The carriage juddered and shook as we made our way into the city. I was glad I had chosen to skip breakfast as the ride appeared to be rougher than usual, the wheels catching on every pit and pothole in the road. Closing my eyes, I tried to envision myself somewhere else but the rough rocky motion of the carriage just kept drawing me back to the present.

"Why couldn't we have walked?" I groaned, peeling open my eyes only to spot the smirk on Lucius's lips.

He sat back, one arm resting atop the padded seat and the other hanging casually out the window. He appeared unaffected by the carriage's uneven passage. There was no sweat beading across his brow nor was there a greenish tinge to his skin. Instead he just enjoyed watching my misery, relaxed with that amused tilt to his lips. Boats were usually the only thing which could give me motion sickness but the carriage was rocking so badly it was giving boats some stiff competition.

"Stop it." I growled as that ridiculous smirk crossed his face.

A loud bang reverberated through the air around them as the carriage hit a large pot hole. The motion threw me briefly out of my seat and into the air. There was a brief moment of suspension before I crashing onto the floor, my cheek uncomfortably cushioned by the toe of Lucius's shoes. With a groan, I pushed myself up on to my knees. A hand appeared in the edge of my vision as its own continued to chuckle.

"Stop laughing, this isn't funny." I griped, glaring up at the man as if I could put all of my displeasure into one glance. "Don't you have someone to take care of the roads?" Knocking his proffered hand away, I dragged myself back onto the cushioned seats.

"I'm not doing anything." Lucius protested, his lips twitching with the effort to restrain his smile. "I agree, the roads do need to be mended but they are hardly a priority at the moment. There are much bigger concerns."

Feeling sobered, my ire doused by the cold dose of reality, I nodded my head and tried to focus on a spot above his head as the carriage gave another lurch. "I think it's brave of you to go into the town even though you're going to be putting yourself at risk. Some leaders wouldn't do it. They'd allow the fear to keep them locked away."

"It is not bravery. It is duty." He replied, turning his head to look out the small window. "Terran and his people are causing havoc on my watch. Showing my face to my people is the least I can do."

"You're a good man." I smiled.

Lucius gasped dramatically and without even looking I knew he would be pulling a silly expression. "Don't tell anyone, you'll ruin my reputation."

"I think that secret was out a long time ago. You're about as scary as a Chihuahua."

"You take that back, take it back right now." Lucius demanded.

"Nope."

"And Chihuahuas are terrifying. I got bitten by one once. Damn thing left a scar on my ankle." Lucius nodded his head when he caught my expression of disbelief. "Trust me, Chihuahua's are vicious."

"Of course they are." I acquiesced with a large grin on my face. "They're absolutely savage."

"I knew you'd see my way."

The carriage rolled to a stop as I opened my mouth to respond. Snorting on a laugh at the thought of a rabid Chihuahua, I made sure I was the first one of the carriage.

I was assaulted immediately by the sounds and smells of the city. Sweat, dirt, freshly cooked food but blessedly the absence of exhaust fumes. The square was full of people going about their day but one by one, as they noticed the presence of the carriage, they all came to a standstill.

Lucius stepped down from the carriage, standing so close I felt his body heat even through the copious layers of fabric wrapped around my body. Apparently Lucius would be there to protect me. I needed to look every part the future queen of the underworld which meant that I did not need to be equipped for a potential attack. Or have enough mobility to defend myself. Though I should still be prepared for the possibility of attack.

One word - men!

They could say what they liked. I would not allow myself to be either a victim or a liability. A sheathed blade had been strapped to my leg and a convenient tear in the skirts of my dress would allow access should it be required. My angel blade was also there, waiting to be called just out of sight. It comforting hum of energy sung to me. Soothing and reassuring as much as a sword could. If the worst happened, I would be ready.

Lucius placed his hand on my back and coaxed me towards the crowds of people. There were so many faces, some of them were vaguely familiar but most of them were strangers. Each of them earned an assessing glance; my eyes searching for weapons or watching their body language for signs of a threat to us. I hated this. I hated being suspicious of everyone we met but it was a product of the environment we were in.

People edged closer, awe rapidly overcome with the need to interact with one of the few celebrities that existed in the underworld. I stood patiently at Lucius's side as demon after demon came forwards. Very few paid attention to me but I was okay with that. It allowed me to observe without being obstructed by well-meaning but over keen men and women.

I surveyed the people with a critical eye. There were several guards milling through the crowds, dressed in normal attire rather than their uniforms so that they could blend in. Lucius hadn't wanted to cause more panic within the city than there already was. Excessive protection for a simple visit to the market square would signify even to the uninformed that we were worried. It was the wrong kind of message to send when we were trying to show our strength.

I nodded my head at one of the elder guards loitering under the canopy of a market stall. He ignored the gesture, his eyes already sweeping past me. A part of me hoped these precautions were overkill but my instincts were warning me of the presence of danger. Something was going to happen. It wasn't a matter of 'if' but a matter of 'when'.

"I wanted you to have this milady." A young woman murmured, bowing her head in respect before she held out a basket of food.

Blinking, I refocused on the person in front of me, taking the basket with a smile. Yet even as I took the basket, I was trying to think of ways to offload it. I didn't want my hands to be full. I need to be able to fight if someone decided to strike. Still, I held on to it and gave her a smile so wide it made my face ache. The demon woman appeared to be no more than a teenager.

