Void Domain, Book 04 полностью

Juliana clutched at Zoe’s shirt. Her other arm hung limp at her side. She pressed her face into her chest and started sobbing.

“Shhh.” Zoe gently brushed a few stray blond strands out of the younger girl’s face. “Your mother is going to be fine. She’s survived so much. A little hole in her chest isn’t going to stop her.”

“It’s all my fault.”

“No. You couldn’t have known that Za–”

A sudden cough from Eva stole her attention. Slowly shaking her head, Eva gave a quick nod back over her shoulder.

Zoe blinked.

Standing just behind Devon was the sharp-dressed, golden eyed man she had met in Tom’s bar almost a year ago.

“Couldn’t have known what, Zoe?”

Devon let out a high-pitched yelp. Dropping the potion bag, he disappeared, reappearing on the opposite end of the island.

Behind Zagan, Shalise–no, Prax sat against the tree, remaining utterly still with a look of horror on Shalise’s face. Probably hoping that Zagan wouldn’t even bother glancing in that direction.

How long had he been standing there? Zoe wondered. Eva, Arachne and Genoa, and Juliana had all made noise upon their arrival. But Zagan had just been standing there, creeping behind her.

Zoe pulled Juliana closer as she tightened her grip on her dagger. “Zagan,” Zoe spat.

The devil smiled. “Come now, aren’t we on friendlier terms than that?” He gave an exasperated sigh. “Not a single person calls me Rex.”

If he thought his little play-acting was cute, he was wrong. Zoe had seen elementary school plays with better acting. Though maybe that was intentional, Zoe thought, frowning. “Leave, Zagan, you are not wanted here.”

“On the contrary, young Miss Rivas was the one to summon me here.”

Juliana stilled, though offered no protests.

“And,” he continued, “I will admit that I invited myself to Eva’s domain. However, it was with only the best intentions in mind.”

“I’m sure,” Zoe said. If he picked up on her sarcasm, he didn’t mention it.

“As long as I am repaying one favor, I might as well get them both done within one day. Less work, yeah?”

He started to turn.

Devon blinked again, this time straight over the water. There was a light splash and he was gone. He didn’t resurface.

Probably fleeing to Ylva’s domain. Coward.

But Zagan paid him no mind. He focused instead on Shalise.

Prax stood up and ran. Shalise’s muscled legs hit the sand, sending up nearly as much debris as when Arachne had landed. Being in the center of the island, it didn’t matter which direction Prax chose to run in. The demon didn’t need to think about it for a second.

Prax chose the direction that led away from Zagan.

It didn’t get very far.

Without the slightest motion on Zagan’s part, Prax was facing backwards. It took four steps before it realized that it was now running directly towards Zagan. Unfortunately for Prax, he didn’t realize in time.

Zagan reached out and gripped the edges of Zoe’s suit jacket that Prax wore.

“Praxtihr. You’re out of your cell.”

“What do you care, Zagan? You are not in the Keeper’s employ.”

“That is King Zagan to you, wretch.” He tilted his head to one side before straightening his neck again. “Or Great King Zagan. In fact, go with the latter.”

“You think you are so high and mighty. The only reason you are not a guest of the Keeper is because he could not find a cell that would hold you.” Prax hocked back and spat in Zagan’s face. “But it is just a matter of time. One of us will topple you.”

Holding Prax in the air with a single hand, Zagan wiped away the saliva with his free thumb. He looked down at it, turning his head slightly. As he watched, the liquid vanished.

The single gold eye that Zoe could see from her angle was glowing like a spotlight. Trails of golden smoke leaked from the corner of his eye.

“What is the phrase? Oh yes.” Zagan threw Shalise to the ground. Her head hit the sand. Before it could bounce off, Zagan planted one shiny shoe on her head, grinding her face into the ground. “Don’t impugn my honor. I am the pinnacle of demons. The perfect model of demonic citizenry. Pathetic peasants such as yourself cannot hope to measure up to my magnificent being. There is a reason I am King.”

As soon as Shalise hit the ground, Zoe had started to pry Juliana off of her. Once she got to her feet, a lightning bolt crackled out of her dagger. One of the strongest she had ever fired. The brilliant light illuminated the relatively dark domain to such a degree that she had to shut off her enhanced vision lest she go blind. The normally muted sound of thaumaturgical lightning thundered so great that it threatened to shatter her enhanced eardrums.

For all the power, all the strength, all the magic that she put behind her bolt of lightning, it did nothing.

Zoe watched in a combination of dismay and confusion as her bolt sailed straight past Zagan. The endless sea of black water lit up as the bolt disappeared into infinity.