Page 60 of Demon Touched

“Except when you show up uninvited to yap away inside my head,” she counters.

I press my lips together to keep from smiling. It’s a sickness, how much I love her spiky comebacks.

“Which brings us to the plan,” I say, having to take a deep breath even if I’m not speaking aloud. “We’re going to find a way to break the possession bond.”

I hear her sharp inhale.

“Do you actually know how to do that yet?” she demands.

“Not as such.”

Anger brews in her belly, just like it did yesterday, and I see having time to cool off hasn’t changed anything.

“I can’t believe it. You made a whole deal promising me I’d be free, and you had no idea how to actually give me that freedom. Figures.”

“It’s a complicated spell,” I say, defending myself. “Made of obscure magic too strong to be broken at a distance. Plus, most people subjected to it would be dead right now. It’s not as if there’s any precedent for our situation. So Viz and I are having to do our research.”

“And you think that will work? That all the demon…marks on me will be gone? I think it’ll only work if there’s nothing left for the oracle to purge by the time I get to that trial.”

“That is our theory,” I say, glancing around. I’m aware that we’ve been talking for a while now, and the pale-bloods might be getting restless, wondering what’s keeping me so long. But the ephilium security are still out of earshot, forming an unnaturally neat line between us and the edge of the ball atrium. “Think of it as like an infection. Once I’m out of your system, all trace of me should be gone.”

“An infection,” she repeats. “Yes, that seems like an appropriate word.” She pauses, her voice softening a touch when she speaks again. “You’re really going to help me do this?”

“Yes,” I say flatly. I’ll give her what she wants, but I won’t pretend to be happy about it. “Only because you insist on staying in Aradis and passing this trial. And you will pass it. The alternative isn’t an option.”

I close my eyes, trying to keep out the memories of yesterday. I couldn’t have imagined the torture it would be, living through that moment when I thought Leah was about to die, when I thought I was going to have to watch as she was ripped away from me, powerless to stop it, like Sideria but worse. I wasn’t able to fully experience my sister’s fear and pain when she was murdered, not in the same way I can Leah’s, and it was still devastating.

I never want to feel terror like that again.

Viz clears his throat, and I nod to show I’ve gotten the message.

“We should return to the seraphim before they get suspicious. There’s only so long Aster can distract them with her charms. We’ll find a safe way to make contact with you soon. Now, wait until we’ve returned to the ball. No one will be watching this chamber then.”

“All right,” I sense her step back against the pillar, so we’re almost shoulder to shoulder. Then her hand drifts downward, hanging loosely at her side. When I flex my own hand, her fingers reach out briefly to brush against mine.

It could almost be an accident, but I savor the touch like a starving man feasting on crumbs. And when I pull away from the pillar and leave the chamber, there’s a corresponding morsel of hope in my heart.

Chapter 18

Leah

One touch isn’t enough to erase the lies. Or excuse the lack of explanations. Or make up for the fact that Syrus ignored all my boundaries by just strolling into Aradis, where I went to escape from him.

It’s not enough. I keep telling myself that, hoping it will convince me sooner or later.

I always knew it would be hard to see Syrus again, I just never predicted how hard. Now I’m starting to think that when I came here, it wasn’t just because it was a place that would make it difficult for him to get to me again. It was because it would make it difficult for me to get to him. Because I knew I was weak enough to be tempted to do exactly that.

And I still am. Goddess help me.

Thank goodness it’s easy to avoid him for the rest of the evening as he’s constantly surrounded by the seraphim. I let Garion take me around and introduce me to more ephilium whose names I promptly forget, and when I can’t seem to find Filippa again, I take the first opportunity to slip away.

Outside the Seraph Seat, I take the few steps down onto the first terrace, breathing in the cool, fresh night air.

If Syrus really came to Aradis for me—really risked his domain’s relationship with the rest of Infernum, all just to keep me alive—that says something. Doesn’t it?

The sound of movement behind me makes me whirl around, lightning crackling on my fingertips.

“Stand down, Fledgling Illidore,” says Captain Pellery sternly.