Page 121 of Dancing With Demons

We were in a grand room, even by palace standards. The space was three times as big as my fancy dorm room, and eleven times more lush. Nearly everything from the floor to the chandeliers were gold-plated and diamond-crusted, and an army of servants were fluttering around making sure that everything that was already perfect, was more perfect.

“What’s going on?” I rasped, eyes filling. “This is a trick, isn’t it? An illusion. This can’t be real.”

“She is real, Charlotte. The illusion is what you saw all those weeks ago in the library.” Ronin was gentle sitting me up, and even more gentle slipping his hand over mine. “Come on, Hunter, I never would’ve ordered you to kill your own sister. I told you that very day that I couldn’t hurt or break you even if I wanted to. I couldn’t do anything that you don’t want me to.” He shrugged, grinning wryly. “The master in this bond was always you.”

Ronin raised his head, nodding to someone as they entered the room.

A plain but pleasant-looking man with long, brown hair and a closed-mouth smile shut the door behind him. He had on a simple gray suit and matching gray loafers. He looked like he just left the office.

“I wish we had more time, but I’ve suspected for a long time that Lucifer’s been tracking you with more than just spies,” Ronin went on as I dizzyingly tried to keep up. “He must have monitor and tracking spells on you, and I don’t have a clue how they work because it’s angelic magic.”

“Fallen angelic magic,” the gray stranger cut in. “Notable difference.”

Ronin tipped his head in agreement. “Either way, I have to assume that the clock’s ticking and we’re already out of time, so you and Dora need to go now, Charlotte. Go with Samael. He’s an angel, and he’s taking you and your sister back to the mortal world.”

I rocked back like he slapped me. “Wait, what? He what? And you— What?!”

“I’m sorry, but there’s no time to explain.” Ronin lifted me yelping onto my feet and steered me toward Samael. “You three need to take off. Now.”

“Wait, no— Stop!” I threw my hands up. “I’m not going anywhere without an explanation, and if you don’t have time, make time.” I spun on Dora. “How do I know any of this is real and she’s actually my sister?”

“This may help.” Samael raised his hand. Holding it out to Dora, he chanted something in Hebrew that made my ears ring.

White light shot from the palm of his hand. It surrounded Dora, enveloping her so completely, she disappeared inside of it.

“Dora?” I cried. “Dora!”

“Char?”

I stopped breathing. Char? Did she just say—?

“Char, is that you?” Dora squinted as the light faded, peering through brightness to find me. “Char?”

“Dora?”

Her vision cleared. “Char!” She jumped forward, crushing me in a bear hug.

I pushed her back. “Wait, wait, wait. I’m not being fooled by any more illusions! If you’re really Dora, tell me the name of the dog we had when we were little?”

Dora just smiled, grabbing my shoulders in turn. “Marshmallow.”

“What did Mom give us for every special occasion?”

“Butterflies,” she replied without hesitation. “Butterfly everything and anything.”

“What was our house called?”

“The Hunter Hobbit House.” Dora laughed. “Is that enough? Can we hug now?”

“Not yet.” I held her back when she tried. “On your twelfth birthday, Mom and Dad threw you a birthday party at Happy Fun Land and you peed in the ballpit.”

Her cheeks reddened, especially when Ronin barked out a laugh. “Char!”

“What did I do?” I demanded.

“Char, are you serious right now?” she hissed. “There are a million people here!”

I was immovable. “What did I do to cover for you, Dora?”