Chapter 232

Heather

He smelled like earth and sun and the grass smelled on a hot summer day. And jasmine. The scent of jasmine grew and grew until it overpowered all the sulfur that lingered from the earlier demon battle. When I opened my eyes, it was all I could smell. “Are you fey?”

“No.” His blue eyes were brighter than the summer sky.

This was going to be a stretch, but I might as well ask. “Angel?”

He grinned as he stuck his hands in his pockets. “Not likely.” His voice was so like a cool balm on a hot summer day.

“Are you using magic on me to make your voice sound like that?”

His grin widened. “No. Not magic. That’s just how it sounds.”

Okay. I was out of ideas. “What are you?”

“I’m an archon.”

Brent was wondering what an archon was, so he was just as clueless as me. I looked back to Xander and Adrian, but both just kept staring at the guy.

Great. None of us knew what that meant. “What’s your name?”

“You can call me Eli.”

I laughed. “Eli? Really?” It was way too normal, too plain for someone who looked like him.

He shrugged. “In the end, it doesn’t matter what I am or what you call me. Only that I’m someone you should trust.”

“Why should I trust you?”

“Because you’re going to need my help if you want to stop Astaroth.”

My throat tightened at the name. “Who is Astaroth and why does he want me?”

“Astaroth is one of the Great Dukes of Hell and part of the evil Trinity. If you’re not very careful, everyone will die.”

One of the Great Dukes of Hell? Evil Trinity? Everyone will die?

The air turned heavy and I struggled to get in a breath. What the hell had Luciana gotten me into? “I don’t understand. Why me? What does he want?”

“Your power is unique. You’re a powerful witch that has been bitten by a powerful Were. The fact that you straddle different supernatural lines in this plane, means that he can use you to merge the planes—ours with the one beyond—and bring the end of times.” He paused. “If that happens, this plane will be swallowed by demons.”

“The apocalypse?” That’s what he meant. I was sure of it, but I needed him to be clear before I fully freaked out. “He wants the apocalypse? That’s what you’re saying, right?”

“Exactly.”

This was worse than I’d thought. So much worse. “How do I stop him?”

He stepped closer, leaning into my personal space. “You have problems, and they’re only just beginning.” I could feel his breath on my cheek. He spoke so quietly, that even with my hearing, I had to fight the urge to lean closer to hear him. “What the witch did here tipped things off balance. The Seven is in shambles. Not just because they’re missing three members, but because fey magic brewed the bond. Without the fey returning, they can’t fix what they’ve broken. Their bond was the seal between the planes. They were the good that balanced the bad. That’s gone now, and because of their mistakes, Astaroth has a window to use your power and merge the planes. Are you understanding now?”

I was starting to, and he was freaking me out. “This is really bad.”

“Worse than bad. This is catastrophic. Unknowingly, the fey and the wolves started a chain of events that could destroy all life.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

My heart raced, and its throbbing beat in my ears. “Astaroth’s stronger than me. I can’t beat him, especially if he’s somehow tied to me. Can you break the tie?”

“I would if I could, but it’s too complicated for that. He’s woven himself through your magic. You’re going to have to figure out how to break the tie yourself.” He stepped back from me, raising his voice. “It’s not just the tie that’s the problem. You’re going to need to renew the seal between planes. And before you ask—no, I can’t help with that either. At least not yet. Archons aren’t allowed to meddle in the affairs of this plane. At least not much. We wait. We watch. We only step in when the time is right. I’m only here to set you on the path. You’re the key. Not just for Astaroth, but for everyone. Once you’ve found a way to fix what’s been broken, call to me. I’ll be waiting, but my help will come at a cost. One you might not want to pay.”

And with that, he was gone.

It wasn’t like how Van disappeared with Cosette. I didn’t feel any magic in the air. No spell brushed along my skin, so it wasn’t witchcraft. It was like he was never there. Even the scent of jasmine had disappeared, leaving me choking on the sulfur again.

“What the hell was that?” Brent’s anger beat at me. “What did he say to you?”

I stumbled as I stepped back from the tree the guy had been leaning against, bumping into Brent.

“Heather!” Brent spun me to face him. “What’s going on?” He held on to my shoulders and gave me a shake, but I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t think. I felt like I was floating outside of my body as the enormity of what Eli had said hit me.

The apocalypse? Seriously? How was this possible?

What had the Seven done to start off this chain of events? I knew that they needed new members, but the way Eli talked about it, the problem was bigger than that.

If the fey leaving was part of this broken seal, how the hell was I supposed to bring them back? I didn’t have that kind of authority. I wasn’t sure anyone did.

I didn’t know where to start. I wasn’t even sure if what he said was true. If the world was falling apart and for some insane reason it was up to me to fix it—

No. This was insane. He had to be lying. Maybe he really was a demon and he’d faked his scent and killed some of his own to save the werewolves in some sort of ploy to gain my trust. All to mess with my mind. To mess with all of our minds.

But what if he wasn’t?

Astaroth—one of the Great Dukes of Hell—had somehow tied himself to me. How was I going to break it? What cost would I pay to stop the apocalypse?

The realization that I would do way more than I thought I could made my stomach churn.

Suddenly, the sulfur was too strong. Too real. I turned and ran through the woods. I had to get out of here. I needed off this land before I had a total meltdown.

The next couple of hours went by in a blur. My movements were more rote than anything else as I got in Brent’s car with him and Xander and headed back to campus. I ate with them in the cafeteria and I know they talked, but I stayed quiet. Overwhelmed didn’t seem to cover the spread of emotions I was feeling.

I just wasn’t sure how to process everything that’d happened in the last thirty-six hours. Between nearly drowning, Muraco’s murder, my visit to the black abyss with one over-possessive demon, and then the hot guy-archon-whatever thing in the woods…

It felt like I was back in the ocean, twisting and turning, trying to find which way was up. I couldn’t see the light. There was no end. At least not one that was pretty.

As I got into bed, I was waist deep in my pity-party, but then something else occurred to me.

Everything wasn’t lost. Sure, I might have been thrown into the deep end, but I was good at digging my way out of messes. This mess was worse than most, but I could do it. I just had to snap out of it.

I had a name. Astaroth.

I was going to have to do some research to confirm it and everything Eli said, but it was a start. And if I could get ahold of Claudia and some of those Peruvian crystals, then maybe this wasn’t going to be as hopeless as I’d thought.

I also had information that something the Seven had done by not having Seven members had started this off. That was another big clue. And I was super lucky. I knew Donovan and Mr. Langdon. Two excellent resources.

If I could somehow reach Cosette and convince the fey to come back, then I could make this all work out.

The last one was probably going to be next to impossible, so I’d start with the easiest stuff first.

I wasn’t sure when or how I’d need Eli’s help, but if I did and he wanted to make a bargain? Well, then I’d just have to figure that out.

And with that thought, I snuggled up against Brent’s warm body and was finally able to fall asleep.