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RAIKA
I knewConri had lied to Shane.
The moment Conri said he agreed to Shane’s deal, a dozen demons surrounded Shane and took him to the school. I shouted, banging my fists against the circle’s magic. I knelt on the ground, my mind and heart racing.
Holy shit, what had happened? Shane had blown his advantage. He had killed Lorie and Keeva, both witches bleeding out not too far from me, and I had to turn my back to them before I threw up.
Shane had also agreed to show Conri the crystals, but he didn’t know anything! Unless he had lied to me.
Would he lie? It didn’t matter. What mattered was that Conri wouldn't release us. No, he would probably use us as a dangling carrot to force Shane to obey.
I sat down on the dirty ground. I had been in here for over twenty-four hours. The demons brought me a little food and water, just enough to keep me from starving, and when I needed to use the restroom, the witches had magicked a curtain and a portable potty for me—when I was done, they magicked it away.
I never felt more humiliated in my life—and filthy, tired, and hungry.
Sometime later, Phell and Dixon halted outside the circle.
“Come,” said Phell.
I frowned. How was I going to cross the circle? The witches were dead and the circle still held. But most important … “Why?”
Phell sprinkled some powder on the circle’s black line. It shimmered and faded. “Come before it closes again.”
Wary, I stepped over the circle’s line and was surprised when I walked past the boundary.
Phell and Dixon didn’t waste time. They grabbed my arms and dragged me away from the circle. “Where are you taking me?”
“Stop asking questions,” Phell said. “It won’t change anything.”
I opened my mouth to ask again, but took one glance at Phell—at his changing eyes and face—and swallowed my question.
Phell and Dixon took me to the school. They led me down the corridor opposite from where the rest of the pack was, and where a wall of shadows stood. Phell waved his hand and an archway appeared in the middle of the wall.
Beyond it, Conri stood like a king in the middle of the corridor, his eyes on the classroom door in front of him—Shane leaned against the door, his shoulders and head visible through the top glass panel. This side of the school hadn’t been modified. There were no bars on the windows and doors, but I was sure they were just as strong.
His eyes widened. “What is she doing here? You said you were going to let her go.”
“Oh, I will,” Conri said. “I’ll let her and the others go, after I have the crystals in my hands.”
“That’s not what we agreed.” Shane slapped the door.
Conri shrugged. He didn’t even look in my direction as Phell and Dixon pushed me into the classroom across the corridor from Shane’s. The classroom had been emptied of everything—there were no desks, no chairs, no shelves, no school materials. There was only a thin mattress and an even thinner blanket on the corner.
They locked the door and I stood behind it, watching Shane through the glass panel. There was so much I wanted to say, so much I wanted to tell him, but I wouldn’t open my mouth while Conri was here.
Instead, my eyes brimmed with tears at the desperation etched in his features.
“You lying snake,” Shane snarled.
“I’m half demon,” Conri said, proud of himself. “I’m not called the devil for nothing.”
“Let. Her. Go.”
Conri took a step forward, standing right at Shane’s door. His height grew another foot and shadows surrounded him. “I don’t think you’re in a position to make demands, boy.”
Shane didn’t flinch or avert his glare from the devil. “I'm going to take everything you have,” Shane said, his voice low and tight.
With an amused chuckle, Conri returned to normal. “Oh, this is fun. Unfortunately, I don’t have time for this. How about you tell me how to access the crystals now?”
