“Grizz, let’s go.”
“Not yet,” Nergal said, sounding chipper. “I’m having fun. I love life!” He stomped over to Vladimir and ripped the staff out of his hands. Then he tore Vladimir’s head off.
Val watched in fascination and horror, unsure about how to feel. She’d waited twenty years to get revenge only to see Vladimir killed so quickly.
“He was mine,” she said stupidly.
“I know.” Nergal twirled the staff in his large, stone hands. “Oh, don’t worry. He’ll recover soon enough. Death doesn’t stop that one for long.”
“Er, okay.” How the hell would she kill him then?
“My stone, Valentine?”
She took a step back, protected by Grizz. “I have no idea what you mean.”
“I believe you.” The gargoyle holding Nergal deep inside looked more statue than human, not able to grasp the complexity of having flesh as strong as stone, like a real gargoyle. Plus, the eyes were flat, a dim gray only a shade lighter than his rocky skin.
“I can’t give you what I don’t have.”
“Ah, but you do have it. The magic is buried deep inside you. The essence of an ancient deity. It’s what allows you to work so much death magic, what allows you to live without all of your soul intact. Because pieces of you are everywhere, aren’t they? Even in Vladimir.” He gripped his hand tightly then opened it, and a spark floated to Val and into her, making her feel whole.
She gasped. “Th-thanks.”
“Of course, dear one.” He studied her. “We’re about to get company again soon. And I would much rather discuss this in private. I’ll make you a deal. A life for a life.”
“No deals.”
He scoffed. “Now that’s not very sporting. What if I were to allow you to fight Vladimir to the death? His life for yours?”
“But you’re planning to kill us all anyway with the Staff of Blight.”
“Well, that’s true.” He tapped his chin. “Yet I won’t let Vladimir live. And I had planned to let him rule as one of my minions.”
“He doesn’t plan on staying a minion.”
Nergal laughed, and his evil mirth made her shiver. “Oh, I know what our naughty necromancer wants. Eternal life in the chaos that comes. Not Hecate’s special ending, but a brighter, funner—and yes, that is a word, I looked it up—way of existence where nothing has meaning except more of nothing.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I know. Neither does Hecate, and that’s the problem. Had she come to me first, looking for help to retrieve her BloodeStones, we could have bargained. I didn’t have to take all hope from everyone. But now I kind of have to,” he said apologetically. “I have a rep, you know.”
“What?” Val didn’t like his sudden, intense focus.
“Watch this.” Nergal yanked the staff up and tapped it twice upon the ground. Everything living within a five-foot radius, except for her and Grizz, turned to green puddles of goo. “Gross, am I right? But not gray! That’s the kicker.”
“Because everything in Irkalla is gray and boring?”
“Bingo. You’re much smarter than you look.”
“Thanks.”
He chuckled.
Val gave Grizz a last command. She would have liked to see Khent one last time, but better she deal with this crazy underworld god now before he corrupted everything on the planet. She’d known she wouldn’t live past her meeting with Vladimir anyway.
It had never bothered her before. But now, accepting the love she felt for Khent, she wished she could have had more time with him.
To Grizz, she commanded,Now.
