“I think the minotaur knows who it’s going to take before it comes into the town,” Randy said.
“What makes you say that?” I asked.
He placed the tip of his index finger against the glass as he pointed at the town. “That toppled wood building over there.”
There were so many of them that I couldn’t be sure which one he meant, but I still asked, “What about it?”
“Oliver’s mom stayed inside with him. It bypassed all of us to get at her. Thankfully, Nadine remained inside to help her with Ollie, and she was able to get him out, but that thing wantedher, and there was nothing we could do to stop it.”
When Aisling shuddered, I wrapped my arm around her waist and drew her close. “I’m going to keep you safe,” I vowed.
She rested her hand on my chest as she leaned against me.
“How do you know when it’s coming?” I asked Randy.
“You’ll learn it’s impossible not to know,” he said. “Come on, we should meet up with the others.”
I remained where I was as I tried to process everything we learned since entering this town. There had to be some way to kill the minotaur, but we couldn’t learn its weaknesses without seeing it first, and I didnotwant it in this town and near Aisling.
However, if the people in this town were right, it didn’t sound like it had any weaknesses. They couldn’t be right;everythinghad a vulnerability.
* * *
Hawk
Stepping into the shadowy interior of the library, I took in the mattresses spread across the floor, the rows of shelves, tables, and the front desk to my left. At least twenty people and demons were scattered throughout the room. Some of them sat on mattresses with their shoulders slumped forward and a dejected air about them, while others prowled the place like they were about to tear it apart.
The scent of old, musty books brought me back to my childhood and the time before the war when my mom took my sisters and me to the library every week. While they did story hour, I roamed the shelves and picked out books to read.
When I finished, I’d return to sit at the edge of story hour and listen while I waited. Sometimes, I’d watch the delight on my sisters’ faces as the librarian made strange faces and used silly voices. Sherry loved this the most. She’d scream and cover her face with her hands or squeal with excitement while she laughed. Her blonde hair bounced against her shoulders while her blue eyes sparkled with amusement.
An unexpected ache filled my chest, and I rubbed the place over my heart. The memory was so vivid I felt like I could touch her, but Sherry had traveled far beyond my reach.
“How many are here?” I asked Randy.
“Including your group, there’s thirty-seven of us.”
“Thirty-seven against one.”
“It’s not that easy,” Randy said and smiled when Nadine walked over with Oliver in her arms.
“Nothing ever is,” I said.
Oliver stuck his thumb in his mouth as he rested his head on Nadine’s shoulder. The strange blend of having seen too much and innocence in his eyes reminded me so much of Judy. I couldn’t save Judy, but I would save him and Aisling.
Across the room, I spotted Corson and Bale standing by the front desk as they talked to a giant demon with maroon skin and green eyes. I clasped Aisling’s elbow before slipping my fingers into hers and starting toward Corson and Bale.
She fell into step beside me as we strode across the room. On our way, I spotted Wren and Lix standing near the card catalog and going through a pile of weapons stacked beside it. My step faltered as I took in the hundreds of knives, swords, guns, spears, and various other deadly instruments.
Those weapons once belonged to the demons and humans who entered this town and never left. Seeing them piled there was like seeing a mound of their bones as this was all that remained of them.
Aisling’s hand went to her mouth. “Oh.”
Her delicate beauty stole my breath as she looked between me and the weapons and back again. Drawing her closer, I released her hand to clasp her cheeks in my palms and lowered my forehead to rest it against hers. Her warm breath tickled my lips as she stared at me.
“We’re going to be okay,” I assured her.
Her hands gripped my wrists. “We are.”
