They Called Her the Devil

Chapter 47, Xander

I'm pretty sure I'd banged my head on something at some point in time. I mean why else would I be going, alone, to the Legion base to meet with Kate?

And why else would I have bought Death's daughter a rose?

With everything going on, the alliance, Ian, Nora, and Daniel dying, and the loos of our spies in the Gold Order everything should have been miserable.

But with Kate everything was okay. We kept moving.

So I'd gone to a nice florist and bought her a single red rose that would get me killed if anyone found out. I'd definitely hit my head on something.

I walked up to the front door of the Legion base. Unlike us they didn't have to hide, the Legion owned one of the tallest skyscrapers in Manhattan.

Taking a deep breath I pulled open the door and walked into the deathtrap, I tried to fake confidence. The guards at the door eyed me but let me pass.

An older woman in a maid uniform walked over to me. She was wearing the same gray shirt and black pants my mother used to come home in when I was a kid.

"You must be Xander, you look so much like your mother. I'm Madeline." The woman greeted me.

"You knew my mother?"

"Of course I did. Andrea was a wonderful woman, I'm sorry I couldn't save her." Madeline.

Death had killed my mother when she'd tried to smuggle out files that would have turned people against the Legion. My father had always told it as a story of heroism.

I'd always wondered why my mother had left me.

"It's not your fault she's gone. Do you mind showing me where Kate and I are meeting?"

Madeline began to lead me through the base

"Kate? I'm surprised she told you her real name she's normally pretty secretive about that. She wasn't always like that you know, she was a very sweet little girl before Death got to her."

"You knew her as a kid?"

"I did, your mother was closer to her though. She used to play games with little Kate between chores. Kate was the sweetest thing, but she was also very headstrong. And Death didn't like a daughter with a rebellious spirit."

"So why did he let her become his second in command?"

"That I'm not sure of. Death was always cruel to Kate, then when she was about twelve the broken little girl started to get happier. Her pillows weren't stained with tears anymore.

"Then when she was fourteen Lilli died and all of the sudden she was the Devil. She was this ruthless commander. I'm still not sure if she broke or if she finally found happiness."

I took a second to process everything Madeline had told me. I'd always assumed Death had trained Kate to be the Devil. I'd assumed it was the path he'd laid out for her, not one she'd seemingly chosen.

"Why did Death let her be his second in command if he was always so cruel? Why not Derek?"

"I have absolutely no idea."

Then we reached a door and without another word, Madeline opened it. I was instantly greeted by an adorable German shepherd puppy. Dad had never let me get a dog as a kid but I'd always wanted a German shepherd.

The puppy curled up on a couch next to Kate, he clearly liked her.

"Cute puppy, I didn't know you were a dog person." I greeted her.

"I'm really not, this one just kind of grows on you." Kate turned to Madeline. "Tell the kitchen I want the grilled salmon and asparagus dish they made me last week and a glass of club soda with lime. Xander do you want something?"