dressed in a patchwork robe, blinded by the lengths of glass that still pierced its closed eyes. Its bald head was covered in ash and its mouth was smeared with lipstick. It bared its glass-shard teeth as it sniffed the air.
“Amber Lamont,” it said. “And … Ooooooh. Axton, Axton, Paul Axton. I remember you, Paul Axton. You tried to cheat my Master. You tried to run.”
“It was a misunderstanding,” Axton said. “I swear that’s all this is, a simple misunderstanding.”
“Then why run?”
“I panicked. I got scared. There’s really no need to—”
Amber smacked him to shut him up. “I need to see Astaroth,” she said. “Just a word. That’s all I want.”
Fool frowned. “Pertaining to what matter?”
“Pertaining to me, Fool.”
“I will tell Lord Astaroth you are here,” said Fool, and tugged on Bigmouth’s chain. Bigmouth scrambled ahead and Fool followed, disappearing through a wide crack in the wall. Amber didn’t know the shortcuts the way Fool did – she barely knew how to take the long way round – so she shoved Axton ahead of her and started walking.
When they got to the giant doors, Fool and Bigmouth were waiting for them.
“Lord Astaroth is ready to receive you,” said Fool.
The doors swung open, and Amber dragged Axton into a large hall with mirrored walls, in the centre of which were ten steps that led up to the throne of the Shining Demon. And there he sat, Astaroth, gazing down at them, orange light swirling like lava beneath his skin.
Axton dropped to his knees. “My Lord Astaroth. Forgive my stupidity.”
Astaroth ignored him, looked instead to Amber. “You grow impatient, it seems.”
Her eyes flickered to Fool, who kept its head down. “Not impatient, Lord Astaroth, just … eager. You sent me to track down my parents, but every time I get close I have to go after people like this.”
“And that upsets you?”
“I just … I feel like if I could focus on my parents, I’d be able to get them to you a lot quicker.”
“And you want your vengeance, naturally.”
She saw no point in lying. “Yes,” she said.
“You are impatient,” said Astaroth, “yet, to me, not even a moment has passed since your parents were born. You place far too much importance on the passage of time, as if time has any bearing on this place, or those who dwell here. Your parents will not escape me. That is all you need to know.”
Amber bowed. “Yes, Lord.”
“There is something else you wish to say.”
She looked up. “My Lord?”
“Speak, girl.”
A hesitation. “I’ve been carrying out my duties, my Lord, but on occasion I’ve had to call on the extra strength you provided in order to do so.”
“You have been consuming the vials of my blood.”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“Two, my Lord.”
“And you want more.”
“No, my Lord, actually, I … I don’t. Your blood makes me stronger and it’s … intoxicating, but I’ve been, uh, I’ve been seeing things. And hearing things. Hallucinations. I was—”
“You worry that you may be losing your mind,” said Astaroth.
“Yes, my Lord.”
Astaroth smiled. “You are my representative. As such, you must be open to different ways of thinking, to new ways of processing information. My blood is helping to expand that capacity.”
“So I’m not going crazy?”
“Oh no, you most definitely are. But, as long as you stay useful to me, you will remain alive.”
“But … but Lord Astaroth …”
“Begone, little creature,” said the Shining Demon, turning to Axton. “I have other matters to attend to.”
Amber hesitated, but left before Axton started screaming. She didn’t like the screaming.
AMBER RETURNED TO THE wall behind Walmart, and the circle of fire around her died and she stayed where she was, her hands curled into fists. Bright light raked the air in rhythmic sweeps, announcing the presence of the Kingston Valley Fire Department. Right about now, perhaps, they were discovering the eyeless remains of the security guard inside, or maybe they were gazing in puzzlement at the dozens of little furry bodies lying in pools of water and whiskey.
Amber left them to it. She didn’t know what happened when the civilian world encountered the horrors of the Demon Road. She didn’t know who they called or what they did. She didn’t care.
She hopped the wall, made for the Dodge Charger parked by the kerb. The trunk popped as she neared and she reverted. Gone was the six-foot, red-skinned goddess, and here was her shorter counterpart, the girl with her brown hair in tangles and her belly stretching her tank top. Her face lost the high cheekbones and the perfect nose and the plump lips as it settled into its normal, less beautiful shape. Months ago, this reversion would have depressed her, but these days there was someone out there, a girl with tattoo sleeves and a smile as wicked as her sense of humour, who found this version of Amber quite beautiful indeed.
The thought of Kelly made Amber smile. But then she remembered their last conversation, when Kelly had found out that Amber had agreed to become the Shining Demon’s representative, and the smile faded and died.
She opened one of her bags, took out sweatpants and a T-shirt, pulled them on over her activewear. Then she rooted around for her phone, finding it right at the bottom. She’d had it for three weeks and already the screen was cracked. She stuffed it in her pocket, closed the trunk and got in the Charger.
“All done?” Milo asked as he turned the key. The Charger started with a roar.
“Of course,” she said.
They headed away from the flashing lights. “He say anything of note?”
Amber shook her head. “Not really.”
“Did you tell him what’s bothering you?”
“He’s not my therapist.”
“Did you mention the hallucinations?”
