Page 54 of Okay, I Regret a Little

“Okay, we let some demons through, but they said they just wanted to have a little fun topside.”

“And the witches they were planning on bringing back with them to slaughter demons,kusotare?”

“No way. Not us. We didn’t sign up for that. All we did was take some coin to let some demons go topside to party. If someone else was letting their friends through, it wasn’t us.”

I let out a little growl. Demons weren’t supposed to be this stupid. We took education seriously in Hell.

“How did you even get this job if you can’t even do the one job duty you’re being paid for?”

“We wouldn’t have let anyonein,but there are a lot of demons in Hell that think they should let usoutwhen we want.”

“And you think you know better than the kings of Hell? Did you even bother finding out who it was you let out? Have you been living under a rock? One of those men is a known fugitive and a traitor, and you just let him out!”

“They were all from Yomi. We aren’t. It’s not like we follow news from that area of Hell.”

“You make me sick. Take them all to Bael. He can decide if he wants to let Solron play with them.”

I needed to regroup. Bael would have to go through all his guards at the gate and decide who he could trust not to let the Aether Circle in Hell. I needed to get to Earth and get Rei out of that prison.

Kudan knew just as well as everyone in Hell that demons didn’t serve time topside. I didn’t need him waltzing into Silverhold, telling everyone she was a demon, and claiming her before I did. He’d take her straight to the Aether Circle to kill.

Rei wouldn’t know better. He could say he was her brother, and she’d think it was safe to leave with him. It would be night at Silverhold. Kudan couldn’t ooze his way inside until morning. He’d also never been to Earth before. He had limited contact with the supernatural races in Hell that weren’t demons.

He was alsonou tarinand was sure to say something offensive trying to get inside the prison. I couldn’t count on that, though. I had Barbatos. Kudan had allied himself with the Aether Circle. They had excellent lawyers. They could send one and do all the talking.

Fuck. I needed to count on getting to Silverhold before Kudan did or all was lost. My plan for bringing down the Aether Circle was only half-formed. I was missing key components, and now they were willing to raze Hell over that fucking grimoire.

I knew Rei wouldn’t do well in solitary, but it was the safest place for her right now.

Hold tight, Rei. I’m coming.