Page 14 of Hell-Bound

“I’m sorry, have I done something to you? You see, I can’t remember all—”

“You are given a chance at redemption,” she cut in, “a chance you do not deserve. You have no soul, you have betrayed your plane and its people, you have violated the verynatureof things!”

Renata felt blood rush to her ears. She didn’t know if she should apologize or punch this female for saying such things.

But it’s true, isn’t it?

She was this person. Wasted and soulless.

“Peace, Claudia,” Leo said, placing a hand over hers. “The Almighty has declared that it must beRenatawho retrieves the relic. We are not ones to question His will, are we?”

Claudia looked stricken. “Of course…I didn’t mean—”

Brennan interjected, speaking for the first time.

“Yes, yes. Your devotion is without question.”

He reached into the pocket of his robes and produced a folded piece of parchment. It was quite old, dry, and crisp on the edges, having been folded and unfolded what looked likecountless times. He gestured for Renata to take it.

She opened the brittle page delicately, trying to convey a bit of reverence to the three. It wouldn’t do for the acolytes of a god to think she was being disrespectful on top of everything else.

There was just one image drawn on it. A large tome.

“It’s called Vutar’ka Zhartun,” Leo said, pointing to the depiction. “We know you cannot understand the written language of the damned, but the tome should be almost identical to this depiction. It is enchanted and cannot be altered by any Mortal or magical forces.

“It is most likely kept in the Devil’s den, the largest of which is in the city of Ogriazeth. We will send you via a portal to the outskirts. From there, you can make your way to the Denizen’s Tower, a tavern where we have secured you safe accommodation. The owner of the tower is already expecting you and will give you more instructions once you arrive.”

The words hung in the air.

“And, my contract. Will I be able to find it there?”

Renata observed a slight tick in the muscles of Claudia’s jaw.

Leo cleared his throat.

“Yes. The Forked Tongue is the den’s name. It will have a denizen of Devils inside. There, you can start your search.”

Renata pulled her bag closer to her, suddenly feeling vulnerable as the weight of her task settled in.

“Do you have any questions?” asked Leo.

In truth, she had many. But her mind was still sluggish and unable to properly form thoughts.

She shook her head.

With a pleasant nod, Leo slapped his thigh.

“Well then, let’s get to it!”

He stood up from his chair, the wood scraping against the stone.

Obediently, the acolytes stood with him, walked slowly towards the back exit—apparently more of a priority thanthe front to secure with an actual door—and beckoned her to follow.

Outside was a small alley cluttered with piles of trash and a modest wooden outhouse. The stench of days-old garbage and stale alcohol was overwhelming. Renata wrinkled her nose in disgust, but the others appeared totally unaffected by the assault on their senses.

“We will make a portal here. It’s private enough. No one should disturb us. I can’t keep the magic for long, so you must enter before it dissipates, as we cannot cast the spell again.

“Renata, I need you to understand—the longer you stay in The Hells, the more likely you are to be corrupted and lose even more of yourself than you already have. Do not linger.”