Whatever it took, they had to make it out alive.
"I'm ready," she said.
"Pull up your hood."
Deidre stretched back and reached for the hood, tore it with her claws, then gripped it between her fingers and yanked it up.
Karma took her hand again, this time more carefully, before they started forward at a quick walk. Reaching the intersection, the two of them waited for an opening then plunged into steady stream of death dealers headed outside.
Bombarded by scent, Deidre's nose wrinkled, and she finally covered it with her hand, not about to sneeze and draw attention to them in the lethal situation they were in.
The corridor spilled out into the dark night, and standing just outside was the redheaded woman Deidre hoped never to see again.
Harmony. The leader of the rebelling death dealers was taking in the face of every assassin trotting out of the palace and assigning them to a direction.
Deidre squeezed Karma's hand and all but yanked the deity closer. "Use your power for Harmony!"
"For harmony? What else is balancing for, if not to establish universal har-"
"No! I mean the redhead there sorting dealers!"
"Ah. Karma will do so."
"We can't be holding hands or she'll know."
"But-"
Deidre yanked her hand free. Karma started to turn. Deidre pushed her forward again. The two men separating her from Harmony were soon gone. The underworld night was chilly, a humid breeze smelling of blood, battle and the forest washing over Deidre as she waited anxiously.
The scent of blood made her drool to the point she had to wipe her lips. Disgusted, she tried to breathe through her mouth to keep from smelling anything.
"Palba, I thought you were already assigned," Harmony said, taking in Karma's features with a sharp gaze.
"Not yet," Karma replied.
"Squad A." Harmony pushed the deity out of the way and focused on Deidre. "Tensur, I know you were assigned."
Deidre froze, afraid to move, afraid she might say something to Harmony about how fucked she was when Darkyn or Gabriel cornered her. The green-eyed, traitorous beauty was examining her more critically.
"Something's not right here." Harmony lifted a lock of pink-tinted hair.
"Run!" Karma hissed.
Deidre bolted.
Harmony snatched her with reflexes too quick to follow. Deidre reacted just as quickly, slashing the death dealer across the face with her fingernails.
Wrenching loose, Deidre held out her hand to the awaiting deity and ran into the night, towards the smells and sounds of battle.
Harmony's shriek of anger and pain was followed by a flurry of orders directed at finding the two who slipped by her.