Immortal Rider_ Lords of Deliverance Series_ - Larissa Ione [87]
Arik moved on to a wall that was covered in huge blocks of lettering. “What does all of this say? Looks like a couple different languages.”
She nodded. “Some is in Latin, but most is in Sheoulic.” She ran her finger over a block of black lettering in the gray stone. “This is the legend of our origins.” She pointed to another section. “That’s a wedding program of sorts.”
A curious, dark anger rolled off his body, but she instinctively knew it wasn’t directed at her. “What’s it say?”
“A bunch of crap from my contract, mostly.” Assuming he knew Sheoulic, she read the words aloud. “The daughter of Lilith shall be married by the blood of an angel no more, and the pearls of virtue shall then be broken by her husband.”
His expression turned both thoughtful and angry, and she swore she heard him growl. Inexplicably, she was a little… turned on… by his reaction to the wedding plans. He twined his fingers in hers and tugged her a little closer, and she let out a happy sigh as Ares and Than entered, a tall, green-skinned Isfet walking between them.
Ares remained at the door as Than led the Isfet inside. “I don’t think he knows why he’s here. We couldn’t really communicate.”
“How’d you get him to come with you?” Arik asked.
Than shrugged. “We kidnapped him.”
Kidnapping was so something Reseph would have done, and she couldn’t help but smile. “You will return him without the Neethul learning of this, right?” The Neethul kept the Isfet as slaves, and they were experts in the art of cruel punishment. No doubt the Isfet would be blamed for his own kidnapping.
“Of course,” Ares said.
Than grinned. “And if any Neethul find out, we’ll make sure they can’t repeat it to anyone else.” Now that was one hundred percent Thanatos. He glanced over at Arik. “Ball’s in your court, human.”
Arik, who had changed into black BDUs and was loaded down with weapons Kynan had brought to Limos’s house before they left, turned his attention to the Isfet. “Greetings,” he said, in perfect Sheoulic. “We would like to ask you some questions.”
The Isfet, who Limos assumed was a male, though she wasn’t sure why, blinked his big, round eyes. “This demon you ask?”
Right. She’d forgotten how bad their Sheoulic was.
Arik sank down on one of the benches, and she got the impression he was trying to look non-threatening. Though with his chest harness and gun belt, she didn’t think it worked. It did add an extra layer of sexy to him, though.
“Can you speak to me in your language?”
The Isfet nodded, his long, spindly fingers curling around his walking staff. “Is I know?”
“Criminy.” Arik scrubbed his hand over his face as he looked at Limos. “No wonder you’ve had a hard time talking to them.”
The demon’s skin changed color like a chameleon’s, turning sparkly silver, and he said something in the Isfet language. Arik frowned, but made a gesture for the demon to continue. After a few minutes, Arik blew out a long breath.
“This language is freaky. I’ve never had to listen this long to learn one. Just when I think I might have it… wait.” Arik spoke a few words Limos didn’t understand. The Isfet jerked, his tiny mouth falling open. Arik spoke again, and with an animated flapping of his arms, the Isfet spoke about a million words a minute.
Arik turned to Limos. “Have you been searching chambers of… ice?”
“Yes.” She moved closer to him. “Some of the rumors we followed up on spoke of ice caves, both in Sheoul and in the human realm.”
Arik took her hand again and pulled her down next to him. “What about the boiling glass?”
Limos sighed. “We assume that could be lava, so we’ve looked in volcanic chambers as