For the first time since arriving in Hell, I took a step back from him. It was barely any distance at all. Still his expression changed. Like that single movement hit harder than any weapon ever could. And the worst part? A small, angry part of me wanted him to feel it too.
“You let me spend weeks thinking you were just flirting with me.”
“I was flirting with you.”
“That is not helping.”
Behind us, the younger brother whispered quietly toward Nina, “Oh this is catastrophic.”
Nina whispered back, “I think he accidentally thoroughly destroyed her.”
“That made it WORSE.” Nina pointed at him.
I barely heard them. I couldn’t stop staring at my demon while my heartbeat spiraled somewhere between heartbreak and humiliation.
“You knew all those things meant something different to you,” I said quietly. “And you just… didn’t tell me.”
His jaw tightened slightly. “I did not want to pressure you.”
“You took away my choice.”
That hit hard enough to make him flinch. Around us, the crowd had gone completely still, and even the nearby demons were uncomfortable watching this unfold. My demon held my gaze for a long moment before speaking again in a much quieter voice.
“I was trying to give you a way out.”
I laughed once, low and sharp, because if I didn’t laugh right then I was fairly certain I was going to lose my mind in front of several hundred demons.
“That is genuinely insane,” I whispered. “You kissed me while secretly knowing Hell considered me your soulmate.”
The words hung heavily between us while silver fire continued flickering across the streets around us. Somewhere nearby, demons were still openly pretending not to listen while absolutely listening.
For the first time since I'd met him, the misery on my demon's face was impossible to miss. Good. Unfortunately, that did not make me feel better.
“It is more complicated than that.”
“That sentence has literally never improved a situation in human history.”
“Eva.”
“No,” I interrupted, my voice sharper this time. “You do not get to say my name in that calm voice right now like you didn’t hide an entire supernatural relationship contract from me.”
“It is not a contract.”
“That sounds WORSE.”
Behind us, Nina raised her glowing hand again while staring at the younger brother with open betrayal. “I would also like it officially documented that Hell apparently has forced personal attachment magic.”
The younger brother wore the expression of someone having a deeply existential crisis. “I am having an equally difficult evening.”
“You looked at me for four seconds.”
“That was unfortunately enough.”
Nina stared at him in horror. “That is psychotic.”
“I agree.”
My demon barely reacted to them anymore. His eyes stayed fixed entirely on me while the crowd around us continued growing across the street.
