Page 79 of Hell-Bound

Standing on her toes to see over Jester’s tall form, Ren could see that the next room was littered with chairs, mostly broken or tilted in some fashion. There were several sleepers walking around aimlessly while others sat staring off into the space, some sleeping on the floor.

“The sleepers won’t report us if we’re seen,” Jester whispered. “They’ll just think we work here. It’s everyone else we have to avoid.”

Ren tilted her head to indicate she understood.

Jester motioned for her to follow as they entered the large sitting room. The sleepers barely glanced at them as they casually strolled to the other side, an open doorway leading to what appeared to be someone’s study. Papers and scrolls littered the floor.

“Hells, Evander. Clean your damned space,” Jester murmured, stepping over several fallen pieces of parchment and quills. “The only thing more evil than imprisoning an innocent Devil is being disorganized.”

Jester shuffled around the room, opening drawers and looking under papers.

“We need to find a map or something that says where he might keep Gabriela.”

“What about the sleepers?” Ren whispered.

“What about them?” he said, continuing to push papers around.

“We could ask them.”

He stopped.

“They can’t communicate, Ren,” he said with a frown. “I wish they could, but they’re all…blank.”

Ren thought back to the Half-Orc female who was sitting outside the tavern. It was true that she hadn’tdirectlytalked to her or even really acknowledged her, yet there seemed to still be an understanding behind her eyes.

Leaving her companion to search, Ren returned to the room of broken chairs. The closest sleeper was a bald Gnomish male with a large nose and even larger green eyes—piercing in their color.

She cleared her throat.

“Excuse me, sir? Would you happen to know where Lord Evernight keeps his prisoners?”

You sound ridiculous.

The male did not meet her eyes.

“We are trying to help a friend, you see. If you could aid us in any way, we’d really appreciate it.”

He said nothing, head lulling to the side.

Ren felt a hand on her shoulder.

“I know it’s hard, Elfy girl. But they’re not there. Not anymore.”

Feeling defeated, Ren turned and followed Jester who had apparently abandoned his search of the office. He instead hunkered into a crouch to walk down a nearby cavernous hallway.

Ren could feel the beads of sweat drip down her face, heat emanating off the stone below her booted feet.

As they turned the corner, the small hallway opened up into a large cavernous hollow. The ceilings were tall, and stalactites dripped from overhead like devilish fangs.

Jester slapped a hand over Ren’s mouth right before she let out a squeal of delight. Each and every surface of the cavern was dotted with different sizes and colors of vurmite. Ren’s insides growled with desire as the meager light bounced off the jewels, creating a rainbow of color.

Darling girl, you must stop being so greedy if you don’t want to hear my voice in your pointy little ears.

Can we just assume if I’m feeling greedy that I'mnotcalling you?

She mentally gritted the words out.

I can’t do that. Greed is a part of what I am. You can’t expect me to ignore you if you’re screaming my name, can you?