Page 30 of Thorn & Ash
“Here we are,” Trivia said, snapping Prue out of her thoughts.
She blinked and looked up. They had just crested a large hill, and below them rested a tiny hamlet, the buildings reminding Prue so much of her home in Krenia that her stomach twisted into knots.
“Is this Erebos?” Prue whispered.
“It is indeed,” Trivia said. “The only village in the entire realm.”
A village. Here in the Underworld. The thought was so jarring that Prue had to take a moment to catch her breath. She had no idea what to expect.
“You’ll be fine,” Trivia said, misreading her apprehension. “They’ll sense your power. They won’t touch you.”
“Do you live here?” Prue asked as Trivia led her down the hill.
“Yes.” Trivia’s voice lifted with pride. “Anyone who isn’t royal lives here. Demons, lesser gods and goddesses, and even the mortals who have transitioned to the afterlife. At least, those who choose to stay.”
Prue nodded, remembering what she’d said about giving them the choice. She found herself appreciating the system they had here, giving mortals the option of where they would like to go. It gave Prue a modicum of comfort about her own afterlife.
Will I end up here, too? she wondered. She was the queen of the realm, yes, but would that matter? What would happen to her if she died here?
Trivia and Prue reached the small gates, already thrown open wide to receive them. A throng of people awaited them, all grim-faced and stony. Most of them were demons, some with tails, and others with long horns and fangs. One had the head of an ox, and another had gleaming red eyes and a forked tongue.
Prue tried not to shudder away from them, knowing many couldn’t control their appearances. She thought of Cyrus and his ram horns. She had never found his appearance disturbing or horrifying. In time, she’d even grown to appreciate his otherworldly beauty.
With this perspective in mind, she found herself looking at each demon with keen interest, wondering what their story was and why they were here. Did they have jobs? Did they serve Cyrus, or one of his brothers? One demon inclined his head toward Prue, and she repeated the gesture, feeling warmth bloom inside her.
Trivia approached the tallest demon, a bald, scrawny fellow with leathery black wings. “Another incident?” Trivia asked.
The demon nodded slowly, his glittering black eyes fixing on Prue. She met his gaze, her chin lifting slightly. A smile curled at the corners of his lips, but it felt far from friendly.
“Show me,” Trivia said.
With one last smirk at Prue, the demon turned and strode toward the center of the village. Trivia and Prue trailed behind him, past worn buildings and dusty shops. The area as a whole looked abandoned and neglected, a shell of the vibrant village Prue was used to in Krenia. With each step, her heart sank further in her chest. Broken windows, doors hanging off hinges, demons crouching in alleys and digging through garbage for food…
“What happened here?” Prue whispered in horror.
“Shockingly, the royals here don’t really care about the commoners,” Trivia said, her voice full of venom.
Ire and indignation flared in Prue’s chest, and she heaved an angry, shuddering breath. Cyrus let this happen? He let this village wither and waste away, let his subjects starve? Cyrus could be cruel, but she never thought him capable of this.
Perhaps he’s not the man you thought he was, said a small voice in her head.
Resolve coursed through her as she vowed to find out. Part of her wanted to argue that if dark magic had possessed Cyrus, then perhaps whatever happened here wasn’t his doing. But it was clear this misuse had been going on for much longer than Prue had been here. Years, perhaps.
What was Cyrus’s excuse? He certainly had enough power to go around. And yet, he would allow this neglect to continue…
Rage boiled inside her, and Prue clung to it, letting it bleed out any fear or uncertainty lingering in her mind. If she couldn’t save Cyrus, she would do everything in her power to save this village, no matter the cost. She couldn’t simply stand by and do nothing when these people were suffering.
Trivia stopped at the village square where a demon child was bound with her hands behind her back, her all-black eyes wide as they fixed on Trivia. The child’s small white horns poked through her matted blond hair. Her thin, malnourished body quivered with fear.
Trivia stopped short and went rigid. “A child?” she accused the bald demon next to her.
The demon nodded somberly.
“What?” Prue asked, her eyes glued to the restrained child. “What’s going on?”
“There has been a darkness seeping into the village as of late,” Trivia murmured. “It’s starting to claim demons. This is the first time it’s claimed a child.”
“How can you tell?” Prue asked, scrutinizing the child, who appeared normal, as far as demons were concerned.