The Sinner

Ashtaroth looks amused, my threats utterly inconsequential to him. “It’s not entirely up to you now, is it? That irks you the most—that you’ve completely lost control. Your lies and selfishness have brought her to the brink. It’ll be nothing for me to tip her over—”

Another roar and I bring my sword up with both hands and bring it back down in an executioner’s blow; I cleave the serpent’s head off. The body writhes and then goes still before evaporating into a pungent stink, back to the Other Side.

Ashtaroth’s wings bring him to his feet, wrath snarling his features. “You go too far, boy,” he seethes, drawing his own sword.

I ready myself for battle—my final battle—and suddenly Ambri is there, tugging at my shoulder.

“My esteemed lord, Ashtaroth,” he says with a short bow. “Forgive Casziel, he’s in a bad mood. Long night, no sleep. You know how it is. I know how it is with those humans.” He chuckles. “They really can wear you out in the bedroom. But he’s better now, aren’t you, Cas?”

I swivel my head to him incredulously. He shoots me an urgent look, then quickly turns his smile back to Ashtaroth.

“Awfully sorry about your snake, my lord, but Cas didn’t mean it. Slip of the hand. Dreadful shame too, but it’s back on the Other Side alive and well…er, perhaps not well. Or alive either, come to think of it.”

“Silence,” Ashtaroth roars. “Begone, Ambri.” He turns his gaze to me. “It’s obvious Casziel has unfinished business with me.”

Unfinished business…

A twinge of a memory—a whiff of pipe smoke infiltrates the red haze of my rage but is quickly swallowed in the room’s overpowering vapors.

Ambri bows again. “Yes, yes of course. I merely thought—”

I whirl on him. “Go,” I snarl and give him a shove, afraid his wagging tongue will bring him Ashtaroth’s wrath. He falls to his hands and knees, though I hadn’t been as rough as that.

“My apologies,” he says, rising and brushing off his red coat and backing to the shattered door. “I see where I’m not welcome. Shame to miss the fun, though. I’m sure it’ll be a lovely sword fi

ght. Not my favorite kind of sword fight, mind you…” He gives a little salute. “Right, then. Cheers.”

When he’s gone, I whirl back on Ashtaroth.

“Your time is running out,” the demon lord muses, hefting his blade. “You will return to the Other Side and resume your servitude. If it means doing so on the end of my sword, so be it.”

“So be it,” I say and lunge fast, a beat of my wings giving me speed. My sword cleaves the air and he parries the blow, then pushes me back.

“Fool,” he says, shocked—and pleased—by my ferocity. “But if this folly rekindles the fire you’ve been missing, then I welcome it.”

And I’ll welcome the look on his face when he delivers the killing blow and realizes it isn’t sending me to the Other Side but to Oblivion.

With a cry, I attack again and the battle rages. He meets my every sword thrust, our blades singing. The curtains, the furniture…everything in the room suffers our fury and yet I come on.

We spill out into the tavern’s common room, and I let my rage flow through me as it had the night I lost my wife. It gives me strength. Power. Ashtaroth begins to falter under my onslaught, but his arrogant smirk never wavers. For that I’m glad. He has no idea he’s about to grant me my freedom.

Pain squeezes my heart with an iron fist.

Forgive me, my love. It’s the only way.

“Yes, this is what I’ve been waiting for,” Ashtaroth cries at our crossed swords. “My beautiful prince. The King of the South. Perhaps you’ll reclaim your rightful place on your throne of blood…”

I shove him back while the other demons cower behind furniture or flee altogether. Eistibus watches from behind the bar as the storm of our battle destroys his pub.

Ashtaroth wards off another bone rattling blow from my sword, but I reverse my blade and it finally bites flesh on his shoulder. His eyes flare with rage. He thrusts a hand to me, speaks a word, and I’m blown backward to slam heavily against the wall.

“This is foolishness, Casziel,” he says. “Come. Let us—”

Ashtaroth stops, listening. Then a smile I’ll see forever in my nightmares blooms over his face. Delight lights up his eyes, and he turns to me with an expression of purest triumph.

“Ah. There she is,” he says, like a little sigh.

Every muscle in my body goes rigid. “What…?”