Raya twisted up her hair and stuck her wand into the bun. “What were you doing in his dreams, anyway?”
He shrugged. “He was rude to me. I wanted revenge. That’s what demons do.”
“What does he want with you?”
“I think he wants a pet demon. Maybe a lot of pet demons. He seems to know that we have a hangout in Paris.”
They looked at each other.
“You better warn Cosmo,” she said.
“I know.” Looking at Raya made him feel funny. He looked away and stared at the floor. “I saw her and George after the party. I was so angry. They tried to stop me from going after Nathan, but I didn’t listen.” He rubbed his forehead. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Raya cleared her throat. “I think I might be able to explain.” A blush crept over her cheeks. “Those macarons you ate?”
Phoenix raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to continue.
“They were spelled.”
“You spelled me?”
She smacked her hands on the bedding. “Not on purpose! You weren’t supposed to eat them!”
“You don’t think you could have mentioned, ‘Oh, by the way, Phoenix, those macarons will make you embarrass yourself’?”
“I didn’t know!”
“Like hell you didn’t. You made them! Then you snuck out to the party, expecting me to sit here and watch cartoons like a fool until it wore off?”
Raya looked down and didn’t answer.
“And then—absolutely not in my right mind—I fly after you onto a boat full of witches who look at me like I’m either a menace or a snack, and then I blather nonsense in front of the whole crowd!”
Her head snapped up. “What do you mean, ‘nonsense’? You’re going to tell me you’re not lonely?”
He tried to sputter a retort, but couldn’t get it out before she interrupted.
“Those macarons don’t make you lose your mind, Phoenix. They just make your feelings come to the surface.”
“Well, you eat them, then—and then you can tell me all about your sadness over people burning your stuff!”
They glared at each other.
It was the worst possible time to remember how much he’d liked it when she called him her dark prince.
19
Phoenix folded his wings away completely and went to the window. If he had to make eye contact for one more second, he’d go mad. Better to pretend to look out at the night.
Raya shifted on the bed. “You should go. You can’t be comfortable hanging around a witch, anyway, since you think we’re all power-mad, demon-trapping lunatics.”
He laughed. “I’m sorry—you’re not? I didn’t get that memo.” He rounded on her. “I wouldn’t dream of imposing on someone who thinks demons are just a bunch of flighty, unreliable, pleasure-seeking dilettantes.”
Raya marched over and pointed her finger at him. “I don’t think demons are a bunch of flighty, unreliable, pleasure-seeking dilettantes. I thinkyou’rea flighty, unreliable, pleasure-seeking dilettante.”
He stood taller, looming over her. “Is that so? Well, you’re—” He stopped. It took a herculean effort to check himself before he said something stupid. He closed his eyes and concentrated, then opened them again. “You’rethe only person who can help me stop Nathan.”
From the expression on her face, he might as well have hit her in the back of the head with a cartoon frying pan. “You’re not going to say something—rude?”
