did, he walked over to another granite slab. They were side by side. Once the candles had been removed, Wrythe motioned to Kade. "Lie down."

"I will. But know this. It would be better for everyone if I simply tell you what I want."

Fury flashed across Wrythe's face. "Are you frightened cherub?"

"You know I am not," he said, raising his head.

Wrythe faced the Society. "What say you?"

"The trials," they responded in unison.

Kade shook his head. "As you wish."

Wrythe stood back and Edith moved between the two stone slabs. "Take each other's hands," she said.

I held out mine and Kade took it, giving it a slight squeeze. Whatever was about to happen, it was going to be bad. I could feel it in my bones. They seemed to tremble with my fear, clattering noisily. Edith produced a golden cord and bound Kade's wrist with mine.

Then she spoke words I didn't understand, like a poem. I was suddenly tired. Too tired to keep my eyes open. So I closed them, thinking I could rest until the time came to start the trials.

And that's when I saw him, the white rabbit with eyes the color of Kade's. He pulled a watch from his white vest pocket.

"I'm late." Then he dashed through the tall grass. I was no longer deep underground but in a lush field. Surprised, I hopped off the stone, quickly searching for the Society but seeing none of them. The slab Kade had laid on was gone, too.

So I went after the rabbit, following him until he reached the other side of the enormous field where he jumped into a hole.

"Wait," I called. When I reached the opening, I fell to my knees and peered inside. "Hello? Rabbit!"

He didn't answer, so I did the most logical thing I could think of at the time. I climbed in after him.