Armageddon (Angelbound) (3 page)

Octavia says Maxon has ‘natural political acumen’ that will make him a great king some day. I think Maxon could grow two heads and she’d say that’ll make him a great king one day. Octavia is tough as nails until you wheedle your way into her heart. After that, you could do pretty much anything and she’ll make an excuse for you. Connor’s living proof of that. Classic example: the fact that he’s gone all the time? Octavia says he’s merely adventurous in his retirement. Or the way he treats Maxon like my kid’s contagious? Connor doesn’t want to force himself on his grandson.

Riiiiiight.

Still, I’m sure Octavia had other plans for her Saturday morning. I shoot her a friendly wave. “Thanks for helping out.”

“You’re most welcome.” She raises her pointer finger high. “Ah, one last item. We’re sending over a new night nanny for Maxon. She’ll understand how to handle my little warrior.”

“Wow, that’s a relief. Thanks, Octavia.”

Lincoln’s mismatched eyes narrow. “Of course, we’ll need to meet her first before making any final decisions.”

“Are you quite certain?” A strange look flickers across Octavia’s typical poker-face.
Could that be guilt?
“I shouldn’t think that’s necessary.”

“Oh, it is extraordinarily necessary, Mother. Especially considering that face you just made.”

Octavia opens her eyes extra wide. I know that trick for seeming innocent; I’ve used it myself a million times. “Whatever do you mean, my son?”

Lincoln points right at her nose. “That look, right there. Come clean. What’s really going on?”

“Nothing,” replies Octavia quickly. “You two have got quite enough on your plate as it is, so I found you a new night nanny, that’s all. Now, you can focus on the big event tomorrow.” Her mouth winds into a satisfied smile. “The end of the old House of Acca. Anointing a new Earl.”

“Nice try to change the subject,” says Lincoln. “I hardly noticed.”

“Please.” Octavia rolls her eyes. “Go prepare for the Anointing.”

“Not happening,” I say. “When are you sending her over?”

“Her who?”

I fold my arms over my chest. “Octavia. Enough.”

“Fine. I’ll send her over to your audience chambers tomorrow at eleven.”

I pause, considering. “That’ll work. Lincoln and I can split nanny duty tonight.”

Lincoln steps up to my side, wrapping one arm firmly around my waist. “In the meantime, you bring up an excellent point. The Queen and I have all sorts of things to do before the Earl’s Anointing.” Behind my back, his hand slowly dips to firmly cup my ass. I make a chirpy-sound and then blush something fierce.

No question. The guards at the other end of the hallway just got a free show.

Wouldn’t be the first time.

“Lots to do,” I add, my voice about two octaves higher than normal.

“As I suspected.” Octavia turns on her heel and strolls away, Maxon still happily cuddling in her arms. “See you later!”

Once she and Maxon are gone, Lincoln and I rush back into the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind us. My heart beats at double speed.

Royal playtime returneth, yeah!

Lincoln tosses me onto the bed, where I bounce, snort, and in general break out into a fit of giggles. With an ultra-smooth lunge, he slides onto the mattress and pins me onto my back, his firm hands, hips and thighs instantly pressing mine into place. Wherever he touches me, a sense of electric excitement runs across my skin. Our gazes lock; my body heats.

Lincoln’s voice comes out all low and growly, just the way I like it. “How long do I have you?”

I know exactly what he means. “I’m open until the trade summit.”

“So, we have hours.”

“Yes, we do.”

“In that case, I have an idea.” His legs guide mine apart with a knowing grace. “Want to know what it is?”

I squirm to free my hands so I can pull his mouth to mine, but he has me pretty well pinned. Damn, that’s hot. “Tell me.”

“Watching you unravel, again and again.”

I can’t help but smile.
Unraveling is the best.
“Oh, I’m all yours, Mister the King.”

In my dream, I lie on a secluded tropical beach, warm white sand pressing into my back. A line of leafy palm trees stands guard behind me, their great green fronds slowly swaying in the breeze. Knitting my fingers behind my neck, I stare up at the countless stars dotting the night sky. So beautiful.

“Hello, my Queen.” Lincoln settles his toned body between my legs, propping up his naked chest on his long, ropy arms. The motion makes his board shorts rub my bikini bottoms in just the right way.

“Hello, yourself.”

A mischievous gleam twinkles in his mismatched eyes. “No one here but us.”

“And no work. No kid.” Maxon’s back in Purgatory, getting spoiled rotten by my parents.

