Charade (Heven and Hell #2)(98)
Author: Cambria Hebert

“In a cell right next to Sam. She helped us get out of there.”

“You must wait to go back, form a plan,” Gemma urged.

She knew as well as I did that no amount of planning would help me. I was on a suicide mission to Hell that I refused to back out of. At the very least, I was hoping to trade myself for Sam.

“Please,” Gemma urged. “I’ll help you get ready.”

“You’ll teach me to fight?” I asked.

“Yes,” Gemma promised over Cole’s dark cursing.

“Meet me later at the farm. We’ll begin then,” I said. “I have to check on Logan, but first I have something I need to do.” Something I needed to be alone for.

Gemma nodded, but Cole frowned. “Where are you going?”

“Will you stay with Logan until I get there?”

“Hev.” Worry and regret shone in his eyes.

I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his waist. He returned the hug with force. “You don’t have to worry about me. Meet me at the farm later.”

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“I understand why you made me leave,” I told him. “Thank you.” As much as I hated to admit it, Cole was right to pull me out. I would be of no use to Sam if my soul was gone. I have to make sure that he is out and safe before I sacrifice my soul to save him.

“We’ll stay with Logan,” Gemma promised.

As I walked away from them, I heard Cole’s whispered words, “I feel like I should explain about Kimber…”

Gemma answered just as quietly as he had spoken. “Don’t. Everyone has a past. Including me.”

I didn’t hang around to hear the rest. It didn’t really matter.

Just as the city of Portland was awakening, I strolled away from the fountain and stared up at the newly lightened sky to yell, “Airis!”

*   *   *

The bright white of the InBetween was assaulting to my dark mood, but I ignored it, realizing that I asked to come here and it really wasn’t fair of me to treat anyone (especially someone who would hopefully help me) to my unhappiness.

“Things haven’t been easy lately,” Airis said, appearing before me. Her blond hair shone brightly as it framed her face with loose curls.

“So you know what has happened?”

“To Logan and to Sam, yes.”

“I have the Treasure Map,” I said, holding out the bronze tube, hoping she would take it and I would be rid of its responsibility.

“It is incomplete.”

I glanced down at its torn, jagged edge. “Yes. But I know what part is missing. I can replace it.” Who would have thought that having a photographic memory would actually be helpful?

“Did anyone else read it?”

“No. It was burned.”

As I held it out, a new bronze case formed around the scroll. The metal was smooth and perfect without any of the scratches and dents the previous case held.

“You’re not going to take it back, are you?” I said, not being able to keep the disappointment from my voice.

“No.”

“But why? It belongs in Heaven, where it is safe.”

“It is incomplete.”

“If I complete it, will you take it back?”

“When the time is right you will know what to do with the Treasure Map.”

Not exactly the answer I was looking for, but I accepted it because the scroll wasn’t why I was here. “Can you help me get Sam out of Hell?”

“I cannot.” Airis bowed her head as if to apologize.

I wanted to weep and scream at the same time. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as a perfect image of Sam formed behind my eyes. He was beautiful, all tan and gold with deep whiskey-colored eyes and a perfectly sculpted face. I couldn’t let him down.

“Why?” I asked, calmly.

“I have no control over what goes on in Hell.”

“Beelzebub has Sam.”

“Did you know he’s a fallen angel?”

I shook my head. That explained why he thought demons were beneath him.

“He became the Chief of Demon’s on Christ’s allowance. He is very powerful.”

“You mean God appointed him Chief of Demons?” I asked, curious.

“Yes.”

“But why?”

“There are many theories,” Airis hedged, clearly not wanting to get into a religious debate.

I shrugged. I guess it didn’t matter anyway. What mattered was what was happening now.

It was hard to believe that violent, cruel man once came from Heaven. “How can I defeat him?”

“I do not know. He is very dangerous. My advice would be not to go up against him. Avoid him at all costs.”

At cost to Sam?

Hell. No.

“Can you give me some more supernatural powers that can help me get Sam back?”

“You have already been gifted supernatural powers.”

Yeah, stupid ones. I didn’t dare say it out loud because I didn’t want to sound ungrateful, but I mean, really, seeing auras and having a photographic memory… I wouldn’t even call them powers—just abilities to make me a freak. Yet, I couldn’t say that they hadn’t been completely worthless.

“So you aren’t going to help me at all, help Sam? Not even after everything he has done to help you?” It just wasn’t fair.

“You will have to do this on your own. Hell is not a place where I can help you.”

“Send me home.” I blinked back tears. “Please.”

Airis studied me for a long moment and I had to struggle to hold onto my patience and my calm. I would not cry. I would be stronger than that for Sam.

“There is something I can give you,” Airis said.

“What?”

“You only have minutes,” she said and then disappeared.

“Airis!” I yelled. Why had she left like that? How was I going to get home?

A sob caught in my throat and I scrubbed my eyes with the palms of my hands. When I looked up someone was standing before me. I blinked back the tears to clear my vision… certain that I was seeing things.

“Heven,” the familiar voice filled me with longing and warmth.

It took me a moment to realize he was really there. That he really spoke.

“Daddy?” I whispered.

He nodded and held out his arms.

I ran right into them.

He smelled exactly the same. All the years that he had been gone fell away and it was like he had never left at all.

“I’ve missed you,” I whispered into his chest.