Alice in Demonland
Chapter 12: Down, Down, Down the Tree

I caught up with Kade. He gave me a serious look before turning his attention to Wrythe’s back. I continued to stare up at him, unable to believe the strange and varied emotions coursing through my body. That Wrythe asked to see us wasn’t a good sign. Either he intended to get to the bottom of the Kade conundrum or kill him. I hoped for the first. As for me, well it was possible Wrythe could exile me for not doing my job. I’d been given an order but still hadn’t accomplished it.

Kade wasn’t as tall as the other males but was head and shoulders taller than me. “What do you think he wants?” I whispered.

Kade gave me a sad smile. “We’ll know soon enough, won’t we?”

Wrythe walked to the elevator we’d ridden to go up into Wonderland a few nights ago. Once we were inside, he pulled a key from his pocket. Stuck it into the keyhole and turned. Instead of going up, we went down. I hadn’t known there was anything below us. We were so far down already.

“Where are we going?” I asked, nervously, my dinner turning sour in my stomach.

Wrythe didn’t answer and my heart sped up. Fear was an emotion I’d schooled myself to control, but at our King’s strange conduct, I was afraid.

The elevator stopped and the door slid open.

“Stay close.” Wrythe glanced over his shoulder, making sure I heard him.

“Okay.”

The air was chilly and I could see my breath. Wind ghosted past, causing the edges of my hair to tickle my neck. Our footsteps echoed making it obvious we were surrounded by rock. It was dark too. No light guided our way. My demon power shuddered to life and I could see well enough to know we walked along a concrete path.

Metal doors lined the hallway, but I had no desire to know what was being held behind them.

When we reached the end of the hall, we turned left and continued down another hall with more doors, exactly like the first. It was our fourth left turn that I realized something was off. We should’ve come full circle, but we hadn’t. Though the halls looked the same, they felt different. The air was thinner.

On the seventh turn, Wrythe came to a stop at a dead end. At first it appeared to be nothing more than a rock wall, until he placed his hand upon it. Then it ignited red and the outline of a door appeared. He leaned his bodyweight against it and the door swung in. “After you,” he said, stepping to the side once it fully opened.

A new kind of terror sank like a heavy weight onto my heart. I had no idea what was about to happen. Whatever it was, it would end badly. Of that I was sure. But I went in after Kade because Wrythe had ordered it.

The room we entered was dimly lit. Then thousands of candles sparked to life. They sat on darkened candelabras thick with hardened wax. More candles lined shelves, and rested on every flat surface. The walls were covered in what appeared to be sheer white curtains.

Directly in front of us stood six figures dressed in covered robes, each dressed to match six of the seven deadly royalty demons. A large hood swallowed their faces, making it impossible to tell who was underneath, though I believed I had an idea. They were my instructors, each one representing the demon who had been their sire. The one in the purple hood lifted his head and Peter’s face came into view. The others followed. Wrythe took his place in the center. He’d put on a red robe.

Without meaning to I stepped closer to Kade, which made no sense. I’d known the men and women in the robes since I’d first come to the compound at the age of twelve. I should be less afraid of them, but I wasn’t. My body sought out Kade’s comfort.

“Kade Everett. You have been summoned,” Wrythe said.

“For what purpose? I’ve played by your rules, and have done as you’ve asked by allowing the girl to keep a close eye on me, though you know it wasn’t necessary.”

He gave me a quick look and I glared. He hadn’t allowed me to do anything. Not only that, but what did he mean that they knew. Was his identity not a mystery to them?

“I’ve given you no cause for concern,” he went on, his voice confident and steady.

“This is true, Wrythe. He has been nothing but respectable,” Peter said.

“Yes, but we’re no closer to knowing what he wants. He’s told the girl nothing about his true heritage or why he is here,” the trainer Lily said. Her gray eyes cut to me. They felt like knives against my soul. “Unless the girl has developed feelings for the boy and no longer is on our side.”

How dare she? Why would she say such a thing?

“Fine, I’ll answer your questions now, if that will make you happy.” Kade took another step toward the seven before glancing back at me.

“It’s too late for that,” Wrythe growled. “You must face the Trial of Three. If you return, then we will listen.”