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“Neither can I.”

The shadowguard are closing in on us now. They’re different than on Earth—they are not mere shadows, but real.

“Plan B?” I ask hopefully.

“We fight,” he answers, drawing his sword.

What the hell? There’s only about fifty of them. I killed way more than that in the battle. I can do this. I reach for Nightfall just as a woman steps out from the trees. She’s tall, dressed in black, and beautiful. She’s also swamped in darkness. A shadow creature stalks at her side. A wolf I think. She’s chanting a spell under her breath, and I can feel the dark magic enveloping us. I try to fight it. I reach for the celestial flame but either she’s blocking that as well or it just doesn’t work in Hell. The air thickens until I’m dragging in every breath, and my lungs are still screaming for oxygen. The shadowguard have come to a halt about ten feet away. I look at Khaosti and I shake my head. His jaw tightens but then he gives a sharp nod.

I slide Nightfall back into the scabbard and raise my hands in surrender.

After all, I presume she’s working for my father, so she’s probably going to take us exactly where we need to go.

But how did they get here so fast. It’s almost like they were waiting for us.

The woman steps closer, she’s nearly a foot taller than me—I hate that. I have to look up. Her lips curve into a small smile.

“How did you know we were here?” I ask.

“You were expected.”

Well, that sucks big time as well. Did someone betray us?

She steps closer and I fight the urge to back away. She might be beautiful but there’s something repellent about her. This close, I can see black veins like spider webs under her skin.

She raises her arm and she’s holding some sort of…collar. Black metal engraved with runes. “I’m not a fucking dog,” I say.

“But I made it especially for you.” She closes the distance between us, and beside me Khaosti stiffens. I shake my head again. We don’t have a choice. The story of my life.

I feel the grip of magic tighten around me as the collar clicks into place. It’s like a heavy weight around my neck, choking me, so I can’t breathe. Panic rises inside me, and my hand goes up to wrench it from my skin. But it’s locked and not going anywhere. Black dots jump before my eyes.

“Don’t fight it,” she snaps.

Good advice I’m sure, but it feels…wrong.

“Breathe, Amber. Breathe slowly.”

Khaosti’s words break through the panic, and for once I do as I’m told and take a long slow breath. I force my hands to my side, and I clear my mind. And the witch is right. I can think again. But it’s like I’m cut off from an essential part of myself. My magic. And I feel the loss as though a real part of me has been severed.

As she steps back, the sleeve of her dress falls back to reveal a mark on the inside of her wrist. A black flame. I’ve definitely seen that before.

“Chain them,” the witch says.

The shadowguard swarm forward. One drags Khaosti’s arms behind his back and chains them together. Another wraps a second chain around his neck. He stares straight ahead, but I can see a tic jumping in his cheek.

Then someone wrenches my hands behind my back and shackles them. Another chain is clicked to my collar. I growl and lift my upper lip in a snarl.

I catch Khaosti’s gaze, and he lifts an eyebrow.

Then someone jerks my lead, and I stumble forward. I crash to the ground and my nose hits the dirt. I’m sure I hear a crunch, and my mouth floods with blood. I lay there for a moment, then someone—presumably the same someone who pulled me over, yanks on my collar and I push myself up and glare. Except they aren’t even looking at me just tugging me forward. Blood trickles from my nose, and I can’t wipe it away because my hands are tied behind my back. I lean my head down and wipe my face on the shoulder of my shirt. Ouch. My nose is definitely broken. But it does stop dripping.

Khaosti walks beside me. At least they haven’t harmed him. I suspect that he may be used as a hostage. Either to make me cooperate or to use against his father.

“Well, this is going to plan,” he mutters.

“We had a plan?” I ask. “But actually, I’m totally in control of this. They’re taking us exactly where we need to go. I mean it might have taken us days to find Lucifer on our own. And here we are with an escort.”

“Yes. It really couldn’t have worked out better.”