The chanting did not cease, although the volume did reduce somewhat into angry grumbles rather than an unholy roar. My stomach knotted. This was the closest they had come to an outright rebellion.

How bad had things gotten down here? How had Father allowed it to get this dire?

“If you actually paid attention at dinner when Father and I discuss the important topics impacting our kingdom, you would know what is happening!” Hellen snarled through her teeth. “And if you were putting any effort whatsoever into your little ‘plan’ that Father seems so enamoured with, you could help him to fix this!”

“We should go to war wiv them upstairs!” one particularly brave … or stupid … demon shouted, silencing Hellen’s tirade. “They been stealing from us, and it’s time to take back what’s ours!”

A vicious cheer throbbed through the sea of demons at his words. My stomach lurched. Did he mean us … or was he actually suggesting that we declare war on …?

Father blew out a long-suffering breath. “Open war with Heaven has never ended well for us,” he announced. Mutinous rumbles met his words.

So they were suggesting a war with Heaven.

“They been taking souls meant for us down ‘ere in the Pit!” another demon bellowed. “And what ‘ave you lot, up there in your fancy castle, done to ‘elp us survive! We’re fuckin’ starvin’ down ‘ere!”

Another loud roar throbbed in my eardrums, interspersed with more crashing of horns, more sparking fireworks.

“If you would let me finish!” Father roared over the top of them. “I understand your plight!”

The grumbling was disbelieving. Father slammed his horns into a stalactite, the sound echoing like a gong around the cavernous pit.

“I do understand … but if we want to beat Heaven at their own insidious game, we must be devious about it. If She and Her minions insist on using underhanded methods to rob us of souls that are rightfully ours, we shall employ the same tactics. We can beat them at their own game! My son, your prince, has been working on a scheme to tie more eternal souls to Hell, while also providing sustenance from the living!”

“How?” another demon demanded, over the ‘rabble rabble rabble’ noises of the mob.

Hellen’s claws dug into my upper arm. “Help him! You want this future so badly, it’s about time you learned how to manage the Pit.”

I barely had time to suck in a breath to protest before she’d shoved me forwards to the very edge of the platform. I skidded to a halt, my groin smacking up against a very solid stalagmite. I groaned in pain as I winced down at the sea of furious, desperate demon faces.

Father gripped me by my tail and tugged me, clapping me on the back as I staggered and fell into place beside him.