Page 70 of Samhain Savior

“But...how?” Even a fully trained witch wouldn’t be able to transport three individuals between realms.

“My guess is the piece of the Fallen Key.”

“I only have a piece,” I protested, unfolding my fist to reveal the item I’d retrieved from inside the golden orb.

It was smaller than I’d anticipated, and appeared to be made out of some kind of smoky glass, flat on one side, and domed on the other, like a big marble that had been cut in half. Holding it up, I could see that the circumference was wrapped in some kind of silver wire, with a twist on one end making it look like a gaudy piece of costume jewelry instead of an ancient magical artifact.

“Which is probably why we only came as far as Purgatory. We will likely need the full Key to gain access to Hell itself.”

“And it doesn’t look like a key at all,” I mused.

“It doesn’t have to look like a key to behave like one,” Archer said, a touch of impatience in his tone. “Now, if you could please get us the fuck out of here, I’d like to return to my preferred body.” He shook his head and stared down, his massive paw-like feet shuffling restlessly. “I hate coming back here unprepared. The forced shift just cost me a seven-hundred dollar pair of Italian leather loafers.”

I started to laugh, then stuttered to a halt when I realized exactly what he’d just said.

“You wantmeto make a shadow gate?”

“No,” he sighed, making me feel like a child he was having to explain the basics of life to. “You are a witch. Youdon’t have demon magic, which means that a shadow gate isn’t something you are capable of creating. What I want you to do is use whatever transportation spell you worked to bring us here to take us back to Boston so we can get on with our mission and shut the Order down once and for all.”

I blinked at him, my heart thudding.

“I didn’t do a spell, Archer. I don’t know of any spells that would transition us between planes, and I certainly have no idea how to do it now. Whatever I did, it was completely unintentional.”

The snarl he released was pure animalistic rage, his wings flaring open wide as he clenched his fists and released his anger to the empty gray sky.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me!”

“Why can’t you do it?” I questioned. “Just make a gate and get us home.”

“I can’t justmake a gate, Delilah,” he spat arrogantly. “No one has been able to do that since Lucifer disappeared. Not even me.” He threw his arms up gesturing to the empty expanse around us. “Not to mention, when you zapped us to Hell with your reckless use of magic that you clearly don’t understand, you managed to drop us into the one place in the entire realm that prevents me from accessing my own fucking power.”

“You can’t access your powers in Hell?” I asked, shocked.

“I can access my powers in Hell everywhereexceptthis single fucking location.”

“Which is?”

He sighed, his wings shifting with the movement in a way that almost had me smiling.

“The Void.”

The words felt ominous, but they meant nothing to me. He must have seen that in my expression, because he sighed again, his wings once again tucking behind him as he closed his eyes in clear exasperation.

“It’s a part of Purgatory cut off from the rest by a magic so ancient, it predates just about everything. A place where you can only access your own magic if given leave to do so.”

“So, who do we ask?” I pressed. It seemed simple enough. “Who’s in charge here?”

“Astaroth.” Archer spoke the name like it had personally offended him

“Great. Let’s go find him and get your magic back.”

“It’s not that simple, little witch.” Archer went to run a hand through his hair, only to realize his horns were currently sprouting from his head, impeding the movement, and I wondered just how long since he had allowed himself to be in this form. If I had to guess, I’d say it had been awhile, which was a shame, because the longer I stared at his demonic face, the more I liked it.

“Nothing in Hell is given for free, and Astaroth is a bastard. He’ll ask something of me that I won’t want to give.”

Archer looked at me, his heavy brows drawn down low, and I wondered what he was thinking. What could be asked of him that would put that look on his face.

“Is there another way out of here?” I asked.