The Styles Brothers

Chapter Twenty Four: The Hounds of Hell

James's POV

We crept silently down the dim hallways, lit torches nailed to the walls in a clichè eerie manner. Elena was in front of me, keeping close to the wall as we kept at a snail's pace.

"The only way out is through the throne room," I whispered behind her. Her head turned round to lock eyes with mine; an aggravated look on her face.

"You've gotta be kidding me."

"I wish I was," I replied, a bit ruefully.

"So what, we sneak past him?"

"It's the only way," I shrugged. "Unless you have a better idea."

Elena blew out a large breath, eyes narrowed. "Alright."

"We can hide behind the pillars that line the walls," I suggested. "He sleeps a lot of the time, we might be able to get out without trouble, if we're quiet."

We began moving again. "What about Lilith?" came her reply.

"She's in the Fifth Realm tonight."

We approached the door leading to the throne room. I motioned for her to be quiet as I opened it a crack, peering into the large hall. The red arm of Lucifer hung lazily over the edge of his chair, lifting and falling slightly with each deep breath.

"He's asleep," I hissed back to her. "Ready?"

"Yeah."

I swung the door open. On silent feet, we crept behind one of the large pillars holding up the roof. I stuck my head out and counted down the row. Seven. I thought. We can do this.

"One," I whispered. I darted towards the next marble pillar, approximately ten feet away. At the last moment, I tucked into a somersault, landing in a somewhat kneeling position. I turned back to see Elena sticking her tongue out. Show off, she glared at me. I smiled, beckoning her towards me.

She dashed to my side. "James, why aren't we just teleporting out of here?"

"We can't teleport out once inside this Realm, only intravenously. The only way out is to find the in-between and go from there," I explained in a hushed whisper.

I ran behind the next pillar, Elena close behind me. When we reached the final pillar, the door stood slightly ajar a few feet away. "We're almost there," Elena said excitedly in my ear.

I took a breath before running towards it, Elena hot on my heels. It swung open easily as we tumbled outside, into the dark. Ashy and barren, lightning flashed across the stormy sky before thunder roared in reply a few moments later.

Harry materialized by our sides, along with a female face I hadn't seen for a century.

"Come on," Harry grunted, grabbing us both. I barely had time to shut my eyes before we were a mile away from the castle, in a burnt and gray wood. A copper-haired man I assumed was Elena's father nervously approached us between the ashy trees, but my gaze was solely trained on the girl with the bow and arrow.

She had grown taller, much taller than when we'd last seen her. Almost my height and very slender, with braided black curls, Lily looked like a demon hunter at her finest.

"Lily?"

"Sansavi," she acknowledged, her voice terse. Her irritated green gaze refused to meet mine. She was upset with me.

"Lily, don't be angry with m-"

"Why should I not be, Sansavi?" She finally turned, braid flying as she stormed forwards. I backed up a little. "How could you be so incompetent? You could have gotten us all killed!"