Her smile quickly fades when she reaches us and she focuses on our faces. “Nova? Roman? Are you okay?”
I press my temples again. “We’re just tired. This world…” I edge away from the sunlight pouring across the grass beyond the shade and bump into Roman as we both retreat from the sun.
I give a wry laugh and try to make light of it. Pun intended. “This world seems to be turning us into vampires. Have you seen Koda or Taniya?”
“They were both at my cabin when I left. Koda came over early this morning. He wanted to check through the books again, but he didn’t look much better than you do.” She reaches for me, brushing her fingers across my cheeks and pressing her hand to my forehead, as if she’s gauging my temperature.
I recall Koda’s determination yesterday to speak with our father and the intensity with which he studied his chosen book last night. I get the feeling he won’t want to rest until we have an answer, but that can only mean this world will drain his energy faster.
“We’ll head over there now, too,” I say when she removes her hand.
Despite my intentions, I hesitate to enter the sunlight.
Adriel approaches at that moment, his arms empty of books now. When he stands in front of us with his wings slightly spread, I take a breath of relief that his body blocks some of the glare from the bright grass.
His quick gaze passes across Roman and me, finally settling on our eyes. “It is not good for demons to linger in this world,” he says, his voice low as he repeats the warning that he gave us yesterday.
Malia spins to him, her question urgent. “What’s happening to them?” Her eyes are wide as she seeks his response. “If there’s something you haven’t told us, we need to know—”
Before Adriel can reply, a bright voice sounds behind him.
“Adriel. There you are.” Haldi hurries up behind him, her corkscrew curls bouncing around her beautiful face. Her voice is breathless, as if she hurried, and I can only assume that the ability to appear and disappear like Adriel sometimes does must be reserved for archangels.
“My apologies, but you’re needed in Lux,” she says, her hand gliding to the hilt of the blade she carries at her waist. She adds, “Immediately.”
His brow furrows as his gaze drops to where she grips her weapon. It’s either an inadvertent move on her part or a veiled threat of force. Either way, there’s a new tension around his eyes when he swings back to Malia.
“It seems I’m needed elsewhere,” he says. His expression softens as he brushes an errant flower from her hair and leans closer, murmuring, “Remember, some dangers are in clear sight.”
She presses her lips together as he strides away, the worry in her expression returning. “We need answers. And fast. I think the new books I brought can help. Adriel got me into one of the buildings that I wanted to see yesterday. Are you able to make it to my cabin or should I bring the books here?”
She’s trying to keep us out of the sun, but either we have to step into it or Koda does.
I draw on my demon power, increasingly worried when it’s harder to call, but the dark wisps that rise around my fingertips comfort me—and revive Roman a little when I touch them to his chest.
“We can make it,” I say.
Malia casts worried glances back at us as we step into the sunlight and hurry to her cabin, dragging in deep breaths once we enter the muted light inside it.
I call my wolves with me and they’re slow to respond, following me inside with sluggish steps, but they also seem more comfortable once they’re away from the glare.
I find Koda hunched over a book where he sits on the couch, and Taniya studying another at the table. They give us tired “hellos” before returning to their study.
“These ones,” Malia says with a hopeful look as she passes Roman and me a book each, both about demons.
As I open the book she gave me, I feel renewed optimism that I’ll find something—anything—that will help us.
At first, I flip through the pages, reading as fast as I can. The book confirms that demons do, in fact, have souls, and that they are immense sources of energy, but this text poses a different theory for demons: A demon’s power is inextricably bound to their soul. To take away their soul is to take away their power.
I shudder, remembering the ripping and tearing sensation I’d felt when Esta tried to cut my soul from my body. If this book is correct, then she would have taken my power with it.
It means that not only is my father’s soul separated from his body, but his power is with it.
But conversely… If Esta’s own soul were to be destroyed… then her control over all other souls might be destroyed, too…
I look up, ready to share my findings with my pack, only to find my vision blurred and my thoughts suddenly slipping away.
What was I going to tell them?
