“Here’s something you may not have figured out about Ordinary,” I said conversationally. “Truth works here. It’s a good thing. Conversation works here. Tell her real things, Avnas.”
Ryder stood behind my chair, and even though he wasn’t touching me, it was good to feel his strength at my back.
“You have one chance at this,” I said. “Why not try the truth this time?”
His eyes cut to Xtelle, than back to me. They were steel hard. “Or what?”
“No or. Whether you talk to her or not, I’m going to break your hold on me. Close your mouth, because whatever you’re about to say, you’re wrong. The hell spell you put on me had a few flaws that worked to my advantage.” I leaned forward, elbows on my thighs, hands loose between my knees.
I had all the power here, he just hadn’t figured it out yet.
“Let me tell you a truth,” I said. “Trying to use my friends against me in that spell was a fatal miscalculation.”
“You underestimate my power.” Fire flickered gold in his eyes and burned there just under his skin.
Even though he was on that side of the bars, and I was on this side, we were still bound. I felt the connection, tight behind my breastbone, behind my lungs. Somewhere deep, my soul fluttered and stretched, trying to pull free, like lungs bound too tightly and unable to draw air.
“With one flick of my finger, I can crush you, Delaney Reed. Crush you with the very rules and magic by which you live.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I don’t think so.”
“Shall we try?” he asked, still angry, but softer, as if this were intimate, just between the two of us. As if Xtelle, Pan, Jean, and Ryder weren’t in the room. As if there weren’t bars and layers upon layers of magic separating us.
“You can’t use magic in that cell. That’s kind of the point. So. Last chance, Avnas. Tell her the truth.”
His eyes narrowed. He raised his hand. He was so going to do magic no matter what I told him. Idiot.
“Delaney,” Myra’s voice was a little breathy, as if she’d been jogging. “I have someone to see you.”
My sister: right place, right time.
“Good afternoon, Reed Daughter,” Than’s voice was as dry as rice paper.
My sister: right place, right time, and right equipment. Which in this case was a god wearing an eye-watering pink shirt polka-dotted with neon-green olives.
Jean, who had moved over by them, said, “Nice nails.”
“Sleepover,” Than said.
“Sweet.” Jean made a fist. Than considered her fist a moment, then bumped it with his own before moving to stand next to me, facing the demon.
Amy’s hand didn’t lower, but the tension in his muscles shifted. He looked more like he was getting ready to retreat instead of attack.
“Avnas,” Than intoned. “It has been some time.”
Yes, he was on vacation. But even so, all the gods carried residue of their power, the weight of it always at the ready to use in an instant, if they so desired.
“What’s the plan here?” Myra asked. “Are you setting him free?”
“I’m giving him his one chance.”
“You told me I have three chances,” Xtelle piped up. We all looked at her, and she recoiled, squishing her head back, wrinkling up her neck. “Well, you did.”
“You get three chances because you signed the contract,” I said. “You are a citizen, and there’s a learning curve to living among mortals and gods.”
She cut her eyes to Avnas.
“He forced his way into town, attacked me, took part of my soul, stole precious items, meddled with my memories, and cast a spell to use as leverage over me to get his way.”
