Page 166 of Princess of Bael

“Who the hell is brave enough to mine in the Chrysus region?” I asked, stunned.

“Ankou,” he replied.

I gaped at him. “The Soul Keeper?”

Ankou was the gatekeeper of souls in the underworld.

The literal Grim Reaper.

And he wasn’t known to play well with others.

But in terms of recruiting someone to mine gold within the Chrysus region, he would be the top candidate for the job. Because not only did he live there, but he also considered himself to bekingof that territory. Not a true title since he wasn’t an Archdemon, but no one was insane enough to question him on it.

“Who…? No, scratch that.Howdid someone convince him to help?” I asked, still shocked.

“I haven’t quite figured that part out yet. But he’s been working with Prince Ashmedai.”

My lips parted. “What?”

“Prince Ashmedai supplies the gold to Archangel Scion. I don’t know who is actually blessing them in Heaven, but that’s how they’re created.”

“Prince Ashmedai is the one who gave you my cuff,” I realized aloud. Yaz had never actually told me how he’d procured it, just that it was from a trusted source. “My father would kill you if he found out.”

Yaz shrugged. “I don’t report to him. I report to you. And it’s my job to protect you. Prince Ashmedai gave me a way to do that, and I accepted.”

“At what cost?”

“That I keep you safe.”

“No, I mean, what did you pay Ashmedai?”

“That was his payment,” Yaz replied. “He gave me the cuffs in exchange for a lifetime vow to always protect you.”

“And nothing else?”

“Nothing else,” he confirmed.

Prince Ashmedai was always playing games. “Maybe we should go play in his territory today,” I suggested. “See if we can get him to explain why all the Dark Provenance minions have cuffs now.”

“I think Archangel Scion is behind that.”

“Well, then we can ask him why he felt so strongly about my protection.” Not that Prince Ashmedai would tell us. But it gave us something to do and would keep me from pacing all night.

“I think he knew what you would become,” Yaz said quietly. “I think that’s why he contacted me about the cuff.”

“Wait…” I did a double take. “Hecontacted you about the cuff?”

Yaz nodded.

“I thought you procured it as a way to celebrate the appearance of my demonic traits.”

“Yes, I went to his realm to procure it. But he offered first.”

“And he went to you, not to my father?”

Yaz dipped his chin again. “Probably because he knew your father would never accept the gift.”

“So Prince Ashmedai put your life at risk instead,” I translated, my mind working through the puzzle. “No. Hetestedyou to see how far you would go for me.” I almost laughed at the brilliance of it. Prince Ashmedai was constantly playing all the angles and typically operated several paces ahead of everyone else.