By the time midnight approaches, it’s becoming clear that we’ve merely scratched the surface of the angels’ knowledge about demons, angel magic, and souls generally.
The common thread through the books seems to be that souls have an infinite energy. They’re a power-source unlike any other. Which is why losing a soul leads to death. It also makes the nature of Esta’s power even more concerning.
She currently controls an infinite number of souls and therefore an immense amount of power.
Despite all the information about the nature of souls, there’s nothing about what happens if a demon is separated from theirs. One of the texts even claims that demons don’t have souls. I try to look past the obvious prejudice, since it’s written by angels, but I eventually close that book.
Finally, I look up to meet the bleary eyes of my pack. All of them have closed the books they were reading and wear despondent expressions. Even Roman rubs his eyes wearily and Koda’s bliss power is nowhere to be seen.
“Everything in these books only reinforces how difficult it will be to constrain Jareth,” Taniya says. “Nothing tells us how to help him.”
Malia doesn’t seem as groggy as the rest of us. She taps the pile of discarded books. “These don’t have the answers, but I’ll try to find more tomorrow.” She continues with a mutter. “If Adriel will allow it.”
I rub my aching eyes and stifle a yawn as I shuffle to my feet. “I need to sleep. Let’s pick this up again tomorrow.”
Outside, the air is clear and cool and it’s a relief to be away from the firelight—until Roman and I enter our cabin and the fireplace lights up once more.
My brow furrows as I stare at it, sensing the pure warmth radiating through my body that makes it nearly impossible to resist sleep.
Roman catches my hand. “Bed,” he says, pulling me with him to the bedroom.
Once there, I snuggle against his side and press a sleepy kiss to his neck.
He’s already asleep and a moment later, so am I.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
The next day, I force myself out of bed, only to wobble and drop back to its edge. Roman is fast asleep on his stomach, his chest rising and falling steadily, and doesn’t stir.
My head feels like someone clobbered me.
I press my fingertips to my temples and squint at the sunlight shining through the glazed window in the bedroom. Once again, I’m disoriented by the angle of the sun.
It looks like it’s midday already.
Slightly startled, I nudge Roman awake.
He cracks one eye open. “Hmm?”
“It’s past breakfast.”I think.“Maybe even past lunch… I’m not sure.”
Finally rolling off the bed, I head to the bathroom to splash water on my face and draw on my demon power.
It helps. A little.
In the mirror, my face is pale and drawn, and dark rings under my eyes contradict the amount of sleep I’ve had.
Damn. My exhaustion must have something to do with the moonlight we sat in while we were eating dinner—or maybe the brightness of the books we were studying for hours last night.
Roman wraps his arms around me from behind, his expression also tired and drawn and his weight heavy, as if he, too, is having difficulty staying upright. “Reading the angelic texts seems to have drained us more than I anticipated,” he says, echoing my thoughts. “We need to be careful today.”
By the time we get dressed and make it out onto the porch, we find my demon wolves sprawled out in the shade of the oak tree and Malia returning with Adriel.
She carries fewer books than yesterday but looks a little happier. There are flowers in her hair, as if they drifted down from the pastel trees on her way back. Adriel also seems calmer, and I wonder if they somehow managed to reach common ground this morning. It’s a small happiness that gives me the strength to push forward, heading down the front steps of the porch to where I stop at the edge of the shaded area.
“I can take your books to the cabin,” Adriel says, indicating the tomes Malia’s carrying.
At her nod, he adds them to his load and disappears into the middle cabin, leaving Malia to hurry over to us.
