did not fail, little one. I have bided my time, and my time has come.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could utter a word my chest tightened. It felt like a vice-like grip was crushing the air out of my lungs. A rush of wind escaped over my lips. It sparkled like winter snow as it rose from my mouth and traveled across the table. The shimmering breath hovered in front of her, before she inhaled deeply. Her crimson lips parted and my glittering breath vanished inside her mouth.
The vice released me, and I fell forward onto the table. My head hit the stone before I could stop it. I’d been pulling so hard against her that I didn’t stop when she released me. A smile twisted as she watched a trail of blood streak down into my eye. Excitement forced her to her feet.
This time I didn’t wait. I didn’t sit down like a nice girl and wait to see what she would say. Instead, I shot out of the chair and pulled my comb. My violet mark shimmered on my brow. I touched the Celestial Silver to my mark. The tines extended in an instant. The Demon Princess stopped before she reached me, hissing at the blade.
“What did you do to me?” I shouted. It felt as if she’d taken something from me—something of substance that was pressing on me. Now that it was gone, I could sense its absence.
She slid back, away from the end of the blades. “I did you a favor—a favor given freely—and this is how you repay me?” Her hands were at her sides, though tension remained in her shoulders. She was ready to fight.
“What did you take from me? I can feel it!” Worry ripped through me. I couldn’t fight her. She was supposed to be dead! The most powerful demon in Hell put her here and broke the mirror that held her. And yet, here I was. And there she stood—very much alive.
“Look at your chest. Look for the poison that threatened you more than I ever did. It was a weight crushing you, stealing your power, and hiding your talent. Look at it.” Her hood nodded once. Gleaming violet eyes were radiant. Her arms folded across her chest. Her billowing sleeves fell back, but the gloves she wore covered her entire arm. I could see nothing of her flesh.
Part of me thought that it could be a trap. Her words made me uneasy. But, I felt the lack of something, something that had been substantial. I couldn’t allow myself to hope that the poison was gone. I pulled back my neckline with my left hand, not dropping my weapon. When I stole a glance at my marred skin, I saw nothing. No blue vein. No scar. No nothing. The poison appeared to be gone. Even Lorren couldn’t do that. My throat tightened at the thought.
Straightening my spine, I dropped my hand and backed away from her. “What was the price? There are no gifts freely given. Not from your kind.”
The Demon Princess laughed softly and returned to the table. She slid onto the stone seat again and surveyed me over her fingers, as she pressed them together. “There is no price, little one. The poison is still there. It will still kill you.” My mouth opened, but I snapped it shut again when she shot me a sharp glance. “I did more for you in that one action than anyone has ever done for you in your entire life. The fool who froze the serum was still allowing its venom to poison you.” I slid down in my chair, looking at nothing. Her words surrounded me, until I felt like I was drowning. “Sloppy work for an angel. He could have healed you, but he didn’t.” Her eyebrow arched. “How curious. And was this angel friend or foe?” She leaned backward slightly, resting against the back of the stone chair.
Apprehension laced my thoughts. This seemed like a dream, but I knew it wasn’t. It was like a living vision. This demon pulled me from my dreams and into her world. I was trapped. Curiosity got the better of me and I asked, “How’d you know it was an angel? And what did you do? It doesn’t feel the same.”
She tilted her head
CHAPTER TWELVE
I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could utter a word my chest tightened. It felt like a vice-like grip was crushing the air out of my lungs. A rush of wind escaped over my lips. It sparkled like winter snow as it rose from my mouth and traveled across the table. The shimmering breath hovered in front of her, before she inhaled deeply. Her crimson lips parted and my glittering breath vanished inside her mouth.
The vice released me, and I fell forward onto the table. My head hit the stone before I could stop it. I’d been pulling so hard against her that I didn’t stop when she released me. A smile twisted as she watched a trail of blood streak down into my eye. Excitement forced her to her feet.
This time I didn’t wait. I didn’t sit down like a nice girl and wait to see what she would say. Instead, I shot out of the chair and pulled my comb. My violet mark shimmered on my brow. I touched the Celestial Silver to my mark. The tines extended in an instant. The Demon Princess stopped before she reached me, hissing at the blade.
“What did you do to me?” I shouted. It felt as if she’d taken something from me—something of substance that was pressing on me. Now that it was gone, I could sense its absence.
She slid back, away from the end of the blades. “I did you a favor—a favor given freely—and this is how you repay me?” Her hands were at her sides, though tension remained in her shoulders. She was ready to fight.
“What did you take from me? I can feel it!” Worry ripped through me. I couldn’t fight her. She was supposed to be dead! The most powerful demon in Hell put her here and broke the mirror that held her. And yet, here I was. And there she stood—very much alive.
“Look at your chest. Look for the poison that threatened you more than I ever did. It was a weight crushing you, stealing your power, and hiding your talent. Look at it.” Her hood nodded once. Gleaming violet eyes were radiant. Her arms folded across her chest. Her billowing sleeves fell back, but the gloves she wore covered her entire arm. I could see nothing of her flesh.
Part of me thought that it could be a trap. Her words made me uneasy. But, I felt the lack of something, something that had been substantial. I couldn’t allow myself to hope that the poison was gone. I pulled back my neckline with my left hand, not dropping my weapon. When I stole a glance at my marred skin, I saw nothing. No blue vein. No scar. No nothing. The poison appeared to be gone. Even Lorren couldn’t do that. My throat tightened at the thought.
Straightening my spine, I dropped my hand and backed away from her. “What was the price? There are no gifts freely given. Not from your kind.”
The Demon Princess laughed softly and returned to the table. She slid onto the stone seat again and surveyed me over her fingers, as she pressed them together. “There is no price, little one. The poison is still there. It will still kill you.” My mouth opened, but I snapped it shut again when she shot me a sharp glance. “I did more for you in that one action than anyone has ever done for you in your entire life. The fool who froze the serum was still allowing its venom to poison you.” I slid down in my chair, looking at nothing. Her words surrounded me, until I felt like I was drowning. “Sloppy work for an angel. He could have healed you, but he didn’t.” Her eyebrow arched. “How curious. And was this angel friend or foe?” She leaned backward slightly, resting against the back of the stone chair.
Apprehension laced my thoughts. This seemed like a dream, but I knew it wasn’t. It was like a living vision. This demon pulled me from my dreams and into her world. I was trapped. Curiosity got the better of me and I asked, “How’d you know it was an angel? And what did you do? It doesn’t feel the same.”
She tilted her head
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