Page 7 of Hell-Bound

Renata huffed.

“Sure.”

She flipped open the flap of her satchel and pushed aside her piccolo only to see the scattered papers, all the letters from home, some coins, and an apple.

“See?” she said, spilling the contents on the table and crossing her arms. “Nothing.”

Leonardo looked disappointed and poked gingerly at the apple as if it would transform into an infernal contract.

“Well, we can’t figure out how to break your contract if we can’t locate it.”

Renata stared at the sad belongings covering the table. This was all she had to show for herself now. She had a house back in Vergessen, but she couldn’t remember buying it or even whythathouse. She actually felt it was pretty cramped.

But these items—had all been selected byher—the Renata she was now. The letters to remind her that she used to be someone, the piccolo because she found that she loved to play, and the apple because, well, she got hungry sometimes. This observation made her deeply sad. She felt pathetic. As insignificant as the crumpled papers she hastily dumped on the table.

She steadied herself.

“Let’s say I believe you. Why did I do it? And...what do I do now?”

Leonardo looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

“I cannot know the reason you did this any more than you can, I’m afraid. But I do think we can help each other.”

“You mean, a deal to break a deal?”

An amused smile crossed the man’s face.

“I suppose you could think of it like that. We, me and the members of my temple, can help you find your soul. But we also need you to help us retrieve an artifact stolen from our church.”

“But why don’t you just go yourself to get it?” she replied skeptically.

Leonardo waved a hand dismissively.

“Entering The Hells is difficult on the best of days, and as for the followers of The Almighty, it is tantamount to suicide. Just as I can sense your involvement with a Devil, they can sense our holy dedication and piety and will stop at nothing to purge it from their plane, whether through acts of violence or temptation. It is for these reasons that we needyourhelp.As a soulless, you will not be an immediate target of their machinations, and your history defending the planes makes you the perfect candidate.”

Renata’s throat bobbed.

“Leonardo—”

“Leo for now,” he said, smiling again.

“Leo. I don’t know if I’m equipped to do this. I don’t know anything about The Hells. Even if I did, I have very few memories now. Whoever I was, whatever people remember me to be, I am not that anymore.”

He paused for a moment.

“Renata, there is nothing I trust more than the words of my god. He trusts you—he believes you are still our best chance at retrieving our relic. Even if you can’t, you deserve a chance to save yourself, right?” He began to nod encouragingly. “I think that you will figure out how to handle this task. Maybe you can break the contract first, recover yourself, and then find the relic? Either way, you’re stillhersomewhere inside.”

Renata wasn’t so sure. The wall blocking the memories of who she was, seemed to get stronger each time she approached it, yet the offer was tempting. Itwaswhat she wanted. Their goalswerealigned, and she didn’t feel there was any other way to figure herself out. And if she didn’t accept, she would have to admit that this journey had been a colossal waste of time.

“Okay. I’ll do it,” she said, sounding more determined than she felt.

“Excellent. Most excellent,” he said, sighing with relief. “I can help you cross the planes, but only when entering. Once you get there, it is up to you to find a way back.”

“Ah. Okay. And howwould I do that?”

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll find a way. They always do.” He shrugged. “Just don’t make a deal with a Devil,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

Renata grimaced, an annoyed feeling rising again.