Insidious(93)

And kill him.





Chapter 25

Broken





I had underestimated how many journals Reese’s father had kept. It was the freaking Encyclopædia Britannica of demonology and folklore. No wonder it took Reese so long trying to find anything. Unlike the Encyclopædia however, these journals didn’t have any real organization to them. It was all very random. One page would talk about a particular demon; the next would be about how to exorcise a different one entirely. It seemed his father just documented everything as he went along, which didn’t make research particularly easy. When we returned to Mystic Harbor, we spent the rest of the school day in his basement, flipping through the countless volumes to no avail. Not one mention of Sitri.

Great, some evil lord of the Underworld had deemed me as his hellish bride, and I hadn’t the slightest clue who I was dealing with. The question kept gnawing at me, relentless in its pursuit to find an answer.

Why me?

Why did this demonic prince pick me of all people?

If he was looking for an evil, malicious bitch that thrived on unholy power, surely he would’ve targeted Ava Ashford. Instead, I was the lucky winner to be bound to a scaly red-skinned creature with horns. At least, that’s what I was picturing.

And the journals were only reinforcing my fears. Every depiction of a demon in its natural form included dragon wings, a serpent tail, a goat’s head, or worse.

I mentioned to Madsen of my recent discovery concerning my parentage, and he didn’t seem particularly surprised given the circumstances. Blood Magic appeared to be the most powerful form of sorcery known to man, and specific individuals held more powerful blood based on their lineage. The chance I was linked to at least the girl killed in the summoning ceremony seemed highly likely. If her blood was significant enough to enact dark magic, then certainly a Mage with that same blood in their veins would prove to be most formidable. I’d been engineered into becoming the perfect weapon.

“Got him.” Reese’s voice startled me out of my stupor as he sat down beside me on his mattress.

I crooked a brow at him, seeing the title on the book page opened in his hands. “Bitru?”

He lobbed the journal at me. “Keep reading.”

“Sitri, commonly referred to by rank as Bitru, is a Great Prince of Hell and the leader of sixty-six legions of demons. As a demigod of darkness and chaos, he uses trickery and deception to create pandemonium wherever he may go. Sitri is also blessed with the ability of foresight, making his wisdom the prime temptation to summon him. It is highly advised not to attempt conjuring this Prince however, given that his powers of persuasion are often used against those who summon him. His influence is nearly impossible to resist, thus turning anyone he captivates into his unwitting servant. He is the Crown Prince of Lust and is said to be dangerously charming and unnaturally handsome.” My eyes continued scanning the page, feeling the knot in my stomach expand to the size of a baseball as I read a particular passage. “One of his many skills is illusion, in which he can disguise himself as anyone he chooses. Furthermore, he can take possession of any human vessel, but it can hold nothing more than a fraction of his potential. Only upon claiming his rightful mate can he take his true form, therefore unleashing his supreme power and wrath upon mankind…”

My hands fell limp in my lap, forcing Reese to take back the book before it slid from my grasp.

Well, this was just dandy. It wasn’t like I was expecting Sitri to be the ruler of teddy bears, puppies, and rainbows, but really?

“Makes sense why the Moraine wanted me dead, and why Sitri didn’t bother bringing back Blaine,” said Reese. “There’s no room for possible competition, seeing as how you’re the key to breaking his final seal.”

“I’m what?”

“When his so-called ‘mate’ is marked, she apparently has to go through something known as the Great Rite. It’s a multilevel ritual of some kind that’s used to unlock the seal trapping Sitri’s power in Hell.”

I fell back against the mattress, jamming a pillow over my face.

“I don’t think asphyxiation is the answer,” Reese chuckled.

The weight of the bed shifted, and I could feel the heat from his body running down my entire left side. I finally pulled the pillow away, turning over to see that Reese was indeed lying next to me. “What is the answer, then? We have no idea how to find Sitri. Even if we come across a black-eyed person, how can we tell if it’s actually him and not just another run-of-the-mill demon? I doubt he’s gonna be sauntering around with his runes on display.”

“If Sitri is as strong as these texts suggest, he probably won’t have black eyes anyway,” Reese sighed inwardly, lobbing the journal to the side. “He’ll be able to conceal his demonic nature, even from the likes of us.” I moaned again, ready to slam his pillow back over my face when he caught hold of it and ripped it away. “We’ve got time to figure it out. The Great Rite can only be performed during a Sanguine lunar cycle.