“Shut up,” Malakai’s voice broke through, as he came strolling from the trunk he had been surveilling the area from. “Yapping about it won’t change a damned thing.”
Both of them stiffened, their eyes turned to Malakai, watching his every move as if he was about to strike them down. Instead, he placed himself next to me in the sand, completely relaxed. Caleb and Faelin almost looked confused by it.
“Says the demon walking among us,” Faelin muttered, not backing down.
“Enough,” Lionel bit out, glaring at the new recruits.
“Well, she’s right about that,” Caleb continued anyway. “He’s a demon, but he gets to live because theuniquefire mage fancies him? What a load of—”
I was already halfway to standing when Malakai’s fingers wrapped loosely around my wrist in warning. Not to stop me out of fear, but to remind me he didn’t need me to fight his battles. His eyes were on Caleb, unblinking.
“Finish that sentence,” Malakai said calmly. “So I can decide whether to break your jaw or your arm first.”
Caleb’s throat bobbed.
“Oh please,” Eve scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “At least let him finish his dramatic monologue before you rearrange his teeth. Some of us are enjoying the entertainment.”
Lionel stepped forward just enough to block Caleb’s line of sight to Malakai. “You really want to test him? Because I won’t stop him if he starts. Not when you were the one to taunt him.”
“You’re defending him?” Caleb furrowed his brows.
“Has he attacked you? Has he tried to kill you?” Lionel shot back and Caleb went quiet. “As I thought.”
“And I will absolutelycheerif he starts,” Ashley added brightly from behind me. “Oooh! Maybe he’ll throw you into a tree, or set you on fire. Wait, Malakai, can you set people on fire after you … bite her?”
Nate snorted. “Either way, crispy idiot for dinner.”
Faelin glanced sharply at him. “You’d eat him?”
“Lady, I’ve eaten worse things to survive.” He wiggled his brows. “Dated worse, too.”
“Ugh,” Eve muttered. “He’s joking.”
“He’s piqued my interest. You dated something worse than charred ass?” Jaden smirked knowingly.
“You’re getting off topic,” Caleb snapped, trying to recover his bravado. “We’re supposed to trust this…thingwith our lives?”
Malakai gave him a flat look. “You’re assuming I want your life in my hands.”
That shut him up for a beat.
“Look here, soldier boy, demons don’t just ‘pop’ out of mages,” Jaden said, joining the discussion. “A mage needs to either push beyond their limit to let an elemental demon out or take an offer from a temptation demon to let them cross over.”
“Oh, because now I feel so safe,” Caleb muttered. “How do we know when someone’s crossed the line?”
“When you’re greeted by a not so friendly demon trying to eat you?” Nate snickered.
“Why only mages?” Eve asked sincerely. “Do we know that?”
“Because of the magic,” Jaden shrugged. “It’s the one thing that keeps the door open from our world to theirs; it’s the one thing they crave endlessly. Why do you think the Ashen Corps wanted to obliterate the Aetherions?”
“Yeah, but he’s neither an elemental demon nor a temptation demon, right?” Caleb continued bickering.
“No,” Malakai said, his eyes sliding to Caleb. “Those demons are cute little pets in comparison to me if you keep running that mouth.”
But Faelin wasn’t done. “Then, what happens when he turns on her?” she asked softly, pointing towards Malakai. “What happens when the demon finally remembers what he is?”
My temper sparked like flint to tinder and I rose to my feet before Malakai could stop me this time.