“So, what do you want to do?”

Heat slowly prickles through my core. “Oh, I can think of a few things.”

Suddenly, an eerie howl echoes through my mind. On reflex, I press my hands to my ears. The beach, starry sky and Lincoln all disappear. I become trapped in a black and empty space filled with heart-wrenching screams.

Damn, damn, DAMN, damn.
It’s happening again.

I grit my teeth in frustration. My nightmare is back. Only this time, I have a new plan. I won’t bother questioning my igni while I’m still dreaming. With a concerted effort, I force my eyes to open, seeing my quiet room in Arx Hall. Lincoln sleeps soundly beside me.

“Hey, my little ones,” I whisper. “Was that you screaming just now?”

A mish-mash of igni voices ricochet through my mind. Some are lyrical and high-pitched, while others sound as pleasant as fingernails down a chalkboard. Within the mix, I can clearly make out the words ‘yes,’ ‘danger’ and ‘secret plan.’

I slowly exhale. Finally, an answer. It’s true; my igni have been trying to contact me this entire time. Unfortunately, that means all the physicals I underwent yesterday were a total waste.
Knew it.

“So, there’s a secret plan against me. Who’s causing trouble now?” I get a constant stream of death threats and conspiracy rumors. I hardly pay attention any more.

My igni reply with something that sounds like “Chirp-squawk-Armageddon.”

A heavy weight settles into my stomach. Armageddon’s been quiet for years. This is so not-good. My pulse kicks up a notch.

“What do I need to do?”

This time, their words are crystal-clear. “Talk to Nefer.”

“Okay. Never heard of anyone by that name. Where can I find this Nefer?”

A long series of squeaks and growls are followed by one word: “Hell.”

“No problem, guys. I’ll reach out right now.”

About once a week, I meet with the damned in order to gather extra evidence for Purgatory’s Soul Trials by Jury. It took me years to master the skill of dreamscaping so I could safely contact any spirit in Hell, but it’s been worth it. I’ve saved thousands of innocent souls from Armageddon after seeking out new testimonies.

Settling onto my back, I close my eyes, careful to keep my movements gentle and quiet. Lincoln’s still asleep and until I know more, he deserves to stay that way.

Okay, Myla. First things first.

Before doing anything, I need to secure approval for my dreamscape from Anubis, the demigod who’s the Gatekeeper of Hell.

“All hail and summons, Anubis.”

A rolling basso voice sounds inside my head. “Greetings, Great Scala.”

Anubis has ultimate power over anything that enters or leaves the fiery down-under. Plus, he hates Armageddon, so Anubis never lets the King of Hell know when I’m dreamscaping in his realm.

“I hereby request permission to enter your realm via dreamscape.”

“Granted. Be well.”

“Thanks.” With the permission secured, I focus my thoughts on the name given to me by my igni. “Nefer, I summon thee to a dreamscape. Wherever you are, lie down and close your eyes. When you open them again, you’ll be in a dream version of Purgatory’s Arena. I’ll be there too, and we can talk.”

A woman’s alto voice echoes through my mind. “I shall heed your summons.”

When I open my eyes once more, I find myself dressed in my white Scala robes and waiting inside Purgatory’s Arena. Everything is empty and silent. Nefer stands before me.

“It is an honor to meet you.” Nefer is a lady angel, willowy and tall with coal-dark skin, long white robes, and great black wings that arch over her broad shoulders. Her sharp, angular features are accented by thin braids that curl down to her waist.

“You as well.”
And that’s all the chit-chat that I have time for.
“My igni say you have something important to tell me.”

A small monkey scrambles out of nowhere, climbs up onto Nefer’s shoulder, and chitters away in her ear. The creature has chocolate-brown fur and glowing yellow eyes. “Kiya here is one of the first animals,” explains Nefer. “He extends his greetings as well.”

My mouth falls open in shock. First animals are the original creatures from the Garden of Eden. They’re smarter than most humans and can perform magic on almost anything organic. I bow slightly at the waist. “It’s an honor to meet you.”

Kiya bounces on his haunches before scrambling away across the Arena floor. Once he’s gone, Nefer refocuses her attention on me. “Before I say more, you should know that I’m a prisoner and all my information comes from my jailers. They’re less than trustworthy.”

“What’s your prisoner type?”

“Class 1 Solitary. Well, almost solitary. Kiya stays with me.”

