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RAUM SAT AT HIS DESK in his private quarters in the catacombs. He was hatching a scheme to catch the spy who had been following him around for the past few months. A grim smile pushed the corners of his mouth up slightly as he worked out the final details. If everything went according to his plan, he would soon trap the golden eyed demon and find out who he worked for.
A meaty fist knocked on his door, drawing him out of his thoughts. “Enter,” he said. One of his gigantic gray guards pushed the door open to allow a scout to scurry past him.
“My lord,” the scout said and bowed low. Slime dripped from his dark green skin to stain the black stone floor.
“You have news?” Raum asked, hiding his distaste at the lesser demon’s rank stench. That smell was going to linger in his nostrils for hours.
“I just overheard a rumor that a powerful witch is hiding out in the Fae District,” the scout reported. “She’s new to the city and she’s pretending to be weak and feeble. I heard she’s living with a bunch of old geezers in a suburb near the river close to the Vampire District.” He told Raum the address, then swiped slime from his forehead and flicked it to the floor.
Raum’s lips thinned, but he didn’t rebuke his minion. Demons were like feral animals and were difficult to train. Manners weren’t exactly something they were taught at a young age. “Speak to the Master Butcher,” Raum said. “Tell him I said to give you a prime cut of meat.”
The scout’s hideous face brightened and his rust colored eyes glowed with delight. “Yes, my lord!” he exclaimed, then scurried over to the door. He pounded on it until one of the far larger guards opened it, then left, leaving a trail of slime behind him.
Raum weighed up his options, trying to decide whether to investigate the witch now, or to wait for a few hours. He had a meeting scheduled with the Immortal Triumvirate and his fellow Guild Masters in an hour. He decided it would be best to check out this witch before Kade Sinclair got to her first. “We can’t have that, now, can we?” Raum said as he rose to his feet. It would be extremely irritating if the young warlock beat him to finding his match first. Opening a drawer, he took an object out and slipped it into his pocket.
He didn’t have a lot of time to spare, so Raum left his private chamber and headed for the nearest exit to the surface. The door opened into a park near the City Square. It was overgrown and no one visited it anymore. He transformed into his demon form, then flew to the Fae District. It only took him a few minutes to find the suburb where the powerful witch lived. He flew over the river and saw water elementals frolicking down below. The horrible creatures might be small, but they were deadly to anyone who dared to enter their domain.
The demon lord searched for the spy with gold eyes, but couldn’t see any sign of him. He descended and changed into his human form moments before his feet could touch the cobbled ground. He adjusted his cuffs, then sauntered to the address the scout had given him. Only one person was inside when he sent out his senses. Judging from the power he could feel emanating from the house, he assumed the witch he’d come to see was inside.
He rapped on the door and heard the scuff of footsteps coming from deeper in the house. “Who is it?” an aged, cracked voice called out.
“I’m just a messenger, madam,” Raum called back. “I have a letter for you.” He pulled the envelope he’d taken from his desk out of his pocket and held it up. It was blank, but he held the back to her, so she didn’t realize it was just a prop.
The witch cracked the door open, but kept most of her face hidden. From what little he could see of her, her skin was young and smooth. She was definitely a newcomer to still have so much magical strength. While she wasn’t a sorceress, he thought she might just have the power he needed to be his match. “Hand it over, then,” she said, still pretending to be an old woman.
“I’m afraid I fibbed,” he said and stuck his foot in the door before she could slam it completely shut. It was only open a sliver, but it should be enough. “I mean you no harm, dear lady,” he added, tucking the empty envelope back into his pocket.
“What do you want?” she asked suspiciously, showing no signs that she recognized him. That was probably for the best. If she knew he was a demon, she probably would have blasted him with a spell by now.
“I take it you’re new to Nox?” he asked, arching an eyebrow and keeping his charming smile in place. He was glad his human form was so comely. If he’d been ugly, she wouldn’t have been as willing to let him talk.
“I just got here a week ago,” she agreed, dropping the fake aged voice. “Who are you and what do you want with me?”
