"We can go back to the dungeon," Karma told her.
"I think we need a plan."
"Karma … I heard the death dealers talk before they found Karma. There was a prisoner that escaped. The dealers are searching the palace, except for the dungeon. It's safe."
"Did they mean us?" Deidre asked.
"No. A demon."
"Jared got out?"
"Is that what they're called now?" Karma sighed. "Karma has been in prison too long."
"No, I mean, the demon in my cell was named Jared. But if he got out …" Either Past-death did, too, or had been eaten. Deidre didn't want to dwell on the glimmer of satisfaction she experienced at the idea of the woman who fucked up her world getting what she deserved.
She shook her head to free her mind of the bad thought, aware she felt bad for past-Death being eaten by a demon, no matter what the former deity had done to her.
Her stomach seized, and she dropped to her knees, clutching it. The hunger pangs were getting more frequent, more intense. Pain pierced her abdomen and radiated outwards into the rest of her body. She closed her eyes.
"Come, Deidre," Karma whispered, tugging at her arm. "There are people coming."
Deidre wasn't able to move. She huddled, nauseated, in silent agony. Her chest was too tight to breathe.
The door to the bedchamber burst open. She lifted her head, gaze blurred. There were four death dealers in the room and at least twice that in the hallway.
"The little demon is alive."
She recognized the voice, even if the accompanying memory was gone. Deidre shuddered. Sheer terror gave her the strength to move despite the pain, and she pushed herself to her feet. Her pulse raced with adrenaline, and Karma wrapped an arm around her, steadying her.
Together, they moved away from the door, putting the trunk between them and the death dealers.
"Karma can take … four, I think," the deity whispered. "How many can you fight? Five? Six?"
None. I'm too weak. Deidre's eyes watered, and she drew a shuddering breath.
"Oh, no. Karma does not like that emotion," the goddess snapped. "You're a demon. You can fight."
"I can't," Deidre said in a cracked voice. "I tried before!"
"You tried to fight them like you're human."
"Ready for round two, little demon?" one of the death dealers taunted. "I brought more friends this time. Good thing, seeing as how quickly you recovered the first time."
Deidre squeezed her eyes closed, fear paralyzing her. Maybe if she passed out first …
I'm tired of being the victim of the Immortal world. The thought crystalized, along with a sense of helplessness to know she didn't have the ability to prevent her fate at the hands of the death dealers.