Bad Melody (Seven Deadly Sins #3)

Chapter Ten: Girl on a Mission

"She isn't dead," Murphy managed to gasp out as Dante turned his rage into a venomous cloud that filled the knight's lungs with sure death. His hands quickly followed, disarming Murphy without touching the holy sword, and grabbing him by the neck.

Something inside Dante had snapped when he saw the legendary flaming sword slice through Eliza. The idea that a Warrior of the Holy Order would strike down an innocent life for any sort of gain was almost unthinkable.

Almost.

He had most definitely witnessed one doing just that and he was going to relieve the warrior of his exceptionally long life for it.

Unless, of course, he could bring her back.

Dante cocked his head to the side and the awful pressure in Murphy's lungs eased just a fraction. The shadows around them drew back but moaned in protest, reaching for Murphy as hungry for his blood as Dante.

"I'm listening," he said waiting.

"I sent her to the Nether. She's still alive."

Dante closed his eyes and fought the urge to devour the warrior in one bite. It had been eons since someone had driven him that far but Murphy was on dangerously thin ice.

"Come. Again," he pushed the words out through clenched teeth. He applied pressure until he could feel the warrior's bones grind in a most satisfying manner.

"I didn't have a choice. She had to go. She has a mission."

Dante shoved the warrior away in disgust, kicking his sword for good measure. "Don't, Murphy. You struck down an innocent girl and you want to tell me it was divine ordinance? Bullshit! Bring her back or so help me I will end you," he promised.

Murphy rubbed his neck and bent to retrieve his weapon. "I can't. I've got orders."

"What orders?"

"She has to meet someone in the Nether. Someone who can help her. If she doesn't she won't live long enough to collect all the sins. If she refused my offer I was to send her over and wait for her return. That's all I know."

"That's the problem with all you soldiers. You never stop to question your goddamn orders." Dante rubbed his hands across his face. "Who's over there, Murphy?"

"A guide. A teacher. A prophet."

"What?"

"That's who's over there waiting for her. If she's strong she'll be out in twenty four hours."

"I'm going after her."

Murphy grabbed his map and began to roll it up. "That's your choice but you can't hide your true form in the Nether. Are you sure you want to show her who you really are, Dante?"

He turned and headed for the door.

"I'm sorry, brother. I didn't want it to go down this way."

"You're not my brother," Dante replied, his eyes flashing full black, "Count yourself lucky on that point. I would've eaten your face if you were."

Murphy only nodded. "I'll be back tomorrow."

"You better pray she makes it back out or I will make good on my promise," Dante said and the shadows he'd kept at bay swirled around him once more, eager for blood and death.

The door opened and the warrior slipped out. Dante watched him rev up his bike and roar away before turning to head upstairs.

If Eliza was going to find her way home, she would need some help. He knew enough about the Nether to know the faster you got out of there the better.

🐈🐈🐈

I looked around not entirely sure what my next move should be. I had to find a way back home obviously, but how exactly did one accomplish that?

"Dang it, Dante. I could really use a lifeline right about now." I'd already tried for my phone but it hadn't made the trip with me. It was probably still in the back pocket of my jeans wherever my body was hiding.

"Miss Eliza, we need to get upstairs. Anything can come through here. It is safer upstairs. Celeste placed some wards on the floors above to keep the more powerful spirits at bay." Spring Dawn said, looking worried.

Lacking any better ideas I followed Dawn upstairs. At the top, however, there was already someone waiting for us - or more specifically something.

A black, long-haired cat wearing a bejeweled necklace was sitting at the top of the landing looking for all the world super put out. She had a regal air about her and I was a sucker for four legged animals.

I bent down. "Hello, Kitty. Aren't you a pretty fancy thing?"

"You have no idea," the cat replied haughtily.

I was at a momentary loss.

The annoyed looking cat continued, "It took you long enough, girl. You dilly-dally like that anymore and none of us will ever make it out of here."

"Um...who slipped the acid in my lunch?"

"A comedian. Just wonderful. We're all doomed." With that, the black cat turned and headed across the second floor shop floor towards the stairs that led to Celeste's apartment.

"That's Agatha. She's been here longer that anyone, or at least that's what she tells us," Dawn whispered.

Agatha turned around and her eyes gleamed in the weird light of the Nether. "I have been here longer than anyone."

She turned back and bounded up the next flight of stairs. "It was by choice, mind you."

"You chose to be in this place? Whatever for?" I asked unable to help it. Talking cats? Why not? I was through the looking glass. Agatha could probably disappear and leave behind just her smile like something out of Alice in Wonderland.

"I was on my last life and I could ill afford to lose it at the hands of some beastly child or random carriage. Your aunt promised me longevity. The fool was I for not reading the fine print. Now here we are a motley crew of your aunt's making."

On second thought, Agatha probably wasn't the grinning sort of cat. But that didn't mean she wasn't valuable.

"Agatha, you don't happen to know how I get back to my body?"

"Course I do," she sniffed. "What kind of guide would I be if I didn't?"

"You're a guide?"

"Yes, and I am starting to understand why you need one. You ask the most asinine questions."

"You'll have to forgive me," I snapped. "I'm not usually this obtuse when I'm blasted to an alternate plane by a flaming sword."

"Honestly, you are an impossible girl. It is no wonder you ended up here."

"Are you going to help me or not, cat?"

"The name is Agatha," she hissed.

"And mine is Eliza. Not girl."

Agatha narrowed her eyes and swished her tail. "There is a room full of mirrors. You must choose the right one."

"That's all?"

"Yes. Choose wisely, Eliza, or you will be lost forever. Your aunt was a spiteful witch with terrible powers. Only the devil knows where some of those mirrors lead." Agatha shuddered.

Awesome.

"Where's the room?"

"Upstairs. In the attic."

The same attic my aunt was hanging in.

Of course.

"Lead the way, Agatha."

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*A/N: Thank you all for coming back and jumping back into Eliza's crazy life. I know it's been some time but I'll never give up on getting this story done. I figure I'll worry about editing it later. For now I just want to get the story out! Without your support I would've given up a long time ago, so thank you all for being so amazing and inspiring me to keep going!

Love you guys,
Wendy
XOXOXOXOXOXOX