I sigh and head back to the bathroom. Even after showering, eating, and making myself a large pot of coffee, I’m still empty inside. I end up staring out the window as the shadows from the leaves dance on the ground, then disappear with the setting sun. Minutes—hours, maybe—pass until the front door creaks open. I don’t bother to look at who it is.
The light flicks on, and I shy away from the harshness. “Oh, Mari. Out of bed so soon? Thought you’d waste away, never to be seen again.”
I blink at her reflection in the window. I know her, I just can’t remember…
Worry flashes across her face before she plasters on a large, fake smile. She disappears into the kitchen with a bunch of bags. I’d ask if she was moving in, but I don’t really care. Until Lark comes back, nothing matters. Pain hits me when Dimitri crosses my mind. No matter how much I try to forget him, he still worms his way back in. He made his intentions clear. Our time together was fun, short, and is now over.
“So, I thought about making soup tonight. Except that’s all you’ve been eating for the last three weeks, so maybe sandwiches. Ooh, or grilled cheese. I got some homemade bread from your neighbor. And I took all your packages. Oh, and cheesecake for dessert.”
Questions pile on my tongue, crowding my mouth and weighing me down. Percy. That’s who it is. I’m not surprisedshe’s here, but she seems to know I’m not sick. I’m just…dazed. She babbles on while clanging around in the kitchen. I tune her out until she says my demon’s name. I wince, rejecting the idea of him being mine. We were a fling. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Percy crouches in front of me, and I finally meet her gaze. “Mari, I need something from you. Something more than sobbing or begging that demon to stay.” She huffs when I pull my brows low. “Yeah, you were pretty out of it. The little lightning thief filled me in. Lark wouldn’t want you to do this. She’d want you to…go on with your life until she could come back. And I’d know. I was friends with her for a long time.”
I swallow hard and shake my head. Waiting for Lark is all I have. How do I explain that to Percy? How do I put our bond into words? How do I tell her it’s all my fault Lark is gone?
“I know what you’re thinking. You’re all wrapped up in guilt and shame. Guilt for not coming sooner—for not knowing she was in trouble. Being ashamed for shacking up with a demon while she was missing. Except youknew.That’s why I never freaked out. After we figured out Dusty wasn’t hiding her somewhere, I trusted you. Ifyouweren’t worried about her, then I wouldn’t be either.”
“I was worried,” I croak. “Too scared to admit it.”
She nods like she understands. She doesn’t. She can’t. “Listen, and I mean really listen. Lark knew what she was doing. And you wallowing like this only does her a disservice. She’d be pretty pissed at you for doubting her.”
“She was in a cage.”
She slaps her thighs, then pushes to her feet. “Yup. Except those cages don’t really do anything other than keep you inside. At least that’s what Dimitri said. Speaking of…”
“Don’t,” I whisper harshly, glancing out the window at the darkness. It reminds me of the void. Which reminds me of the dragon realm. Which leads back to Dimitri.
Percy holds up her hands in surrender. “Okay. I won’t say anything. I won’t tell you to get your shit together and go find him. I won’t tell you to confess your feelings to him. And I certainly won’t tell you to bring him some fries when you do it. Oh, by the way, that big black book keeps following me around. It’s fucking creepy so if you could, ya know, deal with that.”
She prances off to the kitchen. I’m not ready to think about her words. Digesting them would mean admitting truths I’m not ready to face. Maybe tomorrow. Or next week. Or whenever Lark deems it necessary to include me in her life once more. A familiar bolt of rage hits me, and I shove it down again.
“Okay, I know we said we weren’t going to talk about it, but I need to know—did you sleep with him? Because I need to know if my theory of them being amazing in the sack checks out,” Percy calls over something sizzling in a pan.
My lips twitch, but I’m not ready to feel anything other than abject misery. She continues speaking as if I answered. I wonder how many times she’s had to carry on a conversation with herself. Much like I did when my sister’s voice was resonating in my head. She’s silent now—beyond my mind’s reach.
“You know, I was thinking you could ask Dimitri about scrying. Or maybe the other one who stopped by if you’re hell-bent on not talking to him.”
“What other one?”
“She speaks!” Percy flounces into the living room again, a spatula in her hand. “Yes, the tiny one with the hair that kept changing colors. She said everything should be good now. And something about soulbound, but I don’t know what that is.”
“It’s two souls bound together through space and time,” I murmur, my mind half on the conversation. Karma showing up here isn’t something I expected. We don’t know each other. She should be with Dimitri. Or going off and raining down consequences on unsuspecting assholes.
“Well, I was barely paying attention. She’s cute. Like,reallycute. She must have gotten all the good genes in that setup.”
“I don’t?—”
“Because they’re twins and all. Her and Dimitri. Honestly, if Karma dropped out of a closet on top of me, I’d be smitten for sure.”
“How did you…”
“Oh, the gossip was hot, honey. Plus, with you not really giving me the story, I had to asksomeone. Anyhoo, about the book? I know it’s such a small thing compared to, well, everything, but it’s really freaking me out. That little witchy friend of yours needs it back.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and search my memories. I don’t remember getting the book from a witch. I sift through each snapshot in reverse. Dimitri bringing me home. Lark’s note. Hitting Ludo with the skillet. Successfully creating a portal.
There.
The return of Lark’s voice has me swallowing a sob. I don’t have time to worry about that right now. Dimitri disappeared and, like clockwork, a witch appeared at his door. She waltzed right in like she owned the place, then apologized. A lot. When I calmed down enough to tell her what was going on, a black book much larger thanNecromancyappeared. She scoffed, handed it to me, then left me to my own devices—said I needed to do it on my own or it wouldn’t work. That’s how I created the portal. That’s how I found Dimitri. It wasn’t divine intervention or his curse. It was a spell, plain and simple.
