Than lifted one hand, and Avnas rocked back a step. All Than did was scratch at the side of his nose. Still, the threat was clear: Avnas could come clean, or he could go away.
I saw the moment he made his decision. He straightened, tugged on the sleeves of the suit he was wearing—a very nice black with a deep blue shirt that showed the width of shoulders and chest.
For a moment, for a flash, I felt something…good in him. An intent. A desire for change, to make his life different.
Tobedifferent. Maybe, to be who he hoped he could be.
I’d felt the same thing in Bathin when he’d possessed my soul. When I looked back on it, I thought that was why I had never fought him as hard as I could have. Why I’d given him time to figure things out—himself, this town, and yes, his love for my sister.
Maybe that was clouding my decisions now. Maybe I was thinking it had worked out okay with one demon, it will work out the same for this demon.
Maybe Avnas was nothing but evil, a spy, a foe. Hungry for the kill.
But being a Bridge to Ordinary gave me insight many others didn’t have. I couldfeelthe basic nature of people. I knew what was a danger to my town, to all those within it.
My gut told me Amy might be dangerous—of course he was dangerous—but he was not the kind of danger that would tear my town apart.
“Xtelle,” Avnas said, suddenly all leading man on the silver screen. “I came to Ordinary for you.”
“To kidnap me? Well, you’re about to be disappointed, buddy.”
“No, I didn’t come here to spy on you or kidnap you or report back to the king. If I had my way, I would never return to him.”
Pan snorted, a very musicalbullshitin the middle of it.
Avnas turned, as if he had just noticed the goat in the room. “You have something to say, Goat?”
Pan puffed up his chest. I swear his horns got bigger. “Avnas. You are some kind of fool coming here and trying to hurt Delaney.”
Than cleared his throat and studied the back of his Sugar Bunny nails.
Avnas looked between the goat and the guy in the olive-covered shirt.
“The place is crawling with gods,” Pan went on, pushing himself in front of Xtelle, getting closer to the bars of the cell. “We don’t like it when our vacations are interrupted by scheming, self-serving, two-faced jackasses.”
Xtelle cooed dreamily.
“What was that?” Avnas asked.
“What?” she asked.
“You sighed. Like you like him. You don’t…you couldn’t…he’s a god in goat clothing!”
“And I’m a unicorn in pony clothing.”
“Demon,” Myra and I said at the same time, but Xtelle was on a roll.
“Are you going to report that to Vychi too? That I’ve finally let my unicorn fly free? That I’m living upworld, happier on four hooves than I ever was downworld on eighteen tentacles?”
“I’m not telling him anything,” Avnas shouted. “I don’t belong to him anymore. I’ve broken my contract. I’ve turned against him. I’ve betrayed him. And I’ve come here. For you. I’ve followed you because thinking of an existence without you is…” He stopped suddenly, as if his own words had finally caught up to him.
“What?” Xtelle asked, confused. “Whatexactlyare you saying to me, Avnas?”
But he pressed his lips together and stared straight ahead.
“Than,” I said.
“Yes, Delaney?”
