I watch Xavier as he keeps a careful distance from my mother. His movements are protective, almost possessive, but not in a creepy-stalker way. Hmm. I might be starting to like this guy.

Tim holds the door open. “The committee will meet in here today, Senator Lewis.”

Mom steps inside. “Thank you.” She and Tim walk to a long wooden table surrounded by heavy leather chairs. As they take their seats, two new figures step into the room. One’s a familiar-looking ghoul in a long black robe. The other is Armageddon.

My body goes on full alert. Armageddon’s here? I want to break through the dreamscape, grab Mom’s hand, and run for it. Instead, I feel rooted to the spot, unable to do anything but brace myself against jolts of panic.

Mom scans the newcomer, her face rounding into a polite smile. “Good afternoon, Ambassador.”

Wait a second. Mom used to work with Armageddon? Whoa. I scan their faces. No one seems affected by his greater demon aura. They should be slammed with fear, but all of them—especially Mom—appear genuinely calm. My mind whirls until the reason’s clear: Armageddon turned into a greater demon when he became King of Hell. Clever. There’s more to his takeover of Purgatory than I first suspected.

Armageddon’s long black face wears an unreadable expression. “Senator.”

Mom turns to address the ghoul. “Greetings to you, O-72.”

O-72 nods. “We thank you.”

Suddenly, I realize where I’ve seen that ghoul before. Slap a red robe on that guy and he’s one of the Oligarchy today. I’ve seen him at matches a dozen times.

Armageddon, Mom, and an Oligarchy ghoul? What in blazes is going on here?

My sleepy mind struggles to understand what I’m seeing. I’ve adjusted to the concept that Mom was a Senator. In fact, it’s been awesome seeing her in action. But finding out that she dealt with Armageddon drives a lead feeling into my stomach. I know how this story ends, and it can’t be good that Mom was in the middle of it.

Xavier walks into the room. “Good afternoon, everyone.” He slides in to a leather chair across from Mom.

Armageddon eyes Xavier’s every move, his face unmoving, his irises flaring bright red. “Ambassador Cross.” His upper lip twists, exposing a sharp canine. Shivers of anxiety rattle my spine. Clearly, Armageddon hates Xavier with a vengeance. What happened between these two?

Mom motions to Tim. “Let’s begin.” He pulls a manila folder from within the folds of his robes and hands it to her. “Thank you, Tim.” She sets the folder before her on the tabletop. “Our first item of the day is a diplomacy tour of–”

Armageddon leans back in his chair. “No. I have unfinished business here.” He steeples his three-knuckled fingers under his pointed chin. “You know what I want.”