“First Simone must show us to the portal chamber,” Breaker said as he led mother and daughter from the dead prince’s bedroom. Groaning guards still littered the hall just outside. Josh kicked each of them forcefully in the skull or throat as they passed, and by the time they made it to the far corner, every demon lay still.

“Shouldn’t we just go straight for King Ragnar’s shard of my soul?” Leila asked.

“This is in case we become separated.” Breaker explained. “We must all be able to find our own way there in case the worst should happen. And we must make certain we can make the portals work.”

“Agreed.” Simone said. She finished wiping the black diamond dagger clean of black ichor using a piece of bedsheet she’d sliced off, and passed the weapon back to Breaker. The prizefighter smiled his thanks and clapped the blade back into its ankle sheath.

They stuck to the unused servant corridors, creeping past cobwebs and bits of unwanted furniture. Before long Simone led them to the portaling chamber, a vast square room with a vertical stone ring standing in the center. Luminescent quartz shone from the walls, giving the room a feel of perpetual twilight. A strange stone control panel of some sort sat just off to the side of the ring.

“I can use this to send us wherever you wish to go,” Simone said, moving to the pedestal. She operated the controls deftly and a swirling blue mist appeared in the stone ring. “Where would you like to go? Corone?” The mist changed to green. “Raiaera?” The green inverted into a purplish pink.

“Fallien, of course.” Leila said. The pink became yellow and then solidified into a blurred image, which skewed and slowly molded into a view of a back alley in the Outlander’s Quarter.

“Good.” Josh said. “Tell me how to do that, and then you two are going through. It’s too dangerous here for our Leila and the babes. I’ll stay behind to get the last shard.”

“No way,” Leila said, planting her hands firmly on shapely hips. “We are all in this together prizefighter.”

“I will return to you,” Breaker promised. “But this chance is too great. You must go now. Look, even your mother agrees.”

Simone wavered visibly, her mouth half open, her deep eyes indecisive.

“Take the man’s advice, darling.” A deep voice boomed from the hall. “You won’t get another chance.”

King Ragnar paraded into the room followed by a dozen masked and armored halberdiers. His scaly flesh was brown-gold, and he wore only a loincloth, a loose-fitting robe, and a crown topped by a deer’s skull complete with antlers.

“You must go!” Breaker hissed, taking Leila’s arm and attempting to lead her to the ring. Simone bit her lip and nodded.

“He is right,” the more mature succubus said, taking her daughter’s other arm. “Come along Leila.”

“No!” The younger succubus cried, still resisting.

“Turn the portal off, Simone.” Ragnar commanded. “If you don’t, I’ll kill your daughter.” The demon king raised a scaled hand, and flames enveloped it, forming into a dancing crossbow.

“Ragnar!” Josh shouted. He released Leila and stood in front of the women with his arms spread wide. “If you attempt to bring us harm, I will kill many of your guards. I may even kill you. But if you let them go, I will surrender as your prisoner.” His hazel eyes shone as he glanced over his shoulder at Leila. “Think of the value I could bring, not to mention the bragging rights! One of the most powerful men in the known world, in your dungeon. What do you say king?”

Ragnar lowered his hand and the crossbow dissipated in a puff of smoke. He stroked a smooth, leathery chin.

“That is a most interesting offer.”

“Josh, you can’t!” Leila screamed. Simone barely had hold of her.

“Go,” the demigod uttered. He turned and clasped the succubus shoulders, and then she shoved her and her mother carefully but forcefully through the portal. He spun as he had in the dungeon and kicked the pedestal. It seemed to groan, and the portal flickered and vanished.

“So,” Ragnar laughed. “It is decided for me.”

A dozen halberdiers surrounded Josh, and the burning crossbow reappeared, this time aimed at his head.

“Yes,” Breakers said. “I will be your prisoner.”