Through Flame and Blade

Ch. 29 Alarms

*Chiara

At the threshold to the next hall, after they had crossed the endless sea of gambling tables and tempting feasts, an ear-splitting gong of bells sounded. Chiara ducked, reflexively, heart hammering instantly with apprehension.

"That can't be good," she said.

"That's the alarm." Logan's face was grim. "They have discovered Lucius, or the dust that is left of him, and know there is a traitor in the halls who killed him."

"I'm not a traitor, I'm an enemy."

"Dirk will tell them both of us were in that dungeon. They'll be looking for a traitor and an angel. Now, the hunt begins."

They stepped through the invisible, dark curtain that marked the space between the halls and bright light stung Chiara's eyes, leaving her blind for several seconds. She blinked until her sight cleared.

Greed. This hall had to be Greed.

Oddly, the hall appeared to be outside in a tropical paradise of a winding sandy beach, surrounded by shimmering, blue waters, great wooden ships moored in the protected cove nearby, and among playful waves, humans and demons cavorted, half or mostly naked. That wasn't the clue that tipped her off, though.

Like a pirate's cove, piles of sparkling jewels lay on tables, barrels, the sand, under palm trees, and among the many, many bottles of rum strewn about.

Opposite the cove, stood a building of large wooden beams, which was three stories high, with a winding balcony running along the front. It stretched on and on as far as she could see, same as the beach.

A necklace of pearls lay at her feet in the warm sand. The cream and pink jewels glowed in the sun, soft and inviting. Nothing had ever seemed so beautiful to her before. She stooped to pick them up.

Logan's hand smacked them away. "Don't let greed distract you from the fact we are being hunted, my sweet."

She had to blink, as if clearing her eyes again. The halls—and the sins—wormed their way in her head over and over. She couldn't stop it, but she had to try. She nodded and fell into step behind him. Hot sand dragged at her feet and the splashing waves called to her weary heart.

When this is over, I will find a deserted island in the midlands and relax on a beach like this one. I will lie back in the warm water and let it wash away every pain and hurt from this wretched hole.

From the beach, they crossed through a short line of tall palm trees. Her eyes landed on Logan's wide shoulders.

I could take him with me...

The idea sang in her heart.

They had to go to the midlands, Earth as humans called it, for him to find a hiding place anyway. What better place to start the hiding than a small island in the middle of one of the great oceans? If they could get there, they would deserve it.

"Logan," she said.

He stopped. They had reached the building—a brothel, judging from the noises within. Human women and men flowed in and out of the doors, often with demons, and people crowded the porch under the balcony, laughing, drinking, fighting, and having sex openly.

A blush warmed her cheeks. All along in the halls, humans and demons had been coupling in twos or more, but for some reason, it bothered her more here in the light of the sun.

An empty bottle came flying from a window and a fight broke out on the second floor. Screams and more bottles came raining down.

"Come on." Logan pulled her forward just as a demon fell to the ground where she had been standing. He groaned, drunk and in pain, but slumped over, unconscious.