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Over the week, the demons have fallen into a ritual order. Axe is always at my front, Bastian at my back, Enzo on my left, and Dashel on my right.
“You can’t hold her hostage like this. It’s fucking weird.”
Axe shifts in front of me. “We’re not holding her hostage, Stephanie.”
“It’s Stevie, and you know that.”
“She’s with us of her own free will. Isn’t that right, angelcakes?”
I stiffen at the pet name but nod all the same. “After what happened with Vlad, I realized there’s too much I don’t know about the varying cultures of this realm. I’m safer with them.”
Stevie nods but sets her mouth in a hard line. “And that means you can’t have friends?”
Enzo answers for me. “She should have never been your friend to begin with.”
She ignores him. “Come eat with us today, Dove. We miss you.”
I search her face, looking for her motivation. The slant of her brows, the pleading in her gaze…
She’s worried.
“OK,” I say, pushing past Enzo and Axe to follow her.
“Sorry, Dove. You’re coming with us,” Axe says smoothly. He reaches for my arm, but I dodge his grasp.
“No, Stevie’s right. I’m having lunch with my friends today.”
Axe’s pupils dilate, and he scans the crowded hall, likely for Vlad. None of us have seen him in a single class, though. Not even in the halls since the incident.
“Dove, I’m serious.” He leans into me. “I haven’t heard the latest update on Vlad’s condition, but I’m not willing to risk?—”
“Shut up, hell spawn. She’s coming with me.” Stevie takes my hand and pulls me toward the academic building exit.
It takes every bit of willpower not to look behind me. I want to, but I don’t, afraid that looking back might compel them to follow me.
“Quick!” Stevie tugs on my arm when we make it outside without a demon on our trail. “Portal us to the dining hall.”
I freeze in place. “Stevie, I can’t.”
“What do you mean, you can’t? You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t have an exemplary grasp of magic.”
My hand goes to the demon ring on my finger. “I know, but I-I can’t do it here.”
Keep quiet, brain.
Stevie stares at me for several seconds. Whatever she sees makes her drop it. “Ugh, fine. Come on then, hurry.”
We sprint across the campus to the dining hall and catch up with Jess and Austin in the lunch line.
“Girl, where have you been? Those demons got you locked up tighter than Rapunzel’s cooch in a chastity belt. No one’s seen you outside of class. We even checked Pride House, and all your stuff’s gone.”
Suddenly, I’m extremely aware of how many people are around us. How many ears. “I’ll tell ya all about it when we get to the table,” I say louder than necessary for the benefit of those listening in.
I don’t bother getting any food. My stomach is already twisted in knots about how much my stupid brain will let me keep from them.
“Why aren’t you eating?” Austin asks with a rough bark when we’re at our table.
Before I answer, Jess wiggles her fingers in the air beside her head and a sheet of magic flows over me.
