“So are you,” he said. “Now finish this and let’s go home.”
Inside the circle, dark energy crackled between Blackstone and F’dreg. Neither wanted to make the first fatal move.
“Your arrogance will kill us both,” Blackstone said, desperation bleeding through his façade of control. “Release me or we’ll both die.”
“Release you?” F’dreg said in a voice that gave me chills. “You will walk out of this circle, and enslave me. I would rather kill you than let that happen.”
It was time.
My diamond pulsed in my palm as I approached the edge of the rainbow barrier. The fate of the world rested on my shoulders. No pressure, I told myself.
“Prince F’dreg,” I called, my voice carrying across the charged air. “I would like to speak to you, your highness.”
The demon’s beautiful head snapped toward me, his red eyes assessed me like a predator.
“You address me directly, human?” F’dreg’s voice made the ground rumble. “You think we are equals?”
Blackstone seized the moment of distraction to strengthen his shield. The prince’s hand flexed, tightening his grip. “No.” I shook my head. “You are not my equal. I control the Great Ward. You control… nothing.”
His eyes narrowed at my audacious words. I was playing with literal brimstone, but it was the right move. This wasn’t a negotiation. F’dreg needed to know I was in charge or else this would never work.
“Your attempt to save this human is pathetic.” He covered Blackstone’s shield in fiery black energy. A yelp came from inside the barrier a second before the flames died away.
I anticipated Blackstone opposing me, but I didn’t expect F’dreg would think we were in league with his captive. “No, your highness. If you don’t kill him, we will. I come with an offer.”
“An offer?” Curiosity edged into F’dreg’s voice. “What could you possibly have that I want?”
“Don’t listen to him!” Blackstone screamed. “He can’t help you!”
I ignored Blackstone. He was more desperate than I thought if he believed the demon he betrayed would listen to him. “An end to your stalemate,” I said. “And a return to your realm.”
F’dreg’s perfect features shifted with surprise before settling into suspicion. Blackstone’s laugh was brittle with desperation.
“Impossible!” Blackstone shouted. “Only I control the power of this summoning circle.”
His panicked gaze met mine, and I allowed myself a small smile. “Not anymore.”
“You lie.” Blackstone’s face tightened in concentration. “I have control of the sigils not you.”
“What say you to his accusations?”
The demon suspected both of us of deception. To him, we were both human mages. He didn’t care about our politics. “His words are meaningless.” I kept my attention on F’dreg. “I can open a portal back to your realm.”
“And why would you grant me such mercy?” The demon’s eyes gleamed with interest. “Anchor of the Great Ward.”
The last bit was his way of telling me he knew who and what I was. Good. That would make this easier. “I never said this was a gift.”
“You demand payment for my agreeing to spare your world?” F’dreg sounded offended and shocked. “And I thought this human was arrogant.”
“As I said before, you’re not in charge.” I raised an eyebrow. “I have what you need. If you want it, I require a fee.”
Blackstone made another attempt to free himself, but F’dreg stifled it with more black flames. “What is your price?”
I struggled not to smile. The demon had tacitly acknowledged I was in charge. “If I open the portal, you take Blackstone with you.”
F’dreg’s laughter shook the ground. “Now that is an interesting proposition.”
“No!” Blackstone’s composure shattered as he finally understood my plan. Dark energy crackled around him, but he couldn’t free himself. “He’s lying! He can’t control my sigils!”
