Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
In the meantime, many of their aides were currently watching their backs, fighting off any enemies who thought to attack while the Ancients were preoccupied. As for the people of Devil’s Cradle . . . they were still fighting hard, and they were winning.
Azazel chucked yet another sphere of power at the shield, grunting when it had no effect. “I didn’t think he had it in him to hide this long.”
“Neither did I,” said Dantalion. “It will certainly be an awakening for him.”
Seth scratched at his nape. “Do you think we should try something else?”
Cain shook his head. “If you keep banging on someone’s front door long enough, they’ll do something sooner or later.”
“Especially if they are anything like Adam,” Lilith added.
Abaddon frowned, his gaze moving to something behind Cain. “Isn’t that your consort’s coven?”
His brows snapping together, Cain turned. And yes, the Bloodrose Coven was hurrying toward them. His heart jumped. Because Wynter wasn’t among them . . . and Xavier was carrying her blade. “Where is she?” Cain bit out the moment they reached him.
Delilah grimaced. “You’re not gonna like this, and you’re probably gonna be pissed at us. But Wynter made us swear we’d stick to the plan.”
The bottom dropped out of his stomach. “Tell me.”
Delilah licked her lips. “Noah took her to Adam.”
The breath gusted out of Cain’s lungs, and panic exploded in his gut. No. No, no, no, no, no. As the owner of her soul, Cain knew that she was alive. But he was also very aware that she’d suffer at the hands of the Aeons.
“She knew that Noah would do it,” Delilah quickly added. “Kali warned her—”
“Wait, Wynter knew she’d be betrayed and hauled off to the city below?” asked Cain, a growl in his voice as anger bubbled through both him and his monster. Anger at her, at Noah, at Kali, at Adam.
“Kali made it clear that Wynter needed to allow it,” Xavier cut in, a crow perched on his shoulder.
Cain bared his teeth, contracting his fingers like claws. “Why?”
“We don’t know,” said Anabel, not seeming as unstable and bloodthirsty as she had earlier. “Wynter wouldn’t tell us anything more. She only asked that we watch out for the moment Noah took her so that we could follow him and find out where the other entrance to Aeon is. Then we’re supposed to tell you where to find it. So that’s what we’re doing.”
“Now do you all want to see where it is or not?” asked Delilah.
Urgency thrumming through his body, Cain called out to two of his aides, both of whom were mages. “I want you both to blast this shield over and over. It won’t crack, but don’t stop.” He wanted the Aeons to think that the Ancients were still pointlessly slamming power at the shield. Otherwise, Adam would wonder what they were up to.
Once both aides took over, the Bloodrose Coven led Cain and the Ancients to the other side of the hill. It wasn’t until Delilah pointed to a well-hidden doorknob that Cain even realized that a door was cleverly concealed by the hill’s decaying grass. Much as he yearned to try smashing it to pieces, he couldn’t afford to draw attention to his presence.
Silently cursing his need to be subtle, he tugged on the handle. Nothing. It didn’t even rattle the door, let alone open it. As he’d suspected . . . “It’s locked somehow,” Cain ground out, his pulse thudding with dread as he tried and failed to push aside thoughts of what Adam would do to his consort—because, yeah, Noah would tell his grandfather just who she was to Cain. “Did anyone see how Noah opened it?”
“I did,” said Xavier. “He sliced into his palm with a small knife, dipped his finger into the blood, and then carefully drew some symbols on the doorknob like this.” The male witch carefully replicated Noah’s movements. “The blood seemed to soak into it, and then he just pulled the door open.”
Azazel went to speak but then glanced at the coven. “We need Inanna and Ishtar before we can proceed. They’re searching for a second entrance. Bring them to us.”
The coven didn’t look too keen on walking away, but they did as asked.
Azazel then said, “Aeon blood must be needed to unlock the door. It could even be that only the blood of an Aeon related to Adam will work. It would be just like him to ensure that only those who are part of ‘his legacy’ are able to use this door.”
Dantalion nodded. “Seth might have changed in many ways when he became one of us, but the blood that runs through his veins is still celestial. More, he’s Adam’s son.”
Cain’s brows lifted. “That’s a good point. My blood has celestial qualities, but that’s not the same, and I’m not related to Adam.” He looked at his brother. “Try it.”