“It’s nothing,” I stammered.
“That is Mammon’s best and final offer,” the demon prince said, grinning knowingly, its emerald eyes gleaming with mad glee. “One that must be very tempting for you, thing of shadows. For surely you long for the safety and power of the chamber that lives inside your – ”
“We humbly decline your offer.”
I released Vanitas.
Chapter 20
Vanitas went flying, his laughter filling my ears as he soared forth, drowning out the rest of the demon’s words. Herald clutched my wrist – I don’t know, to make sure we would be ready to run – his other hand wreathed in purple energy, his equivalent of a cocked gun, a drawn sword.
Mammon snarled as it expertly fought off Vanitas, sword and scabbard, deflecting every strike with its nails, with the palms of its delicate, lily-white hands. Every blow rang like steel against steel, and the battle between the demon prince and my sentient sword raged on in a whirlwind of verdigris green, red garnets, and golden talons.
Briefly I considered lobbing a fireball or two in the fray. Surely that wouldn’t hurt Vanitas. He was made of enchanted metal, right? But it’d probably only piss off Mammon even more.
“Enough,” Mammon hissed.
“Stand down,” I told Vanitas. He sprang away immediately, to my surprise, his two pieces taking position and hovering to either side of me.
“The two of you have dealt with Mammon before, and you know that the demon princes always have their way. This is not over.”
“Sure isn’t,” I said, tensing my muscles, thrusting my chest out, despite my insides quivering like jelly. I knew I said I wasn’t going to piss off the supremely powerful member of demon royalty standing several feet away from us even more, but you know me. Couldn’t help myself. “We’ll beat you away with a stick if we have to.”
Mammon’s fangs gleamed as its lips drew back, a flush of red running up its alabaster neck and cheeks. “Mammon should not have put so much care into reforging this carving knife. So very foolish of Mammon. Such an unintelligent investment.”
It went on, muttering under its breath, talking about liabilities, terrible returns, and something about pulling out someone’s spine. Mine, I would guess.
“Mammon will see you again, fool mortals. Oh, yes. And for Mammon’s trouble, this time Mammon will claim the dog – and the sword.”
I turned my lip up, my heart searing with sudden panic. “Oh yeah? I’d like to see you try.” Shut up, shut up, shut up.
“Dust,” Herald hissed. “Jesus.”
Mammon grinned. “Do not write checks your mouth cannot cash, Dustin Graves. Mammon will come to collect, and soon. Farewell. For now.”
The demon cackled, then sank into the pool of liquid gold at its feet. The air rushed out of me in one go, my chest deflating, my shoulders drooping.
“Oh my God. Oh my God. You guys, it knows where I live. Mammon visited me at the Boneyard that one time.”
Herald clapped his hands slowly, mocking me. “Good job. Really, Dust. Super great work.”
“Let it come,” Vanitas grunted, sliding his sword back into his scabbard, then nudging the flap of my backpack open on his own. “All that ruckus and I didn’t even get to taste its blood. Noble demon blood, too.”
He kept on grumbling as he wriggled his way into his pocket di
mension. Herald shook his hand, threads of violet magic coming loose as he did, and he folded his arms across his chest, sighing.
“You and I both know that Mammon is going to come after you. And it’s not going to be pretty. The demon princes are relentless.”
I pushed my fingers into my forehead, staving off a headache. “Yeah. Sure. But you know that it wouldn’t have mattered whether or not I was mouthy earlier, right? Mammon is going to come for Banjo either way.”
“Listen,” Herald said. “Mammon wouldn’t be quite so pissed if you weren’t so sassy. This wouldn’t have turned out so bad if you’d just been more polite about it.”
I threw up my hands. “I panicked, okay?”
“It’s your defining trait.”
“Exactly.” I sighed. “But we can’t just give up the dog. We don’t even know what it is yet.”