Phillip caught me with those deep blue eyes that resembled his son’s so much that it startled me for a second.What he said was delicately put because itwas code for“Sophiemight die.”Noah didn’t seemupset by whatPhillip said,which meant it had gone over his head.
Krystanstood up from Sophie’s side and walked across the living room,to examine anarrangementofteacupson a shelf, effectivelyputting her back to the rest of us.She balanced her elbow on her crossed arm and stuck her fist under her chin in athoughtful pose.I knew she was hiding her reactionathearing Sophie might die. The idea made me lightheaded and queasy. Why was nothing ever easy?
“She is exerting a lot of force,”Gregory said. His voice was deeper than Iwould have guessed.“I could sense her power and theessenceof it issimilar tomy own when I had the powers of a Chevalier.Using power like that can run your metabolism hot. You were right, son. She needs sugar to help recover.” Gregory gave Noah an appraising look, and Noah stood a little straighter.
“I’ll get her some,”Krystansaid and quickly made her exit.
“I’ll go help,” I said, following suit.
When I reached the kitchen,Krystanwas rooting through themostlybare cupboards.An image of the house cleaned out, gutted like a fish of all traces of Mrs.RitsandKrystanflashed in my mind. I was desperate to save this place, but we couldn’t get through the crap that kept piling on to even address that problem. Butit would be our problem when they booted our asses out of here.
“Hey,” I said.
Her headturned her headto theside butdidn’t turn to look at me. “What?”
“You okay?”
“Of course, I'm okay. What are you, my therapist now?”What should have been a normal sling for her,came out in a strange tone.
I slipped my hands inmy pockets.“You seem upset.”
As to what was triggering her, I had no clue. It could be that close brush withdeathshe’dhad barely five minutes ago, watching Sophie pass out and hearing she mightdie, having to worry about us beingforciblyremovedfrom the house,figuring out what to do with her pregnancy,dealing with the trauma from last night or her gran’s death. Not to mention there was the shock of Gregorywaltzing through the door a completely sane person again and reminding her of her best friend’s death.The last forty-eight hours had been more epic than a tornado full of sharks and the hits just kept on coming.
Krystancontinued to root through the cabinets until she pulled out a half package of cookies and a mostly full packet ofTwizzlers. When she met my eye, theyseemed empty of emotion. “I'm fine.”My stomach dropped atthe finality ofher tone.It was the sound of a metal gate slamming shut in my face.
WhenKrystanfought me, she slung insults like fireballs, and heat radiated off her body in waves. Sometimes I wondered if I was addicted to that burn becauseas much as it got under my skin, it excited me.
Right now, her words and demeanorweremade of pure ice. There was a chill coming off her I’d never experienced before. This wasn’tKrystan’snormal passion. She was cut off, distant, and cold. A familiar ache formed inside me, like when I visited my parents. For all the shit I’d taken, I suddenly would have given anything to make her call menames andthrow a tantrum. I didn’t know thisKrystan.
She grabbed the candy and cookies and strode past me and out of the kitchen. I took a deep breath and let it out, my fingers digging into the kitchen island.My heart was beating so hard I thought it would break my chestas panic fluttered inside me.
I waited for the crushing thoughts and for the suicide demon to roll up but after a few long minutes in the kitchen, my state remained the same. No, this panic attack was all my own. Why was I freaking out?
Sowhat if she dismissed me and shut me out? I knew she could take care of herself, I never doubted that but something about being shut out like this made every fiber of my being go cold.I took another deep breath and tried to calm myself, but the urge to walk out to the van and drive away overwhelmed me. I could just go and never come back.
The sound of voices from the other room pulled me out of my panic, and I straightened and rolled my shoulders back. Sophie, I needed to go focus on Sophie and what to do about the suicide demon. Returning to the group, I told myself everything was fine, but I couldn’t relaxmy fistsfrom the reassuring balls they’d formed.
Noah looked like he was falling asleep on his feet soKrystandirected him to go up to bed and Gregory tucked in Sophie on the couch. We put the snacks on theground by her but wanted to keep watch on her until she woke up. Noah fought us at first,saying he needed to watch her butKrystanconvinced him we could handle it and he wouldn’t be any good to Sophie if he couldn’t think clearly. Gregory agreed that warriors needed rest in order to protect others. Noah seemed to develop an instant respect forGregoryand a need to pleasehim,so he went upstairs.
Krystancrossed her arms after Noah left and looked between Phillip and Gregory. “Looks like we have a lot to talk about.” Then she disappeared into the dining roomand we followed.
Krystansat at the head of the table, Phillip and Gregory sat on either side, and I took my seat at the other end of the table. Iunabashedly watchedher, trying to figure out what was going onwithher.Krystandrummed her fingers on the table,avoidingmy gaze.
“Before you start, we need to bring you up to date,” she said to the two men.
Phillip always sat with perfect posture making his long body look even taller. I wouldn’t think to describe any man as elegant and still maintain they had somemasculinity,but Phillip managed to do so. I wondered if that had to do with the gobs of money the Order of Veritas funded him with.Put a pair of glasses on him and cut his hair and he could be a ringer for Steve Jobs.
“There is a demon on the loose, or evil spirit.We aren’t quite sure what it is.What we do know is it’s going around andcausing people tocommit suicide.”
Phillip nodded, listening carefully, his hands folded together. He was in analytical mode.
“The thing got the neighbor girl and hit about fifteen more locations.We tried to track it lastnight,but we almost ended up snuffing ourselves out.We got a taste ofitspower, it goes inside you and tears you up until you want to die.”
To her credit, she’d kept her tone completely even, though the thought of last night still had me scared shitless of meeting up with it again.
She went on. “If Sophie hadn’t followed us, along with Noah, and thrownwhatever mojo she has at the thing, we’d be dead right now.”
She completely glossed over the fact her gran was dead. I wanted to cut in and bring it up, but I shut my mouth. They needed to know but right now I couldn’t trust myselfto speak. A part of me would say anything to getsome kind ofreaction fromKrystan. I wasn’t so shitty that I would exploit her grief to get her to pay attention to me.
