“You’re not going to like it.”
“I already guessed that.” She wanted nothing to do with a dead cannibal demon’s remains, ashes or otherwise.
Pulling a small jar from his pocket that she recognized from the loot pile, Raum bent and filled it with ash. He stood again. “Come here.”
Warily, she approached. He dipped a thumb into the container and reached toward her face. When she lurched back, he cocked a brow. Grimacing, she leaned in again and forced herself to be still.
He swiped a streak of ash on each of her cheeks below her eyes like some hellish war paint. He drew another line across her brow. She wanted to throw up.
He leaned back and surveyed his work with a hint of a smile. “Looks badass.”
Even the sight of that rarity couldn’t make her feel better about this. “It smells horrendous.”
“That’s why it works. Take off your gloves and hold out your hands.”
She did as he bade, pushing her sleeves up, and he streaked a long line of ash down her arm, over the skin that sparkled in the fading light. Despite everything, despite her disgust and the awful smell, her attention fixed on where he touched her. Tingling rose the hairs on her arms where their skin connected.
What is wrong with me?She’d never been like this a day in her life.
“Hold your cloak shut and close your eyes.”
She did as he asked. “Why—”
He flicked a burst of ash at her, and it spattered down the front of her cloak. She couldn’t stifle her exclamation of disgust.
A smile twitched at his lips. “Turn around.”
She obeyed, flinching as he repeated the motion at her back.
“Ugh. Revolting.” Her skin was crawling with the urge to wipe the ash from her face. “This is possibly the most disgusting thing I’ve ever done.”
He looked amused by her plight.
Bending over the ash pile again, he refilled the jar and pocketed it. “So we can give you a refresh later,” he explained at her questioning look.
“Excellent.” Her lip curled.
“I can see your face. When we get there, make sure you keep your hood low.”
She nodded. “What if you’re recognized as we’re flying in?”
“We’ll take a hellgate from here. We’re far enough from the cave that it’s safe. The Market is a good day and a half of flying from here.”
“Oh.” She hadn’t thought of that.
She hadn’t thought of any of this, in fact. Her blood chilled with the realization of just how lost she would have been without Raum. She’d been smart in securing his aid, even if she felt terrible for manipulating him.
Dusting the ash from his hands, Raum set about casting the hellgate sigil, not far from where he’d summoned the hellfire.
There were several materials sigils could be drawn from. Most common was chalk, but since chalk didn’t work well on dirt, Raum used the blood of the demon they had murdered. The ground was cracked and dry here, and the fluid hadn’t absorbed immediately, so he was able to dip the end of a long stick into the remaining puddle like a gruesome paintbrush.
When he was done, he tossed the stick and turned around. “This gate will take us right into the Market. There are public hellgates there that can be used by anyone, so expect to immediately be surrounded by demons.”
She swallowed hard and nodded.
“Keep your hood up and your head down. Keep your hands inside your cloak. If something happens and we’re separated, find a hellgate and take it back to Earth. I’ll meet you at your apartment. If I don’t show up…” He paused. “What I said before holds up.”
He was referencing his request to tell his brothers not to come after him. Because he didn’t want his family endangered on his behalf. Because he was brave and selfless, even if he would hate being described as such.
