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I just needed to—
The sensation of one thousand insects crawling over my skin stopped my thoughts.
The door opened with a loud burst.
Helion cursed under his breath, shooting me a warning look. I didn’t need the bond flaring between us with his annoyance to realise whatever punishment he had alluded to had arrived.
Helion pushed off me, dragging me to my feet as if I weighed nothing.
Astaroth walked through the doorway, white corpse-like eyes dragging over us before trailing over the mess we had made.
“For someone who begged me to start the games early to spare her from the Nether, Helion, you are doing a poor job at keeping her from it.” He brushed his hands over the crisp jacket of his white suit.
My head snapped towards Helion.
Helion... begged?
My gaze searched his face for the lie, for the familiar smirk or cutting remark that would explain it away.
But he kept his eyes on the God of the Seven Hells, fists bawling at his sides. “Enough, Astaroth.”
Astaroth cocked his head to the side, watching Helion with rapt attention, something passing between them.
Astaroth raised his hand, a gesture instantly answered. Two of his warriors stormed into the room, armour made of white bone gleaming in the dull candlelight.
“Take her to the Nether,” he smiled softly. “A little glimpse at your eternity.”
Panic coiled through me. I didn’t understand the full weight of his words, but something ancient in my bones knew to be afraid.
“No!” Helion threw himself in front of me as the guards took a step forwards.
“No?” Astaroth questioned, surprise lifting his voice an octave. “Move aside.”
“I don’t think I will.” Helion glanced back at me before returning his attention to the god. “She's terribly fragile.”
I stiffened, the word felt like a slap across the face. “You want entertainment,” Helion continued. “A night in the Nether might leave nothing left for you to torment. Hardly much fun for your court.”
Astaroth's corpse-white eyes drifted to me, finding my gaze and looking straight through me. A shiver tore up my spine.
“Rules broken must be—”
“Punished,” Helion finished. “Well, this happens to be my fault.”
“Lying is also a cardinal sin.” Astaroth tilted his head to the side like a cat being amused by a mouse.
“Is it?” Helion stepped closer, tilting his head as though genuinely considering it. “And this?”
Helion closed the remaining distance in two unhurried strides.
He cracked his fist across Astaroth's jaw. The god’s head snapped to the side from the force, eyes flaring white as the sound echoed through the room.
Astaroth brought his fingers to his now split lip, pulling it away with black blood painting his fingers.
Helion held up his hands in surrender, a cocky smirk playing on his mouth as the guards seized him.
“Take him to his cell,” Astaroth said, his voice as soft as falling ash. “For touching me, I will see to your punishment personally.”
Helion paled, twisting something I refused to name inside of me.
