Page 179 of Princess of Bael

A potentially lethal date with my Archangel in the human realm?

Don’t mind if I do.

Thank you for reading Kay and Ezra’s story! As a special gift, I’ve included a bonus scene from Trudy’s point of view. It answers some lingering questions about Morax, while also preparing you for the real war to come.

Because Trudy and Ashmedai are up next inCaptive of Hell, the final book of theDark Provenance series.

Trudy

Gold.

Everywhere.

On the walls. The ceilings. The floors. Even the adornments were gold, including the handles, picture frames, the pictures inside the picture frames, thelights. It was all some variant of golden hues, and it was giving me a headache.

Ashmedai’s navy wing brushed my shoulders.Not everything is gold.

Get out of my head.

No,he returned, his gaze on the ornate throne in front of us.

I sighed. There was no use in telling him to stop. He never listened to me.

That’s not true, little warrior. I listen to you more than I do anyone else, he murmured, his feathers teasing my bare arm. I’d worn a sleeveless shirt in preparation for visiting this realm. It was warm here, the fountains outside liquid gold instead of water.

“Ah, Ashmedai,” a voice said, one I’d become familiar with over the last few years.

Ankou.

He wasn’t exactly an Archdemon, but he certainly possessed the power of one.

Except one had to be truly alive to qualify.

And Ankou was something very other.

The keeper of souls.

“Have you come to review your payment?” Ankou asked as he floated over to his throne in a curtain of black robes. I couldn’t see his feet, but I knew they weren’t touching the ground. And not because of the inky feathers at his back.

He resembled a ghost—not exactly ethereal, but not corporeal either.

Still, he settled onto his throne as though he could feel it. And maybe he could.

“Yes. Archdemon Morax is requesting proof of receipt,” Ashmedai replied, his tone indicating his annoyance at being questioned. Not by Ankou, but by Morax.

He’d played his part in this game, helping Ashmedai by acting as a spy for the other side. All in exchange for the safety of his daughter.

Which Ashmedai had provided.

Sort of, anyway.

Ashmedai’s deals were never straightforward. The one he’d made with Morax was no different.

“Drop some comments regarding your irritation over current world rules. As an example, complain about not being able to ascend to Earth at will. Make it believable and make sure you voice these comments around certain parties—I’ll provide a list—then allow the mastermind to pull you in. Succeed, and I’ll save your daughter from her fate. But you must follow my rules explicitly. Deviation will not be tolerated. And just to be clear, you will not approve of all my requirements. However, they will be necessary for your daughter to survive.”

I’d overheard Ashmedai’s deal with Morax several Hell decades ago. He’d set up everything flawlessly, ensuring Morax was positioned correctly to be a spy for the opposition and knowing well in advance what the mastermind on the other side would require—Morax’s help in absorbing and redistributing Kristina’s powers.

Very few possessed the power to accomplish that feat.