“I’m an envoy from the rebels,” he said, which wasn’t exactly an untruth. “You must have heard all the stories about what the Immortal Triumvirate have done to the citizens of the city by now.”
“The people I’m living with have told me everything,” she said flatly. “They said Nox used to be a utopia twenty-five years ago, but things changed after the Drain. Now it’s a cesspit and it’s a miserable place to live in.”
“Succinctly put,” he said with a wry smile. “Where are the other occupants of the house?” he asked curiously.
“They’re at a church, playing bingo,” the witch said and opened the door a bit wider. “I decided to stay home and read. Bingo isn’t really my thing.” She eyed him through the gap, still wary of him. “So, you’re one of the rebels, then?”
“I am indeed,” Raum said with a winning smile.
“How did you hear about me?”
“Gossip has a way of spreading through Nox like weeds,” he said. “If I’ve heard of you, I can guarantee others have also learned of your presence. Someone as powerful as you will be coveted by many. Guild Master Onvier will be particularly interested in you, I fear.”
She took the bait instantly and he saw her grimace. “I’ve heard all about that horrible elf,” she said with a shudder. “Exactly what do the rebels intend to do?”
“We intend to overthrow the Immortal Triumvirate and seize control of Nox,” he replied. “We seek to reestablish balance in the city so that none of the citizens will be hungry or oppressed.”
The witch eyed him warily, still unconvinced, but she’d heard enough rumors to know her life would be in danger. “Who are you?” she asked again.
“My name is Raum,” he said and her eyes widened. She recognized his name and tried to shove the door shut again. The tip of his shoe prevented her from closing it completely. “I’m sure you’ve heard many ghastly rumors about me,” he said in self-deprecation. “But I assure you, I only wish for Nox to be restored to how it used to be. My people are also suffering from the annual Energy Tax. Something has to be done, or we will all eventually perish.”
The witch stopped trying to close the door, won over by his solemn tone. “What exactly do you want from me?” she asked.
“My allies believe we can overthrow the Immortal Triumvirate, but we need more power,” he said without giving her a full explanation. “I’m seeking someone with enough power to boost our strength.” That was as much as he was willing to tell her until he had an assurance that she was willing to join their cause.
She frowned, but she didn’t reject his offer outright. “Give me a few nights to think about it,” she requested.
“Of course,” Raum said with a charming grin. “Demons have a bad name in Nox, but speak to your friends and seek their council. Ask them who has caused the most harm to the population of the City of Night. I think you’ll find that my kind are victims just as much as the vampires, magic users and shifters are.” He gave her a courtly bow, then took a step back.
He turned to walk away and the door closed and locked behind him. The Demon Guild Master kept his senses on full alert as he strode along the sidewalk. He didn’t see or sense the gray spy with the black wings and gold eyes. Ducking into the shadows cast by a dense hedge, he waited expectantly, but nothing happened. He wore a smug grin as he transformed into his demon form and flew to the City Square. This time, he hadn’t been followed to his destination.
Raum sat through another lengthy meeting at the Immortal Triumvirate’s headquarters, then headed to the Demon Guildhall. The scout who had informed him about the witch was waiting for him outside the building. From his morose expression, he had bad news. “Don’t tell me,” Raum said, holding his hand up. “The witch is dead?” he asked sourly.
“Yes, my lord,” the slimy scout said, hanging his head and wringing his hands. “I checked on her after I ate the meat the Master Butcher gave me.”
“What did you see?” Raum asked, already knowing what the answer would be.
“I saw a gray demon with black wings knock on her door, my lord,” the scout said. “When the witch opened the door, the demon stabbed her in the eye with a talon on the tip of his wing. He flew off before I could get a good look at him.”
Raum’s eyes flared with hellfire that was fed by his rage and the scout shrank away from him in terror. “I want to be informed if you, or your colleagues, locate more females with powerful magic,” he ordered. It wasn’t easy to control his temper, but he made it to his office without tearing anyone’s head off. It helped that his minions scattered as soon as they saw his murderous expression.
