With the book in one hand and a black candle in the other, Diego begins the exorcism. “By the light of el Sol, I command you.”
The demon roars. My arms shake from the effort of holding him still.
“By the shadow of la Luna, I command you.”
Matteo’s fists clench and his muscles bulge. I wouldn’t be surprised if he rips the seams of his suit jacket like he’s the Hulk. My power, so newly returned, struggles to contain him. Tears prick the corners of my eyes and my knees wobble.
“By the soul of el Mar, I command you.”
“Diego!” His name is torn from my throat as I feel my hold on Matteo slipping. “I’m losing him!”
“Looking for this, mi sirenita?”
I turn my head at the familiar voice and spot El Capitán standing at the edge of the pier. He’s holding Sophie’s flower basket.
“Yes,” I say breathlessly. “Gracias al Mar, yes!”
Cap sets the basket on the pier, gives me a salute, then backflips into the water without a splash.
Diego continues the incantation. “By the heart of la Tierra, I command you.”
Matteo’s upper body strains. Diego meets my eyes and moves further away from his brother. At Diego’s nod, I release the demon and send all my power to the bag of salt hidden in the basket. Matteo lurches forward, arms outstretched, ready to strangle Diego before he can complete the ritual.
But I am starting to love my former rival, and I’ll be damned if I lose him now.
The full force of my power snaps back to me. I reach a hand in the direction of the basket, using my magic to tear into the bag. The salt is, miraculously, not even a little damp.
Throwing my other arm toward Matteo, the grains of salt fly through the air in a barely visible streak of white. Just before the demon reaches Diego, the salt connects in a floating circle, encasing Matteo’s waist like one of Saturn’s rings.
His body lurches to a stop and there’s murder in his eyes, but we have him now.
Diego invokes the final deity. “By the will of el Espíritu, I command you—release my brother’s body at once!”
At the word “release,” there’s a pulse in the air, and the demon’s spell is broken. One second, everyone is watching the proceedings with mild surprise. The next, they’re screaming. All around, the camera operators turn translucent, like ghosts.
My mother takes one look at what’s going on and leaps to her feet. She sprints down the pier on her spindly heels and snatches the book from Diego. Her eyes go full black as she advances on the demon, and the expression on her face chills me to the bone. I haven’t seen her look like this since Crystal set the school gym on fire.
Mom is about to exorcise the shit out of this demon.
“How. Dare. You.” She plants a hand on Matteo’s chest, fingers splayed. Thin tendrils of smoke rise from beneath her palm and she bares her teeth in rage. “How dare you attack my family, you comemierda?”
The demon screams in Matteo’s throat, and Mom spares me a reassuring black-eyed glance.
“Good job, honey. I’ll take it from here.”
I release my telekinetic hold on the salt and stagger backward. Diego is there to catch me. His mother joins mine, chanting the ritual prayers of la Luna to purify her son and bring him back to his own body. Magic is all about balance, and they work together, my mother pushing the demon out, High Priestess Paz calling her son’s consciousness back in.
Abuela joins us, eyeing the protective way Diego holds me. She sends me a sly smile.
“A-ha! I knew it wasn’t all an act.”
“Abuela, were you ever under the demon’s spell?”
She scoffs. “¿Yo? Claro que no.”
I gape at her. “Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“Porque I knew you two could handle it. And if you couldn’t, I was prepared.” Abuela pulls a long, wicked-looking knife out of her tiny purse, like some kind of octogenarian assassin Mary Poppins. “Did you think I’d let a demon marry my granddaughter? Besides, you and Diego were getting along so well.”
