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AZAZEL CAUGHT THE DELIBERATE nod Onvier sent him as the meeting came to an end. He nodded back, then made sure to leave ahead of the Magic Guild Master. He broke off from the members of the Demon Guild and scurried into one of the alleys a couple of blocks away from the City Square. He didn’t have to wait long for Onvier to join him. The elf teleported to the alley and peered behind him to make sure they weren’t being watched. He made a sound of disgust when a rat scurried past him close enough to brush against his shoe. The rodent vanished into a hole before he could obliterate it with magic. “The entire city will be swarming with vermin soon,” he muttered.
“You have news for me?” Azazel asked impatiently. He needed to get back to his office in the Demon Guildhall before Raum grew suspicious. His leader was busy with a private matter that was taking up more and more of his time. Azazel was using Raum’s distraction to plot behind his back.
“I wouldn’t have indicated that I needed to meet with you if I didn’t have news,” the Guild Master said peevishly. Scarlet eyes narrowed slightly and the demon bared his teeth in affront at his tone. It was risky dealing with hell spawn. They tended to be touchy and prideful. “My plans are coming along right on schedule,” the elf said. “Soon, I will have enough strength for us to choose a third member for our triumvirate.” He was growing stronger each time he stole power from his guildmembers.
“Have you found the spell that will bind us together yet?” Azazel asked. His voice was guttural and as unpleasant as his face.
“Not yet,” the elf admitted reluctantly. “But it won’t be long before I’ll have the spell. I’ve heard there are several copies of it in the possession of the strongest members of the Magic Guild. I’ve questioned many of them, but none of them have possessed the spell so far. It’s only a matter of time before I find someone who has a copy of it.”
“Good,” Azazel said. His tail unwound itself from his leg as he spied the rat peering out through the hole in the wall. “The sooner we can form a triumvirate and overthrow Raum, the better,” he added.
“Why do you hate Raum so much?” Onvier asked curiously. Azazel hadn’t been his first choice of a partner. He’d intended to approach Beleth when he was ready to act, but the large purple creature had been assassinated. At least Azazel was powerful and malleable. The demon had agreed to join him in partnership, but only if they killed his leader.
Azazel’s wings tucked even tighter around his body and he shook his head. “You don’t need to know about my history with Raum,” he said. He wasn’t about to admit to the humiliating torture he’d suffered through. “Once he’s gone, the Demon District will belong to me and my power will rival yours.”
Onvier smirked doubtfully. “Of course,” he said in a condescending tone. “Are you certain Raum doesn’t have a magical shield to protect himself like the Immortal Triumvirate have?”
“I’ve already told you he doesn’t,” the demon said in annoyance. “Demons can’t cast that sort of magic.” He changed the topic before he could lose his temper and say something to set the elf off. “Have you decided who will be the third member of our triumvirate yet?” He watched the rat from the corner of his eye. The rodent almost seemed to be spying on them. There was something strange about it, but he couldn’t quite tell what it was.
“I’ve been watching the members of the guilds,” Onvier said. “There are a few candidates that might prove to be suitable.”
“Guild Master Latour isn’t one of them?” Azazel asked and casually moved a few steps closer to his ally.
Onvier’s upper lip lifted at that suggestion. “I doubt he would agree to join our cause. I haven’t heard any rumors that he’s involved in the rebellion against the Immortal Triumvirate.” In truth, Latour was too intelligent to suit his needs. Onvier intended to be in charge of not just the Fae District, but the entire city. One of the first tasks he would undertake was to find a way to permanently eradicate the Night Cursed beings. Once their District was cleansed of their existence, it could be used for other purposes. He already had some ideas of what he could do with it.
Azazel vaguely noted the greedy grin on his elven ally’s face, but his attention was elsewhere. He took another step forward, then his tail lanced towards the rat. The arrow shaped tip skewered the rodent through the side and it squealed loudly. Azazel roared in laughter at seeing the rat squirming and writhing in an effort to free itself.
Onvier made shushing motions with his hands and looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was walking past. “Quiet, you fool!” he hissed. He hadn’t cast a ward around them, just in case any curious magic users came to investigate if they felt magic being cast.
Azazel’s laughter cut off and he flicked his tail. The rat flew through the air and hit the wall, then fell to the ground. “What did you call me?” the demon asked in a low, menacing tone.
“Do you want the Immortal Triumvirate to become aware of our plans?” the elf asked. He didn’t apologize for the insult. He couldn’t lie and he wasn’t sorry at all.
“Of course not,” Azazel said sullenly. He glanced at the rat to see it send a baleful glare at him through pale green eyes, then it dragged its broken body back into the hole.
“Then perhaps you could at least try to be discreet during our meetings,” Onvier said in an exaggeratedly polite tone.
“If I wasn’t discreet, Raum would have heard about our plans by now,” the hell spawn pointed out. “He has spies everywhere, remember?”
“So you’ve said,” Onvier said dismissively. He strongly suspected the demon was exaggerating about how many scouts were spread throughout the city.
“How long will it take for you to gain enough power to cast the spell?” Azazel asked. He had his doubts that the elf would ever find the spell he was talking about. It seemed to be a secret few knew existed.
“It’s crucial for me to increase my strength in increments,” the Guild Master told him. “I can’t allow the Immortal Triumvirate to become aware that I’m gaining in power. They will figure out that I plan to overthrow them and they’ll take steps to have me eliminated.”
“By sending one of their filthy assassins to kill you,” the demon surmised with a scowl. “One of them infiltrated the catacombs a few months ago. She got away without being caught after murdering one of my kin. If they can get in and out of the Demon District without being seen, they can end your life before you’ll even know they’re there.” He felt petty satisfaction when the elf went pale.
“I’d best return to the guildhall before I’m missed,” Onvier muttered. He was rattled by the thought of the secret Assassin Guild that he’d believed was only a rumor. He teleported away, leaving his ally alone in the alley.
“I hate that snobby, smug elf,” Azazel growled, then slunk across the square towards the Demon Guildhall. He didn’t hate Onvier as much as he despised Raum. Their leader was the strongest hell spawn in Nox. He possessed the darkest kind of magic and he used it to rule his District with an iron fist. While the Demon Guild Master didn’t steal the energy of his people, he could use his innate power to punish them if they stepped out of line. He shuddered at the thought of what Raum would do to him if he discovered his plans. Death would be preferable to the agonies he would endure for his betrayal.
The rat’s green eyes watched him unblinkingly until he was gone. A weird sound that resembled a chuckle issued from its throat as death magic healed its broken body. When it was whole again, the undead minion went in search of fresh gossip to relay back to its master.
