Sarah shakes her head at his attempt to negotiate, then agrees with a smile. Ciprian’s smirk is triumphant, and he offers me what's clearly the smaller half of a cookie. I reach for it, only to change direction at the last second, swiping the bigger halffrom his other hand. He sputters, outraged, but I stuff the gooey treat into my mouth before he can retaliate.
“That's the last time I'll be sharing with you,” he whines, throwing himself down on the couch next to Sarah and looking to her for sympathy.
“You'll have to excuse him, Sheena. He's the youngest, so I'm afraid we spoiled him a little.” She smiles fondly at the blonde demon. “He was just such a darling little baby.”
Ciprian preens under her attention, throwing smug looks at Callum and Gideon. “Yes, Sheena, my birth was a blessing for the entire region.”
I groan at his antics, finishing the cookie and ignoring his giant ego.
“Sarah, I hesitate to agree with Ciprian—for obvious reasons—but that’s the best cookie I’ve ever had,” I tell her. “I would love the recipe if you're willing to share it.” Both Callum and Gideon perk up at that.
“Of course, dear. Do you bake?” There’s genuine interest in her question, and my guard drops another notch.
“Not as much as I'd like,” I admit. “But one of my diner jobs required baking pies every day. I got pretty good at that.”
We make small talk for the next few minutes until Callum clears his throat. We all look his way.
“Sarah, what's the deal with Idris?” His voice is wary, but Gideon’s mom seems unsurprised by the question.
“It's going amazingly well, dear. He and his companions finished moving in just a few days ago. So far, the alliance is holding strong.” She looks at me then, including me in the conversation. “I’ll admit I questioned the move at first, myself, but we're hopeful having the fae as part of the enclave will bring more stability.”
“I don't trust him,” Gideon grumbles. “And I don’t like the way he stared at Sheena.”
I’m glad I wasn't the only one who thought that interaction was strange.
“Oh, sweetie, I'm sure it was nothing.” Sarah pats her son’s arm. “He's just intense. After all that he’s been through, it’s not surprising.”
Gideon still doesn’t look convinced, but his mom seems confident everything is fine.
When we head over to the Hall of Nightmares for dinner, I’m still thinking about Idris’ cold, blue stare. Even now, as we navigate the dim labyrinth of corridors, I can still feel his eyes on me.
IDRIS
There is a djinnat the enclave.
Walking across the courtyard, the click of the stones under my shoes grates on my nerves. The expensive leather pinches my feet. I feel a pang of longing for the lush grass of my homeland and the way my bare toes would sink into the earth there. Suffocating that insipid sentiment, I remind myself forcefully that those days are behind me now.
As for the djinn... It's been decades since I’ve seen one. I thought they had all been hunted to extinction.Why would she reveal herself to a compound teeming with supernaturals?
I could feel the creature's power radiating across the threshold. It was on the tip of my tongue to test her and make a wish, but if she were bound, those words would have been the last ones I ever uttered.
With the way those boys clung to her like vines to a trellis, it's clear she's under their protection. It will not be enough. She'snot safe, nor is anyone in her immediate orbit. An unbound djinn—gods, if she were to fall into the wrong hands, her magic could destroy realms.
Which begs the question: how can I use this to my advantage?
After I ensure I’m seen entering the fae section of the compound, I wait for a few hours to pass, then cloak myself in a heavy glamour. I’m nearly invisible. If anyone looks directly at me, they won't see anything, except perhaps a slight rippling of the air when I move.
Satisfied with the disguise, I sidle soundlessly back to the shifter domain. The gods are on my side for once, and I encounter the group just as they're walking toward the Hall of Nightmares. A pretentious name for what's essentially a gauche, gothic shrine to a bygone era.
They keep up a steady stream of chatter as they walk, so I trail after them, hoping to learn something interesting. The young demon is trying desperately to get attention from the older one. It could be interesting to find the source of that familial tension and exploit it, but I don't have the time for side projects right now.
“Ciprian, keep your grubby hands off my girl,” the incubus demon snaps.What was his name again? Calvin or Cornelius or something?
“Dude. Why so greedy? It's not like you aren't already sharing her.”
Both the incubus and the enormous shifter swing for the blonde, but he dodges.
“Stop trying to rile them up,” the djinn demands, groaning. Her voice is low and melodic in the dim corridor. Hearing it for the first time sends shivers down my spine, but that’s nothing compared to how the calculating gleam in her eyes affects me.
