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“There is a myriad of places they could hide things. But something as precious and rare as immortality, The Drakonan Treasury in Ryvengaard namely. It’s the most secure place in the realms and has never been breached.”

Hel smirked. “Well, that’s not true anymore, but it can’t be there. The portals in and out of Runevale closed once Valeen was executed. They would be hidden in Runevale. Where?”

“I’ll start talking when you get me out of these chains.”

“That’s not going to happen,” War said, drumming his fingers along the handle of the dagger at his hip. “Let’s not forget you’re the one who said that mercy is for fools and females, and we’re neither of those.”

“You’ll start talking because if you don’t, I’ll make what you did to us look like a child’s game.”

“Nothing you could do would be worse than what the demons did, I can assure you, Hel. There is no amount of torture that will get anything out of me. Just as Valeen will never give up Soulender, I won’t be giving away leverage of any kind. Don’t even bother asking about the Sword of Truth. Even the demons couldn’t get it out of me.”

Hel tapped the toe of his boot. That might be true, but he’d find out for himself.

Synick let out a dark chuckle. “Speaking of your…wife, when we made the bet about Valeen you weren’t supposed to actually fall in love with her. Did you help her kill me to get rid of your competition?”

Laughter bubbled in Hel’s throat, and he couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. “Youcompetition forme? I know you think highly of yourself, but I didn’t believe you were quite so delusional. She’s always despised you. I don’t think there is a person in all the realms she hates more than you. I might be a dick but at least I still have a pretty face. You on the other hand…” Hel shoved another fresh civar into Synick’s rotten eye just to see if it caused pain. He screamed through his teeth and jerked away. “I could use Soulender and make that eye disappear permanently.”

“Where would they hide our immortality?” War crossed his arms.

“I said I’m not talking.”

Hel summoned his magical crimson snake, Selene, and soon she coiled down his arm. Her black forked tongue flicked out and her yellow eyes glowed in the dim torchlight. “If you don’t know anything, there’s no reason to keep you alive.”

Synick stiffened and pushed back in his chair. “I said I wasn’t talking, not that I didn’t know anything. I know of several places they would hide your immortality. Places you’d never find without knowing.”

“Too late. I’m bored of you now.” Hel lifted a shoulder and Selene slithered down to his wrist and onto Synick’s lap. “I know you can’t see so let me elaborate. My serpent friend here has a bite that is lethal in seconds, but first there is burning, really intense, like your insides are melting. I’m sure the demon princes will be missing you and they might even have a welcome home party. I’m sorry I won’t be able to make it. Busy, you see.”

War shifted slightly closer to Hel and gave him a wary look. They did need information from him, and no doubt War was unsure if he would actually kill him. But Synick was only one tool in their arsenal. He had never planned for Synick to be alive to question. He’d find their immortality without him. The Sword ofTruth was really the only thing worth keeping this prick alive for, but they wouldn’t be able to torture it out of him… they’d have to fight him while he used it.

Synick kicked and wiggled, trying to bounce Selene off. She curled her tail around his calf and glided up his chest. “We can go to the council together and settle this. They’ll take me back and I can pardon my nephews.”

“You think they would take you back looking like that?” War asked. “A grotesque demon-looking thing? No.”

“There are problems with your proposal, Synick. First of all, I made a promise to kill everyone on the council, and I don’t go back on my word. Two, you didn’t add my wife into the deal even if we could work out a peace treaty. And most importantly, three, you murdered Katana to punish Valeen because she wouldn’t fuck a piece of shit like you. And for that, one day I will carve out not simply your eyes but your heart and give your body to the trolls to tear apart, and your soul will spend eternity in the underrealm. I’ll pay the demon princes handsomely to make certain you never get peace.”

Synick scrunched his face into a sneer. “You’re as much of a monster as I am, Hel. You may end up there yourself one day.”

Hel took a pull from his civar. “And then there wouldn’t be princes of the underrealm there’d be aking. Now, I’m going to count to three and then she bites. Because I don’t give a fuck whether you live or die. It’s no skin off my ass if the rest of your body rots and your soul is tortured endlessly. I’ll sleep like a wee babe and still get what I want one way or another.” Hel gave War a pointed look to make sure he knew he was telling the truth. He better not try to get in the way either. War’s jaw muscles flickered, and he narrowed his eyes, but he stayed silent.

“Actually, let’s skip the counting. Three,” Hel said.

“Wait!” Synick screeched. “I’ll help. Just get this snake off me.”

Hel flicked his fingers, and she vanished, reappearing around his own shoulders. “It’s a little disappointing how easy that was really,” he said to War.

War shook his head but smiled. “So, Synick, where should we start looking?”

“Start with Rogue. One thing the demons deal in is secrets, and Rogue has one that will make him fold.”

“That’s not a location,” War said, raising his fist. “You said you’d give us locations.”

“No, it’s better than random places where they might hide our immortality.” Hel took hold of War’s wrist to stop him from delivering the blow. “We could spend months looking, months we don’t have, and still not find anything. What’s his secret?”

War closedthe heavy metal door to the wing of the dungeons Synick was located in. A section deep under the castle that few knew existed. “I thought you were going to kill him,” War said, locking the door.

“I was. If you want to be feared the way I am, War, you can’t bluff. You have to be willing to do it.”

“Thane. My name is Thane.”