Which means Nefer’s important.
If you have to be trapped in Hell, then Class 1 Solitary’s the place to be. In Purgatory, we call it Club Dead. “I’ll keep that in mind. Please continue.”

“I heard the cell block commanders talking when they came through on an inspection. They said Armageddon had come up with his finest scheme yet.”

My breath hitches. Block commanders aren’t the rank and file. If they’re talking, you should listen. My heart pounds harder in my chest. No wonder my igni were so worried.

I work hard to sound casual. “And what’s the old demon up to this time?”

“He’s gotten some kind of gift. An acquisition, they called it. Armageddon will use it as the centerpiece of his new scheme.” Her large blue eyes fill with sympathy. “I’m so sorry, Great Scala. This time, he means to destroy your family.”

All the oxygen gets punched out of my lungs. Family? That can’t be true. I suppose at one time, the word ‘family’ would have meant of all sorts of people. Like my parents, maybe, or Lincoln. But now, I have a Mommy reflex. The word ‘family’ immediately leads to one thought.

Maxon. Please, don’t let him mean Maxon.

At that moment, the Arena floor heaves and shifts, sending me reeling. My mind empties. I wobble from foot to foot, trying to stay upright while the ground beneath me shudders and moans. Finally, my brain catches up with the latest turn of events. What’s happening now hasn’t taken place in years, but the signs are unmistakable.

Anubis will be here any second.

An ear-splitting rumble echoes through the stadium. The earth shimmies, buckles and then, it bursts wide open. A circular wall rises from the ground, enclosing Nefer and I as if we were lambs in a pen. A shifting network of dark green vines form the structure around us, the slender cords slithering around each other like snakes.

Nefer turns to me, her eyes wild. “End this dreamscape. Now.”

“You aren’t going anywhere until I get my answers.” My mouth thins to a determined line. “This may involve my son.”

Along one section of the wall, the snake-like vines pull back to reveal Anubis, a tall man with a lean frame, broad shoulders, and ebony skin. His head is shaved bare, accenting his intelligent eyes, full mouth, and strong jawline. His outfit is the classic fashion of ancient Egypt: a simple white kilt with leather sandals and a bare chest.

Anubis steps onto the Arena floor and pauses, his liquid-brown eyes locking with Nefer’s. The air becomes charged with emotion, but I can’t define the mix exactly. Love? Hate? Fear? Whatever it is, Anubis’s visit promises to be a huge time suck, and I need information fast. When I speak again, I work hard to keep the frustration out of my voice.

“Greetings, Anubis.”

No reply. Lots of staring at Nefer, but no reply. Damn.

“I’d introduce you two, but it looks like you already know Nefer.”

At last, Anubis speaks. “I know her.” Still, he doesn’t so much as glance in my direction. Instead, Anubis keeps looking at Nefer like she’s a tall glass of water and he’s a man who’s very, very thirsty.

“Okay, it’s obvious that Nefer is somehow—” I fumble for the right words. “Well, clearly she’s interesting to you, Anubis.”

He nods.

“But Nefer was just sharing some important stuff that she overheard about my family. She needs to keep telling me all about it.” I stare at her in a way that says ‘start talking, honey.’

“That’s right.” Nefer’s voice comes out in a dream-like whisper. “I have something important to say.” She doesn’t do any actual
saying
, though, and that makes me want to punch her.

My family, Nefer.

My tail taps out an anxious rhythm on my thigh. “Nefer, will you please—”

“Silence!” Anubis raises his left hand, and the slithering vines creep out of the wall toward me. “Give Nefer and I a minute to speak.”

“Or what?” The vines coil closer to my chest. A particularly greasy cord starts winding its way up my arm. “You’ll bind me with vines?”

“Don’t test me. My power here is absolute. All I ask is one minute.”

Unholy Hell. Even Armageddon can’t touch Anubis when he’s in a gateway like this one. My options are limited.

“Fine.” I slap away the vine with my palm. “One minute.”

Anubis steps closer to Nefer, the lines of his face etched with worry and pain. “Why didn’t Kiya ever come to see me?”

Nefer stares at her feet. “That’s not easy to explain.”

“Please try. You owe me that.”

A memory flickers through my mind. There were rumors about Anubis pulling some strings with Onyx, the last Queen of Hell, to get a prisoner placed in Club Dead. Everyone knows Anubis rarely takes an interest in specific spirits. But when it came to Nefer, he must have been quite interested, indeed.