Without warning, in a spot where the fog was so thick he could barely see his hand in front of him, she dropped to her knees. The space in front of her was clear as she reached for a strange sphere, no bigger than a lemon, buried in the smooth ground. It pulsed, the waves of it wrong, discordant. Soundless. Lightless. Yet vibrating Julio’s very essence.
Before she could touch it, he wrapped his cloak around her, snapping her out of the spell.
She took in a deep breath. “That was very strange.”
“Has it stopped talking to you?”
She leaned her head. “Not entirely. Can’t you hear it?”
This close to the object, he could, faintly, but he ignored it. “I don’t know what that thing is, but it feels wrong.”
“It wants me to touch it.” She hummed softly.
Before Julio could stop Helen, she leaned away from him and placed a hand on it. Immediately, her body went rigid. Her head fell back hard enough it knocked her halo askew.
Not liking that one bit, he whipped his cloak around her even more securely, hoping to counter the spell. It did nothing, so he used his arms, hugging and tugging her backwards.
She whispered, “It wants me.”
“What does?” he asked as he tried to peel her away.
“The egg. It needs.”
“Needs what?” he asked, grunting as he pulled harder and got nowhere.
“Me.” She cast him a glance, her expression drawn.
Her statement had him on his knees, renewing his efforts to remove her hand from the egg, but it was as if it were glued in place. No amount of yanking freed her hand, and she began to moan, leaning forward as if being drawn into the stone, the lines of her body blurring.
Panicked, he pulled forth his stave, which appeared dull in this gray, lifeless place. Being careful of the hand cradling it, Julio jammed the pointed end into the egg, and it emitted an angry wave, hard enough that Helen fell back with a gasp.
Julio immediately wrapped his cloak around her as he faced off against the sphere, which began to pulse visibly enough to be seen. And heard. Its jangling scream brought a wince.
Which was when he decided enough was enough. He raised his weapon and brought it down, only to have it bounce off the hard surface.
The blow angered the egg. It vibrated faster, putting out a call even he could almost hear. Entities answered its siren pulse, suddenly rushing in from the mist. An imp that leaped into the egg and was absorbed with an ecstatic cry. Then a damned soul.
The egg acted as a vortex, sucking them in. An alien thing that had no place here in Hell or anywhere and he had no idea how to stop it.
Meanwhile more bodies hurtled through the mist, all on foot, but it was from above the largest beast appeared. A giant pink dragon circled overhead. Perhaps it would save Helen again.
The dragon dove for the sphere, and as it arrowed, he heard a squeal. A second later, he saw the child perched on the beast’s back.
“No. Turn away. It’s dangerous.” Julio waved his arms, knowing who the little person had to be.
Lucifer’s granddaughter. He couldn’t let the egg swallow her.
The dragon opened its mouth and inhaled.
Oh fuck.
He wasn’t sure what the handbook said about reapers getting engulfed in dragon breath. Didn’t really want to find out.
Julio grabbed Helen and dove with her, covering her body with his as they hit the ground. He waited to be crisped by the dragon.
Instead he heard a light thump. A peek showed the beast had landed, and Lucinda slid from its back with a joyous, “Wheeeee!”
She wore running shoes that sparkled with lights as she walked. Pigtails and coveralls of pink over a gray T-shirt. Big eyes with a spark of Hell’s flames perused him. Then a sweet girlish voice said, “Hi, I’m Lucinda. Lucifer is my grandpa. You’re a reaper. You collect dead people. Can I play with your big knife?”
“Uh.” He didn’t actually manage a reply, but Helen did.
“No sharp things for children.”
“But I like sharp things.” Lucinda pouted as she turned to Helen, who sat on her heels, shocked and staring.
“They’re dangerous,” Helen reminded.
“You’re an angel!” The little girl clapped her hands. “Like Daddy Auric.”
“Your Father is an angel?” Helen asked.
Lucinda nodded. “I have two daddies. Daddy David is a kitty.”
Given Helen’s confused look, Julio jumped in to explain. “Lucinda’s mother, Muriel, is the Dark Lord’s daughter and has multiple mates.” Then to the girl. “She will be pissed you are out here. It’s dangerous.”
The little girl blew a wet raspberry. “No, it’s not. It’s just a funny rock.” She reached down and plucked the large egg-shaped stone that seemed to somehow shrink as she grabbed it.
“Put that down. It’s dangerous,” he barked.
Lucinda hugged it to her chest and said, “Pretty.”
“Hand it over.” He held out his hand.
“Mine.” The girls clutched it tighter.
“It’s not a toy. Give it to me.” He reached for it, only to see the child stick it in her mouth.
Julio, having had many siblings who ate things they shouldn’t, yelled, “Spit that out!”
With a glare of defiance inherited from her grandFather, Lucinda swallowed. Burped. Then grinned. “Yummy, yummy in my tummy.” By the time she finished the rhyme, the mist had evaporated, leaving a bleached, featureless land.
A second later, a rip appeared, and from it stepped Muriel, recognizable given all the news channels in Hell carried stories about her. She wore tight leather pants, a cropped top, and an angry expression.
She was quickly followed by Lucifer, then a fallen angel with the darkest look, a vampire who managed to appear even darker, a shapeshifter, a merman, and some woman with green hair. Muriel’s harem.
They converged on Lucinda with Muriel exclaiming, “How did you get here, young lady?”
Lucinda beamed. “I was flying.”
“This isn’t the first ring where you’re allowed to practice.” Muriel wagged a finger.
“Oops.” The child giggled.
“You could have gotten hurt!”
Julio felt like he should point out, “Your daughter swallowed the weird rock that appeared to be causing the mist.”
Muriel glared at her kid. “What have I said about eating magical objects?”
Lucinda shrugged. “Tastes good.”
“That’s it, no dessert for a week,” Muriel declared.
To which the child stamped her foot and said, “I want ice cream.”
Did anyone else notice the crack zigzagging from the impact of her foot? Just him?
Lucifer sidled close. “Good job, Julio. I knew you could figure it out.”
“No, you didn’t.” Even he caught that lie. Never mind the fact their escape was accidental. If Lucinda hadn’t arrived, he had to wonder how long they would have wandered aimlessly before the egg ate Helen and, over time, maybe him, too.
Lucifer glanced around. “I don’t suppose you found my missing eighth and ninth rings?”
“Does it look like I found part of your kingdom?” Julio snapped.
A barren gray landscape met their gaze. The only color in the distance being of the sliver of what was left of the eighth ring and the sight of falling ash. A glance overhead showed none drifting but the same even gray.