Page 23 of House of Demons and Bones (Shades of Ruin and Magic #5)

22

Barbie

R owan stepped out of the closet, extending his hand for Sy—only to find that I’d taken over.

“Let me do the talking. The oracle can be a little crazy and a lot negative,” I said, nodding toward the Maiden, who’d made herself comfortable on the chaise longue.

The last time I’d seen her, she’d been clad in a white robe. Now she wore a lemon-yellow dress, her traditional veil discarded. Her once-sightless eyes sparkled with ancient wisdom and viciousness. Divine energy rolled off her in waves.

Rowan sucked in a breath and dipped his head respectfully. “Lady Maiden.”

“The one and only, Prince Rowan,” Moirai said. Then her crystal gray gaze turned to fix on me. “What you seek isn’t here. I’ve told you before—you must go to the Underworld for Heaven’s Arrow. It’s the only way to sever your bond with Sy. The last drop of old magic must be protected at all costs. If she’s lost, the realm falls, and desolation follows. When your father returns, you must let him take you if you wish to save those you love.”

“Stop!” Rowan snarled. “What kind of twisted advice is that? My brothers and I won’t let Ruin take either of them!”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, prince ,” Moirai said, making it clear she knew about his bastard origins. “One sacrifice saves this planet and beyond.”

“You excel at freaking people out,” I said flatly. Tough love. Part of me had accepted her truth.

She nodded, sorrow in her eyes, but her tone remained steely. “Heed my warning, child. Go to the Underworld before he seeks you out. Time grows short.”

Don’t listen to her! Sy hissed. Maul her face. You’re not sacrificing yourself for anyone, especially not me!

“How?” I asked. “How do I separate from Sy?”

“I’ll come after you get the arrow,” she said.

“How can I trust you? You only bring terrible news.”

“I’m sorry, Barbie.” A tear of blood slid down her left cheek. “I wish I could spare you this dark fate, but you were born to it. I’ve seen all your pain, felt every bit of your suffering.”

“Don’t lie to me,” I snapped, my eyes on fire. “The only one who’s felt my suffering—who’s taken that pain into herself—is Sy. You’ve been hiding, doing nothing but spewing prophecies. You only surfaced now that you see I have a chance to beat my father.”

She dropped her gaze, shame etching her face. “I wasn’t made of strong material like you. You’re forged from star power, stronger than anything, goddess. I couldn’t risk letting him take me, make me his pawn. In the end, he’d absorb both me and my gift of foresight.”

I pointed at the glass case shrouded in shadow and hellfire.

“There’s a baby picture of me inside,” I said. “Why does the demon queen have my picture displayed like some shrine? What am I to her?”

“It’s not my secret to tell,” Moirai said, her voice softening with sadness. “But in time, all will be revealed. Lilith has sacrificed more than anyone—and she wasn’t of demon origin.”

She was a fallen star.

“Go now, goddess,” Moirai urged. “You have two minutes left before your doppelg?nger comes looking.” She waved at the closet. “You can exit through that door. You used it the wrong way.” She darted an amused look between Rowan and me. “I remember when I was young and careless, and everything was all about fun.”

“ I didn’t have fun with him,” I said, jabbing a thumb toward Rowan. “That was Sy.”

Sy preened. It was me. And I’d do it again.

“Lilith passes through that door sometimes,” Moirai added.

“Where will it lead?” I asked.

“Where you want to go,” she said.

“I have some questions too, Lady Maiden,” Rowan chimed in. “If you don’t mind.”

“Oh, I mind,” Moirai said. “There’s a reason not all oracles should be revealed. We should not tempt the fates and risk making things worse, should we?”

“What could be worse?” I shrugged. “You already dropped all your terrible truth bombs.”

“What I told you is just the tip of the iceberg,” she said.

A clamor rose from outside the study.

“Go, Barbie,” Moirai urged. “I’ll be waiting here for Lilith.”

She said it like they were best friends.

“Let’s go,” Rowan said after giving Moirai a rueful look. “Time to return to the party. I promised Sy the last dance.”

We went into the closet again, and this time, a bridge shrouded in mist stretched before us. Together, Rowan and I lifted our feet.