We arrived at the temple at dawn. Unlike the other times, I wasn’t ravaged by anxiety. I was perfectly calm. Calmer than I’d ever felt.
The temple was quiet beneath the early morning sun. I was invigorated by its rays, soothed by its warmth. The only other thing that felt so grounding was Chase’s hand holding mine.
“You got this,” Chase said softly. “Wegot this.”
I nodded.
Cygnet stood just past the entrance way. He was shrouded in his black tattered robes that quivered in the breeze. He pushed his hood back as we approached, revealing his pre-emptive frown.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I was on my way to find you, in case you tried weaseling out of your deadline.” Cygnet crossed his arms. “Ready to transfer the job?”
I smiled at him. It was genuine, and a little sympathetic.
“That’s not necessary,” I replied.
Confusion briefly flashed across Cygnet’s expression. “Why not?”
“Because Faust is gone.”
Cygnet’s wide-eyed look turned into a scowl of disbelief. “You lied to my face once before. How do I know you’re not lying again?”
“I know. I’m sorry I lied before. But I’m not lying now, I promise. The demon really left Chase’s body.”
“The demonleft?” Cygnet scoffed. “How convenient.”
Chase raised his palms. “Listen, dude. I know it sounds like bullshit, but it’s true. Check and see for yourself, as long as you don’t swing that crazy sword at me again.”
Cygnet’s hand was resting on the hilt of his blade—not as a threat, but out of habit. Upon Chase’s comment, he subtly removed it. The brief flicker of shame on his face told me he still felt guilty about that incident.
He stared us down for a few seconds. “I need a second opinion,” he muttered. “I’ll fetch Hartford.”
That was a surprise. Cygnet never wanted a second opinion on anything. He was usually content to act first and deal with the consequences later. But apparently, he respected the higher-ranked exorcist enough to hand over control.
The two returned a few minutes later. Hartford towered over my brother, who sulked beside him.
“Yo,” Hartford called with a grin. “I’m told Chase and Sagitta are a pair of lying bastards?”
Cygnet’s face flushed. “That isnotwhat I said!” he shouted, flustered.
Hartford belted out a gravelly laugh as Cygnet scowled in embarrassment.
“Relax, I’m just fucking with you.” The doctor looked Chase up and down. “So, you’re demon-free now, eh?”
“Yes, sir,” Chase replied, straightening his shoulders. “Faust left my body of his own free will.”
My eyes flitted between Hartford and Cygnet. Did my brother know that Hartford had summoned a demon to test Faust’s true intentions? I doubted it. It was a dangerous move, and technically not legal under the exorcist’s code. Then again, neither was the stunt Cygnet pulled in the medical office.
I searched Hartford’s expression for any hint of his feelings. Even during our confrontation with the goat demon, he didn’t look too bothered. I got the sense that he didn’t view Faust as a threat. For now, at least.
“Demon’s gone. What’s the problem?” Hartford asked.
Cygnet’s brow twitched. He didn’t want to admit outright that he didn’t believe us because of the consequences, but it was written all over his face.
“I thought it would be prudent for a respected exorcist such as yourself to double-check that the demon is gone,” Cygnet said carefully, biting back how he truly felt.
Hartford looked amused. “How admirable.”
