Fifteen
Rosario flung an arm around the demon’s shoulder, “how do you think that woman came in contact with the crown?”
Mal frowned in thought, he looked up at the Italian, “I can only think of one reason that I would say is pretty obvious.”
The angel sighed and rolled his eyes, “She works for whoever has the crown.”
Mal reached up and ruffled his hair in a teasing way, “see, you’re not so dumb after all.”
“You love me really,” Rosario grinned.
“Do I?”
“Yup.”
The angel turned around while Mal went ahead to reserve rooms only to stop short, he swallowed thickly and glanced over to where the other was talking with the receptionist.
“Mal-” He stopped short and cleared his throat, he turned around and joined the demon who gave him a concerned look, as Rosario spoke his voice rose in pitch, “honey, the kids are gone.”
Mal gave a tight lipped false smile (that looked more like a grimace) to the receptionist, “it’ll just be a moment.” Then he turned to Rosario and pulled him away to an empty corner, “what do you mean they are gone?”
Rosario grimaced, “They probably lost us in the crowd, I think.”
“We need to go find the-” Mal cut off his eyes locking on a woman with red skin entering a dark stairwell, “oh for the love of- follow me.”
He grabbed Rosario’s elbow and dragged him along all the while ignoring the confused babbling of the angel who fell silent as soon as they began to ascend stairs that seemed to lead into nothing but shadow. Soon he was frowning as they continued up and up on the seemingly never ending steps, the angel’s glow showing them the way. Rosario ran up after the demon, the music and chatter becoming nothing more than background noise as they came to a stop at the beginning of a corridor. Their eyes were drawn to the two guards standing outside the second to last one. Dull candle light seeped out from the crack between the floor and door, it clawed at the ground trying to get further but with no success it remained where it was.
Mal marched forward, his coat billowing out behind him like a cape, Rosario watched him trying to calm his nerves and hide them as well as the demon in front of him. The two large men watched them with bored expressions their sunglasses would never be able to hide, their eyes landed on the demon in front of them and they immediately straightened.
“Mr. Blackheart,” one of them, the slightly chubbier one with a beard, rushed out in one, “Ms. Erstern has been waiting for you.”
“I thought as much,” Mal sighed then turned to Rosario, “you should-”
Rosario took a step forward, his hands coming to rest on both of Mal’s shoulders, “I’m coming with you.”
There was a beat of silence then the demon nodded. The two body guards remained silent, then they stepped aside and opened the dark oak door. Thick cold smoke like fog spilled out and clung to their feet as they walked further into the red lit room. In front of them was a chaise lounge around which hung a lace curtain, a woman was sitting on it, her legs crossed, and skin as red as the light. She wore an all black form fitting dress and her heeled boots gave her a few extra inches of height.
Mal crossed his arms and bowed his head, “Erduive, it has been long.”
“I could say the same, Mr. Blackheart, we sparsely see each other,” she sighed, a sound of false melancholy, “you hardly visit your grandfather.” She uncrossed her legs and stood walking towards a small table on top of which was a large bottle of liquor and three small cups, “care for a drink, gentlemen?”
“No,” The two answered at once, they then exchanged a glance, the angel snickered and the demon offered a faint smile.
“How boring,” Erduive groaned as she sat down in the seat beside the table, she gestured to the chair on the other side, “make yourself at home.”
The two exchanged a glance. Mal sighed and sat down while Rosario stood behind him like a bodyguard. The demon leaned back away from the strong smell of alcohol, he frowned and tried to hide his discomfort with a glare, “what brings you to the land of Envy?”
She took a sip of her drink, “the usual, running errands for Pride. I came to collect the people invited for the meeting, with that being said, you shouldn’t allow those three to walk around on their own, they don’t know how this place, this world, works. It’s dangerous.”
The demon fixed the woman with a harsher glare, “Where are they?”
Erduive paused for a second then tilted her head, an icy smile made it's way onto her face, “somewhere safe.”
Mal’s lips curled up into a snarl, his irises flashed red, “Where.are.they?”
The red skinned woman leaned back in her chair, her arms raised in mock surrender, “they are somewhere safe. You have no need to worry.”
Malice made a move to get up only for the angel to squeeze his shoulder and push him back down, Rosario sighed, “you have no idea do you?”
"Of course I do, I'm the one who sent them there," Erduive smirked at them.
"In the forest without name,
you may seek one with little fame.
Twenty black birds watch the ones hidden,
in Wrath's abode where light was forbidden.
Sly fox watches them,
waiting and waiting and then,
the crown upon pride's head falls
and only the mortal can protect the seperating walls."