I knew Kasmodeus had died; he’d stopped screaming.

Dead was the wrong word. What did dead mean in the Afterlife? Discorporated, disintegrated, unmade.

A fate I would share soon enough.

I had wondered if I remained human on many occasions since Xaltorath first tricked me into accepting her help. If so, perhaps there would be a next life for me.

If I was a demon, quite a different fate awaited.

An elephant slowed, then crouched with an impact that shook the woods. Her rider swung down from her back.

He wore strange clothing, green and gold, the pattern looking something like snake scales. He wore no shirt at all, but fabric hung about his torso like long fringe, a knight’s parade dress—if the knight in question had foolishly forgotten to wear armor.

His black skin made his features difficult to pick out in the dim light, but I thought he was exceedingly handsome.

His eyes shone like clear, bright jade.

He held two daggers in his hands, a bow slung across his back—not an idle passenger but one of Thaena’s warriors, out hunting demons.

I found myself coughing and felt liquid touching my lips—blood, or whatever played that role here.

“You’re still alive,” he told me. He seemed surprised by the revelation.

I felt like laughing, but the pain stopped me. I smiled at him instead, or at least I tried to. It’s more likely the expression on my face resembled a rictus. “Not for much longer, I think.” I winced and tried not to let agony overwhelm me. “Come closer. I would ask you a boon.”

“A boon?” He tilted his head and shifted his grip on his weapons.

“Yes, my beautiful killer. A boon. A favor before you take my head.”

He stepped closer.

“Well?” He bent down next to me on one knee, but I noticed he kept his weapons ready, his eyes wary and alert. He hadn’t lowered his guard.

Good. I liked him already.

“They were trying to start a Hellmarch,” I told him. “In Jorat. They were trying to create a prince instead of summoning one. They would have kept killing people, offering all those souls to a single demon. The demon would become more powerful with each death. Every soul fed to him would make him strong, until finally he’d be as strong as a prince. Strong enough to open gates to Hell on his own. Set demons loose. You have to warn them. This time, it failed, but they’ll try again.”

He met my eyes. “What makes you think I give a damn what happens to Quur?”

That stopped me.