Ruby Shadows Read online

  “There is nothing to do.” His flaming eyes looked desperate but resigned. “Go back to Belial. He will help you get home.”

  “No!” I insisted. “I’m not giving up!”

  Suddenly I remembered the thrak in my hand. Raising it above my head, I started to bring it down hard on one of the slimy black tentacles pulling Laish down.

  But somehow, despite the tentacle wrapped around his arm, he caught my wrist before I could strike a blow.

  “No—you cannot spare any more of your soul.” He wrenched the black blade from my hand, leaving me with nothing.

  “What are you talking about?” I demanded. “Let me stab that thing for you—you told me you can’t use the thrak yourself!”

  “Gwendolyn, get back from the edge—it’s not safe!”

  “No!” I shouted stubbornly, tears of frustration stinging my eyes. “No, I can’t just watch you get dragged down. Let me help you, Laish—tell me what to do!”

  Clearly he saw how stubborn I was prepared to be because he turned his attention to the big horse neighing and pawing the ground beside me.

  “Kurex,” he commanded. “Save your mistress! I charge you with her safety and her life.” Suddenly the tentacles writhing around him gave a tremendous jerk. He’d been head and shoulders above the lip of the pit, now he was yanked down until I could barely see his face.

  “Laish!”

  “Forgive me,” he said, meeting my eyes with his flaming ones. “What I told you was true—I love you, Gwendolyn. I will never stop lov—” And then the tentacles gave another awful yank and he was gone, sliding down into the Abyss. His burning eyes, filled with sorrow and pain, were the last thing I saw and then…nothing.

  “Laish—no—Laish!” I tried to rush forward again but something was pulling at the back of my robe, dragging me backward. I didn’t understand what it was until I heard Kurex snorting behind me. The giant horse was pulling me away—pulling me out of danger just as he had when I’d been dragged into the Drowning Pool in Stygia. But this time I didn’t want to go.

  “No, let me go! Let me go!” I cried, fighting to get back to the edge of the Abyss. I don’t know what I thought I would do if I got there—I had no weapons, no way to cast a spell, no defenses if the monsters of the Abyss decided they wanted me, too. I only knew I couldn’t just stand there and see Laish dragged down and away and know I would never see him again.

  But my screams and protestations did no good. The big horse wouldn’t let go. He dragged me all the way back to the tent, away from the seeking tentacles, and somehow shoved me inside it, standing guard at the entrance and blocking my way every time I tried to get out.

  At last I collapsed on the bed and cried. Laish was gone—really and truly gone this time. And he might have turned into a huge, beautiful, frightening being that looked completely alien but still, I didn’t want to see him go. Maybe in time I could have gotten used to that—as I had gotten used to his dragon. But now it was too late—now he was either dead or trapped forever in the Abyss.

  I would never see him again.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Gwendolyn

  I don’t remember much about the trip back across the Sunless Sea. My mind was a blur of grief and images and most of all questions—none of them answerable. Why had Laish sacrificed himself for me? How had he been able to shut the door? Why had he refused the help I tried to offer? What was I going to do without him?

  This last question brought tears to my eyes more than once. I’d been so angry with him for his betrayal but now that he was gone I had to admit how I felt. Even though I hated him for doing what he had done, I loved him too. I had given him my heart when I gave him my body—there was nothing I could do about that. And now that he was gone, it was too late to do anything else but mourn him.

  I rode on Kurex’s back, plodding stolidly along, not sure of anything anymore. I was wearing the gray traveling cloak Laish had given me. Under it, I wore the pair of jeans and t-shirt I’d brought as a change from the Mortal Realm. These were the only clothes I had other than the white fur coat Laish had told me to keep. Still—they were all I really needed. I had no need to pretend I was Laish’s concubine or consort now—I was just plain Gwendolyn LaRoux, trying to get back home again.

  At least I wouldn’t go hungry for some time, even if my journey took a while. While packing the saddle bags, I’d found one that was full of bread and cheese and nonperishable fruit with a note from Laish.

  “This food is of my essence. You may eat of it without fear. ~L”

  Just seeing the note had made me start crying again and I had packed the food away without tasting a bite. I wasn’t hungry—how could I be when I had just lost the man I loved? Even if he wasn’t really a man, I couldn’t help my feelings. Couldn’t help wishing to have him back again, even if he had betrayed me at the end.

  Eryn was sitting on my shoulder, looking like a white snowflake on my gray cloak. I drew some comfort from her presence. No matter what else happened, at least my pet lily-moth was still with me. At least she still cared.

  I took comfort from Kurex too. He nuzzled my hair and snorted gently when I put my arms around his neck and cried. He seemed to understand what was going on and sympathized with me.

  The presence of the huge horse and the tiny moth made me feel less alone, less friendless in the vast, dangerous reaches of Hell. Still, we were a mournful little group when we finally passed the broken barrier between the Sunless Sea and the city of Dis. One moment we were walking under the endless blue-green ocean with the vast shadows of prehistoric sea monsters flitting by, and the next we were emerging into the daylight of Dis, right beside The Hoof.

  “Oh!” I pulled Kurex to a stop beside the tavern. Though the day was gray and drizzly, it was still brighter than the long, endless cavern we’d been traveling for so many long miles. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust.

  “I guess we made it,” I said to Kurex, who tossed his head and snorted agreement. “Now if only I can remember the way back to the Citadel of Knowledge…”

  But just as I had decided which way to go and was tugging on Kurex’s reins, a huge demon with brick red skin and twisted black horns growing out of his forehead stepped out of the shadow of The Hoof and came to stand right in front of Kurex.

  “Mistress Gwendolyn LaRoux?” he rumbled in a voice like someone gargling with gravel.

  “Uh, yes? I guess…that’s me.” I wasn’t sure if I should admit it or not but I didn’t know what else to do. “What do you want?”

  “To read you this summons.”

  Briskly, the huge demon unrolled a large sheet of parchment and began reading from it in his deep, grating voice.

  “Whereas the defendant, Mistress Gwendolyn LaRoux, the mortal, did knowingly and willingly enter the Infernal Realm and while she was there did stay at the Hotel Infernal, and furthermore did steal, pilfer, and purloin a treasure beyond price from the accuser, Master Druaga, Demon of the First Order of Lucifer and General Manager and Owner of said hotel, I hereby place you under arrest and order you to accompany me to a place where you will be tried and punished for your crimes.”

  “What?” I stared at him in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me! I didn’t take anything from that bastard! Now leave me alone—let me go!”

  “I am afraid not, Mistress.” The demon tried to take Kurex’s bridle but the big horse snapped at him and kicked out with one huge hoof.

  The demon groaned and cursed as the hoof connected with his shin.

  “None of that, now!” he growled, taking a hasty step back. “Master Yerx!”

  A massive demon with dark maroon skin and twisted spiral horns growing from the sides of his head strode up, his hooves pounding on the cobblestone road. My heart sank as I recognized him—it was the demon we had borrowed Kurex from in the first place—the one who had caught us trying to sneak into Hell at the very beginning of our journey. But now Laish wasn’t with me to make him obey and something told me th