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“I was trying to find an outfit that hid my entire body,” I snapped.
My black turtleneck and jeans covered almost everything but my face, but each blink irritated me.
“Can this wait? I’m uncomfortable and stretched tight right now.”
His eyes roamed my body, then settled on my face. Steel lined his gaze. “Demons are more likely to attack you if they sense you’re weak prey. You need to learn how not to show how you feel.”
“How can I not show it when it’s all over my skin?” I burst out, crankier than I’d been in years.
“Careful,” Gaksi warned. “He is a prince.”
“Anyone with perfect skin can go off themself right about now.”
“It’s not the skin that’s the problem,” Reaper said. “It’s the fidgeting. The scratching. The looking down at your feet and wearing clothes you don’t even like. Demons can sense the lack of confidence, as can most of your classmates.”
He stepped forward and cut through space. “Stay still,” he murmured. His head leaned over me.
I was reminded of our bargain, where we were in this exact position.
But this time, his fingers brushed my hair aside, settling something heavy and cold along my neck. I think my heart stopped beating. He smirked, sensing my reaction to his nearness.
Deft hands clicked something behind me, and he drew back to assess. Hands rested on my shoulders.
“Divine,” he breathed.
“Tortured,” I responded, shoving him off. “What is this thing?”
I pretended I didn’t see how much his face fell. “It’s a magic amulet. Large enough for Gaksi to possess, small enough for you to wear every day. Thick enough to cover our bargain.”
“Why are you giving me this?” I asked, unimpressed.
“It imbues the owner with confidence. Hold it when you need energy, and it’ll remind you of your self-worth.”
“How?” I was in no mood for presents, and this one sounded absolutely ridiculous.
“I filled it with my belief in you this morning.”
“You believe I am your sworn enemy.”
“I believe you could be. Or if not, I believe you could even be my friend.”
Oh.Some of my earlier irritation dissolved. A softer feeling blossomed in my chest in its place. Was he being truthful?
“It’s powered by emotions from dark magic. Gaksi can also fill it with his magic when mine runs out.”
“Thank you,” I said, voice quiet. I’d been ornery, and he appeared sincere enough, which meant I'd been rude to someone offering me a present.
He settled his hands on his hips, flexing his biceps. Even underneath his garments, I could see how muscular his frame was. I wondered what it would be like to run my hands down them, to feel what other parts of him were hard—
“Gawking at me is not part of your training.”
A shadow of embarrassment burst from my skin, blocking the sky. Foolish emotions.
I clutched the necklace like a lifeline.
“It won’t control your shadows for you. But think of it like a grounding point and imagine your shadows centering there before spreading out.”
I closed my eyes and imagined all the tingling, hesitant energy lines in my body moving to one place. They traveled from my toes to my ankles, up my chest, and settled eventually at the amulet above my heart. When I opened my eyes, the black center swirled amidst neon blue lights.
