Throne in the Dark (Villains and Virtues Book 1) by A. K. Caggiano

Author:A. K. Caggiano [Caggiano, A. K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-09-27T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

TRADE DEALS, TARIFFS, AND TRANSLOCATION

D amien pulled the idol from his pocket again. It was maybe the third time since they’d left the Stormwing manor, but he knew himself well enough: his patience wouldn’t hold up, not even long enough for them to get out of town first. He had to know for sure, and he had to know now.

The garden was deserted and walled. It wouldn’t protect from infernal arcana, but he hadn’t seen a single guard wandering amongst the estates, holy or otherwise. A mistake on their part, but then he had taken care of their Abyssal problem, even if they didn’t know they had it. Amma was right about that at the least, though it was just an aftereffect of his true goal.

There was a sparse patch of ground ahead, and Damien took a look around. The walls were set far off but high; one would need to stand on the roof of the closest estate to see inside, and the place was so ill-kept he doubted anyone would. As the sky shifted to deeper blue, he placed the half of the idol on the ground, his smear of blood still across it. Spent blood lost its magic quickly, a lucky thing for blood mages who were so cavalier with the stuff. It was only through arcane means of preservation that their inherent magic could linger in a droplet or smear, and that needed to be done immediately.

Damien moved to slice his finger once again on his dagger, but stopped. No. This would take much more blood than that.

He tugged down his tunic and cut into his chest this time, cold metal against skin still hot from the succubus, both from fighting her and…the other thing she’d done. Perhaps it was foolish to cast now, after expending so much arcana already, but the thought was a moment too late into the commitment. And this was no time to show weakness, especially with that embarrassment back in the bedchamber.

Succubi weren’t typically formidable, and had he just cut through that Stormwing boy, he could have taken down the one who had gotten to him, but spending the time to expel the possession allowed that infernal creature to see too deeply into him and exploit the thing he wanted.

Being too careful with that human also put him right in harm’s way. That wasn’t how Damien did things, but when he saw Amma there in the corner, watching him hold a dagger to such a weak and possessed man, he felt compelled to show mercy, like he was the one embedded with an enthrallment talisman.

And weakness always followed weakness. Pinned down under the succubus, Damien had fallen under its charm, briefly but dangerously, and when he looked up, he hadn’t actually seen the infernal creature atop him. Ubi creatures showed their victims forms and faces they believed would entice them, and Damien was embarrassed to admit she had looked like Amma for a moment. It was because the woman was

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