Read Online The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan - Free Book Online Page A

wall and leaned his forehead against the gray bricks, teeth set. The clouds were slipping away slowly; the dark fingers of the storm curled around the sky as if they did not want to let go.
    Mae felt much the same, but she released her hold on Jamie. He stumbled a few paces toward Gerald.
    â€œI’m sorry,” he began. “I didn’t know—Alan said he only wanted to talk.”
    â€œAnd I do,” Alan agreed calmly. “I apologize for Nick’s behavior.”
    â€œI apologize for Laura’s,” Gerald told him, voice just as smooth and friendly. They stood clasping hands for another moment. They both had blue eyes, Mae noticed: Alan’s dark and Gerald’s light and bright. Alan’s crinkled behind his glasses as he smiled, and Gerald smiled back. “I have no intention of harming anyone,” he assured Alan. “All I want is a word in private.”
    â€œI’ll give you a word in public,” Alan said, still smiling. “No.”
    Gerald blinked. Alan dropped his hand and stepped back.
    The storm was clearing fast out of the sky now, clouds spiraling as if they were going down some unseen drain. Nick was leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his chest.
    â€œI wanted to talk,” Alan went on. “This is what I have to say: Leave Jamie alone. Get out of Exeter. Or I’ll turn your Circle over to Celeste Drake.”
    Gerald kept smiling, betraying no more than he had by that first blink, but Laura went a little pale.
    â€œI’m not scared of Celeste.”
    â€œNo?” Alan asked. “You should be. You’re the leader of the Obsidian Circle now, aren’t you? I’m sorry, I hadn’t thought. Should we be using a title for you now? As a mark of respect?”
    â€œYes, I’m the leader,” said Gerald. “And no. I thought—” He flashed a rueful smile at Jamie, and Mae was outraged to see Jamie smile hesitantly back. “Well, I didn’t think Black Gerald sounded exactly fearsome.”
    â€œNew leader,” Alan observed. “You’re very young. You lost about half your Circle when you lost your leader. You’vebeen losing more since then, your best people leaving for more stable Circles. You’re desperately trying to recruit new magicians. And the Aventurine Circle is out for your blood. What do you have going for you, Gerald?”
    â€œYou have no
idea
,” the strange magician said hotly, “what he can do. He—”
    â€œBen, be quiet!” Gerald snapped.
    The stranger—Ben—looked embarrassed and bowed his head, flushing faintly pink. Mae looked at him and remembered what the messenger had said about Gerald’s new mark.
    â€œI think my best people have stayed with me,” said Gerald, and there was a firmness about his tone that made Mae understand for a moment why people might be loyal to him: There was a substance to him that she hadn’t seen in Black Arthur, terrifyingly and deliberately impressive though he’d been. “And I could mention that you don’t have anyone left on your side but a demon that could turn against you at any moment, Alan—but I’m sure you’ve been thinking about that yourself.”
    â€œI’m on his side,” Mae snapped.
    â€œA demon that could turn against you at any moment, and a human girl who can’t do magic or fight,” Gerald corrected himself. “Not an impressive list of allies, but that doesn’t matter. I don’t mean you any harm, Alan. Nor do any of my Circle. You don’t need to be worried.”
    â€œOh, I’m not,” Alan said blandly.
    â€œI do not intend to leave Jamie here among people who do not understand him and will turn on him in a moment when his secret slips out. Which it will, someday. Someday very soon. He’s strong. Do you think his parents will react well once they know what he is? He belongs with his own