Page 3 of Little Shake of Salt

“It happens to the best of us, Layla.”

“Right. Can I go now?” Luca asked.

I felt the wrench of concern in Lucy’s heart. Luca always worried him the most, and I understood why. Lucy had not been a good father before our children, and while he’d done a lot to make amends with Gabriel, he still lived with the fear of repeating past mistakes.

But,somethingwas going on with Luca. I felt it, Trixie felt it, Lucy felt it.

“I’d prefer you stay,” Lucy said. “While we sort things out.”

“Papa handled it just fine.”

Oof. “All right.” I ran my fingers through my beard. “Okay. A few things here to cover.”

“Are you mad?” Layla asked.

When I didn’t immediately answer, Lucy jumped in.

“Making portals is complicated.” He sent me a sideways look. “And you’re just now presenting powers. It will take some time to get a good grasp on them. Your father is very very good at them because he’s been alive for centuries. We are ancient, and we’ve had lifetimes to master our abilities. But, I remember a time when B was not so good with his powers and I beat him to a pulp repeatedly.”

I narrowed my eyes on him. We’d be revisiting that commentlater.

Luca let out a soft chuckle, relaxing a fraction. “No one ever talks about your past.”

Lucy winced. “It’s for the best, truth be told. I am the devil, you know. Lucifer. Very evil for a long time. So, I think the two of you are doing just fine. A little mermaid coming out of a portal is nothing in the grand scheme of things.”

“Itissomething,” I countered, unable to keep my voice from straining. “I don’t think we should diminish this. It was a mistake, but I will teach you more, Layla. And in the future, call me and askbeforedoing something if you need help.”

“I didn’t think I needed help,” she said. “It was just moving boxes. And now I have to set up a date for a mermaid.”

“And find her human.”

Layla’s brows shot up. “What?”

“You heard me,” I said. “And find her human.”

I felt a tail coil around my ankle and tighten gently.Lucy.

“Only if you think you can?—”

“Oh, I can,” Layla said, her eyes darkening with determination. “I will.”

“Good,” Lucy said, clapping his hands together. “Now, go help your friends. Make another portal.” Layla paled, but he shooed her away. “If you make a mistake again, we’ll be here to help. You can do it. You’re the daughter of two ancient creatures and a very beautiful, strong-willed, pink-haired human.”

Layla mumbled to herself as she left us.

Luca’s arms were still crossed over his chest. His expression darkened.

“What’s wrong, son?” Lucy asked directly.

“I . . . It’s nothing.”

“That is a lie,” I said. “We know you are lying. What’s going on?”

He threw up his hands, turning away from us. “I just . . . I keep having these dreams. Nightmares. I’m not sleeping. I haven’t been sleeping. I don’t know why they haunt me, but they won’t leave me, these creatures. These demons. Always demons. Faceless and nameless demons. I don’t know.”

Demons.All the alarm bells started going off in my mind, and I knew Lucy heard them too.

“I’m not like my sisters and brothers. I’m not like them. What’swrongwith me?”