Queen of the Underworld | Book 3

• forty-seven •

Everybody moved immediately. I followed closely but was unable to move past Asmo who kept me close to him.

I looked up at him and almost heaved a sigh of relief. He was back to normal--there was no trace of the demon face.

He was back to his handsome fae self. There was no visible sign of the demon. His mouth wasn't grotesque, full of razor-sharp teeth that wouldn't fit in his exaggerated smile.

I supressed a shudder. He looked terrifying.

Kymra led the way, moving quickly through the corridors and up stairs I didn't remember taking. "There was even a demon in the corridors," she said breathless. She shuddered. "A demon. Gods, the Keep is truly lost."

Physically, she didn't seem to have changed even with the time that passed. She was still looked the same but I wondered if maybe inside she still felt the same...

"How did you find us?" I asked as we all continued down the halls.

"Oren has been lying in wait at the Keep," she explained. "He saw you and told me where you were. We were able to find you quickly enough." She smiled. "You're welcome."

I laughed. "Now what?"

Kymra turned a corner quickly. "We go where we can specter and get the hell out of here--oh, balls."

I stopped suddenly and saw immediately what she meant.

A group of soldiers obstructed our way. Five crowded the hall in front of us and for a heart-stopping moment, I thought we would be captured.

Asmo stepped forward, standing next to Kymra. "Guard, good you're here. We're taking the queen's prisoners to her private chamber. Your help is not needed."

One of the men looked to the others in his group then stepped forward. "We were not told of this." He looked at Mehnit in her lion form. "We are taking the cat back to the prison where she belongs."

Asmo sighed and looked at Kymra.

As soon as their gazes met, Oren flew down to us and appeared next to Kymra.

He was in full armor but had no sword or anything to defend himself with.

She looked at Oren then back at Asmo. She sighed signaling towards the guards in front of them. "Can't you just knock them out? Don't kill them."

Asmo shook his head. "My cover will be blown if I let them live."

Kymra nodded. "Leave that to me."

He didn't even seem to consider it before Asmo raised his hand. All five men floated up from the floor with the gesture of his hand. I gasped as all five crashed against the ceiling above them rendering them unconscious.

When they fell to the floor again Kymra tsked. "How graceful," she remarked sarcastically. She ran forward, taking a small vial out of a pouch. Quickly, she poured small drops of water into each of their mouths. She mumbled something quickly over each of them, placing a hand over their closed eyes as she did.

"What is that?" I asked as she did it.

"Water from the Lethe," she whispered back.

The Lethe...the name sounded so familar...

"The Underworld River of Forgetfulness,' she continued. "I'm also planting a false memory, the demon I saw below attacking the others."

Asmo's distraction to the other guards, I realized. He summoned a demon? That must have been why he looked the way he did when we made it into Mehnit's prison. How much power did it take for him to do that?