I stifle a laugh as I set her down. The second she can reach the floor, she’s off, rushing about the room and its many alcoves, her head practically spinning round and round trying to take it all in.
Then, Lithobathes arrives, huffing and puffing. Leaf is at his heels and bounds into the library.
“Be gone,” I tell him before shutting the door. Leaf keeps running, and I follow him to find Minnie already curled up in an alcove with a book.
I lean against the entryway, the warm feeling inside my chest continuing to blossom. She makes me feel mortal. So long as that is kept between us, we should be fine. Devils are known to fall from pedestals of power; why should we not also fall in love? At least, I think that’s what this is, the pride and excitement that comes with looking at her.
Finally, I join her in the alcove, tilting my head to see what book she’s picked up:Hells Omnibus: Volume One, detailing a conflict between the Archdevils of old and several of their reaped souls attempting a coup. The book is about as big as her.
Footsteps alert me to another’s presence. Kas waltzes in, looking rather proud of himself.
“Get out,” I growl and he turns around as if he’s attached to a wheel.
Minnie perks up. “Wait, Kas.”
Kas keeps walking away.
“Kas,” I grumble. He stops in his tracks. “Come back.”
Again, he turns on command and begins marching back, his proud expression replaced with a grimace.
Minnie holds the open book in her lap. “What happened to the le Fays?”
“Well…” He breathes and puts his hands on his hips. “The vampire council of all people took control of the scene you created. They’re notoriously secretive.” He finds a bookshelf and leans against it. “It would take someoneverycharming and clever to get any sort of details about what happened there that night.”
Minnie and I look at each other. She rolls her eyes and speaks his name with a slow drawl. “Kas…” He smiles. “What information did you get with that silver tongue of yours?”
He practically giggles. “Sad to say, the le Fays got out of there without harm. My guess is with magic, same way Arthur le Fay gotintothe gala.”
Minnie tilts her head. “Teleportation magic?”
“You would know better than me. Anyway, Udtuk didn’t make it, shot by a security guard and probably mounted and stuffed on some vampiric council member’s wall. Though I shoudn’t be so harsh. The council compelled enough people to forget the details of the event that there’s not even a hint of monsters or magic to be found in the news.”
For the sake of other witches, Madame Albe and Amber’s kin, that’s good news. Still, Minnie sits there frowning. “Thank you, Kas,” she huffs.
“Weirdhearing that phrase in Hell.”
“Let me rectify that strangeness.” I wave my hand. “Fuck off.”
In an instant, Kas has his back to us and is gone from the library. Minnie’s brows knit together, head tilted down ever so slightly, looking at nothing in particular.
“Disappointed?” I offer.
She blinks, and her expression softens before she looks at me. “Rosie…” She shifts her body so there’s room for me to sit behind her. I do so, and she leans back, situating herself in my lap. “I want the le Fays dead, and I’m sure the feeling is mutual. But I’m here now, on a completely different plane. It would be a waste of time to think of them when Baphomet might make you a King.”
I snort and shake my head. “They’ll taunt me with the possibility for a long, long time.” I wrap my arms around her shoulders, realizing we don’t have an eternity together. “Minnie…” I feel embers rise in my throat.
“And I’m still cursed…” she reminds me. “I know time works differently here, but I doubt it will allow me much of an extension…” She nibbles her lip, and I realize she’s been thinking aloud, working through the issue at hand. “Those people with Baphomet…” She rubs the thin parchment between her thumb and forefinger. “Those were his reaped souls, people he’s made contracts with.”
“Yes. It’s possible he has even more, considering his age and his influence, but it's hard to say.” I purse my lips. “I don’t want you to lose your free will. I’m not sure if there’s a way to tie your soul to mine without making you hollow.”
She sets the book down and rolls her body so our chests are touching. “Is that the only reason?”
“I spoke my truth in the museum. You deserve to see your family.”
“And I will one day. And when that day comes, they can meet you as well.” She climbs my body enough to kiss my chin. Something in that little gesture reminds me how much I need her, howsheis my vice.
Holding her face like the precious gem she is, the compulsion I felt at the museum returns. “Minerva, I…” The embers are back, this time burning my tongue, making it hard to speak. “I…” The words catch in my throat–if I even have the words I want to say. They float through my mind like the souls in the river Styx, incorporeal and impossible to catch.
