King of the Underworld by RJ Kane

King of the Underworld

476

Adrik

“Yes! I’m on fire!” he said quietly again, making me laugh. I was happy to make him some money, or whatever they were betting with, while we talked. “Viktor will come around. You’ll see. Kostya talks to him nightly. This last time that Stephen helped him worked much better than the first time. He’s going to need it one more time, but then he should be good. Sephie helped him understand how his actions have come across to everyone else. He feels much better about everything, which means he’ll be much more comfortable around everyone very soon.”

“What happened to his demon?” I asked, curious,

He sighed. “He doesn’t know this, so let’s keep this between us, shall we?” I nodded in agreement. “When he asked for it to be taken away, the only choices that Kostya had were to send it back to H ell, where it may or may not ever get the chance to escape again. Or it could go to a sort of purgatory, if you will. Purgatory in the traditional, religious sense, isn’t a real place, but there is a sort of in between Earth and H ell. Kostya sent Viktor’s demon there. If Viktor ever reaches the point that he’s ready to join the rest of you, then it’ll be your jobs to fetch his demon from that

purgatory.”

be that demon? Are

no. For Viktor, it has to be that demon. You guys aren’t dealing with just any demons. There’s a hierarchy of demons. Every single one of you has a very old, very powerful demon with you. It had to be so. You’ve had the same demon over many lifetimes. This is the one that finally saw you each taming the demon. There have been

to be all of us, then how is it still working

helping him to clear

of Viktor’s demon.“

Viktor’s demon. “Is it safe wherever it is? Can

walk where it is, but Kostya keeps an eye on it. Viktor is fearful that he could tame the demon, which is why he asked for it to be taken away. Kostya is trying to help him have the confidence to be able to handle it,

fine. So far.”

worried that Sephie would love you less because of your demon. You’ve completely missed the part where your light is so strong that even your demon prefers to leave the shadows now. You’re worried for the safety of a demon just

now, aren’t you?”

am. I know Sephie is for sure, too. I’m almost positive Ivan is as well. I can feel the difference between Sephie’s demon