Page 8 of Hell-Bound

“Yeah, of course. Any other useful tips?”

“You must blend in. On the surface, you should be safe—you are already bound to The Hells, but any conspicuousness could mean that The Gilded Triangle’s mission is compromised. Youmusttake care.

“The Hells are not like The Mortal Plane or The Fae Plane, of which you are—were—familiar. They are ruled by one king, a creature that lords over his subjects like a tyrant, enslaving both Devils and Mortals for his evil designs.

“The king, who is also their god, has many lords and ladies that rule the different city-states of The Hells. Each lord is capable of stealing souls. The High Devils comprise the upper class, while the Lesser Devils are the workers and lower-class citizens.

“Avoid the High Devils. We still do not fully understand the extent of their powers, but we know that they can sense Mortals and even control them.

“The most important things you must remember to survive are,” He began to count on his fingers. “One. Devils will rarely directly lie, but their words are honeyed with trickery. Nothing gives a Devil more pleasure than trapping a Mortal into a deal.Nevertrust them. If you are forced to engage, use flattery as worship. Adoration is what they crave most.

“Two. Do not give in to temptation! They are the epitome of gluttony and vice, always surrendering to their most carnal desires. There is no line they will not cross when it comes to seeking their pleasures.

“Three. There are no good Devils—they cannot be saved or redeemed, no matter how innocent or nice they may appear on the surface. They are evil by essence and will try to corrupt you.

“Four. Never tell them who you are. You are too powerful—too important to remain trapped within their schemes.”

The familiar feeling of awkwardness filled Renata. Should she be taking notes? This suddenly had become very overwhelming.

“I see. Avoid Devils at all costs. Stay away fromtemptation.” She hesitated. “And what happens if Idogive in to it?”

Leo’s nostrils flared.

“Then let’s hope you have a very strong constitution for…undesirable experiences. We cannot guarantee your safety, Renata.”

She swallowed but nodded. Her decision had already been made, and she wouldn’t turn back.

“But I believe,” he said hurriedly. “With your history, you are the right choice.”

Despite his words, for a brief moment, Leo seemed worried, then recovered himself.

“We need to act with the utmost haste. If you are willing, I can transport you there first thing tomorrow morning.” He reached into his bag and pulled out three gold coins. “This should be more than enough to pay for your room and board here tonight.”

She looked down at the gold coins and immediately thought of how Benji’s eyes would sparkle at such a fortune.

“So that’s it?” she asked, sliding the gold towards her, “We just met, and I’m going to wander The Hells until I find this thing you want?”

Leo waved his hands again, unconcerned. “Tomorrow we will go over the finer details. But you won’t be completely alone. We will be able to communicate once you arrive. While The Gilded Triangle can’t enter, our lord still has ways to use his powers within.”

He stood and cleared his throat.

“I think that just about does it.”

Renata also stood up, uncertain as to the correct social decorum.

She discovered early on that social situations were mostly agreeing with people and mimicking their movements.

Leo offered his hand for a shake, and Renata copied the gesture.

“May The Almighty protect and guide you. Remember,he is always there with his loving embrace to protect you.”

He paused for a moment, meeting her eyes expectantly, but Renata wasn’t sure how to mimic this behavior, so she just stood there.

Leo, seemingly realizing the moment had passed, gave a slight bow, rounded the table, and left without another word through the doorless opening in the wall.

Relieved, she plopped down and grabbed her tankard, realizing too late that it was empty. She must have drunk the whole thing during their conversation. Leaning over the table, she saw that Leo’s was still full and unabashedly slid it towards herself.

“I need this,” she said, taking a long pull and settling in.