"Thank you for the gift." I said, staring down at the basket of fresh fruits and delicious smelling breads. Now that we were no longer bumping along the roads, my stomach was making its protests about skipping meals loud and clear for all to hear. "It all looks delicious."

"Thank you milady. We sell it all in our shop." She said with her eyes still lowered in respect.

She had her hair bound and stuffed under a plain unobtrusive cap but it did nothing to hide the innocence upon her face. Her skin was clear of blemishes and untainted by lines. She may have been a resident in hell but her face displayed no signs of weariness or hardships.

Seeing an opportunity, I edged the woman a little away from the main crowd. Then as if admiring her cap, I leaned in close so that I could murmur, "I understand that there have been a few incidents in the city over the past few days."

The young woman's head shot up and her gaze darted around as she searched the crowd around her. Finally she gave a sharp nod. "Yes milady."

"We're doing everything we can to try and catch the ones responsible but people haven't been very forthcoming." I stated, ducking my head so that I could meet her gaze. "Do you know who is responsible? Have you heard where they are staying?"

The young woman shook her head, her gaze darting away from mine. Stretching out my hand, I took hold of her hand and gave hers a reassuring squeeze. "You don't need to be afraid. We can protect you."

"Like my kin was protected?" She asked, her eyes shimmering with tears when she finally turned back to me. "He had his hand cut off for his loyalty."

I blinked. It didn't take a genius to figure out she was talking about the poor demon who currently resided within the palace infirmary.

"And we will ensure justice is served and those responsible pay the price." I promised, allowing her to see the honesty in my expression. "To do that, we need to find them first. By refusing to speak, you are allowing them to win. They will continue to hurt people if you all look the other way and allow them to do as they wish."

The young woman snatched her hand away and wiped at her tearstained face. "Don't you think I know that?"

Her gaze moved around us, continually searching through the people that milled around us. She paused and I tried to follow her line of vision but there were just too many people. There was no distinguishing the motives of one person from another.

The young woman abruptly straightened her spine, her chin coming up as she started to move away from me.

"Wait, I didn't ask before. What is your name?"

The woman paused in her retreat. She held still for several seconds before she glanced over her shoulder. She had attempted to remove any expression from her face but she failed, her fear giving her away. "It doesn't matter what my name is. I am of no consequence." She continued walking but before she could get too far away, she paused. She glanced back but for a moment, her eyes drifting to the basket in my hands. "I recommend you try the sourdough bread. It's one of our bestsellers."

With one last stiff nod, she strode away. Opening my mouth, my response got stuck in my throat as the woman barged her way into the throng. Within ten seconds I had lost sight of her completely. I blinked at the last spot I had seen her, a frown forming between my brows.

Glancing down, I peered into the basket of food within my grasp. She had risked her life to give me the basket. She had left a clue - I knew it with certainty. Why else would she have risked her own safety to give it to me?

I strode back to the carriage as quickly as I could but without drawing attention to myself. I smiled at Lucius as I passed, reaching out and touching his shoulder to get his attention. His eyes were distracted as he looked my way but the life quickly returned as he focused on me. He grasped my hand and pulled it to his lips, placing a kiss to my fingertips before he released me.

The carriage had yet to pull away so I placed the basket down just inside the door. I leant over the basket and attempted to shield my actions from the people behind me as I rifled through the contents. I wasn't even sure what I was looking for – I just knew that there was something.

"Try the sourdough," I muttered, digging through the contents and pulling out the loaf which had been buried at the bottom of the basket.

There was nothing underneath the loaf so I turned it over in my hands, searching for something but uncertain what exactly I was looking for. With my back still to the crowd, I turned it over once more using my fingertips to brush over the surface. It took everything within me to stop the cheer I wanted to give as I felt it. It was just a slight anomaly, a small sliver of paper sticking out of a thin slice in crust.

Not taking any care with it, I gripped both sides of the loaf and tore the bread in half. The piece of parchment remained embedded into one of the halves. I tore chunks away of the still warm loaf until the paper was free. For a moment, I just stared at the parchment. Then with an exhale, I unravelled it. It took only a moment to realise what the woman had given us. I bit my lip to stop myself from calling out to Lucius.

A map of the town had been crudely drawn with no great skill. Simple block shapes made the buildings and key landmarks had been highlighted to give it some context. Yet it was there, in the bottom corner, where a building had been circled. I knew for certain this was it. This was the lead we had been waiting for. Although I wanted to turn around and investigate, it was not the time to go off half-cocked without a plan. It would only lead to more death. I would gladly risk my own if it meant the protection of hell and its inhabitants but I wouldn't blindly lead another into danger. And these days, where I went, so did an entourage of guards.

Folding up the parchment, I tucked it into my bodice and then pushed the remainder of the basket back into the carriage. In my stomach, I felt a flutter of hope. We had a lead. At long last we may just be able to gather the information needed to bring justice to Terran and his men.

Returning to Lucius's side, I contained my excitement. Even though it took all of my self-control not to tell him straight away, I stood by his side quietly and demurely as we sought to reassure the people of the city. Most demons walked away with grins on their faces and with the lines of strain removed at Lucius's calm words and demeanour. It had not been a wasted visit.

Yet, even though we had not witnessed any trouble, wariness crept in. It had been too quiet. Terran and his followers had had a perfect opportunity to attack but they had not taken it. Or perhaps they had used our distraction to enact their own plans.

I shook my head. It didn't pay to dwell on it. We would know soon enough if today was our victory or theirs.