Page 314 of Sinister

Although he was the one to bear the brunt of the suffering, for which I will be eternally grateful, we would not be here without each other—without both of our efforts.

Even when we lacked the knowledge of the past, we were so in sync that we still completed each other.

Finally, we are once more together, and this time, I plan on never letting him go.

But there are still things I need clarification on, so I turn to Valerion.

“How did Sin’s powers in his second life come about? Elroy did not have any.”

Valerion’s lips curl up.

“That question would be best asked of my father. He is the one who granted him his gifts.

I raise a brow. “Your father?”

“He is a primordial deity and has the power to bestow spiritual energy upon whoever he wishes. He’s grown rather bored as of late, so he’s acquired a few side projects, so to speak.”

“He gave Sin powers because he’s bored?” I ask in outrage. But then I notice Sin chuckling beside me. “You knew about this?”

He nods. “Valerion and I have had conversations about this. And though I never met his father, I am grateful for the gift he’s given me.”

“But what about the demon part? Because you are a demon now.”

“He is a made-demon in the sense that his grief over your death caused him to morph into one. But because of his already existing spiritual energy, he is . . . something else.”

“Something else?”

“He exists in a state between a born-demon and a natural one. I have not encountered someone like this before, so I cannot properly define what he is.”

“But he is immortal, right?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

I had assumed as much, which is what makes a little uneasy.

“If he’s immortal, then what about me? I’ll grow old, and he . . .” I look back at Sin. He will remain as young and handsome as he is now.

“I have already asked about this,” Sin says. “You don’t have to worry about that. I would have never become this . . . thing if it meant living on without you.”

“Sin is correct. Since he is technically in-between a born demon and a natural one, his spiritual energy is high enough that he can lend it to you, too. Every time he feeds⁠—”

“Feeds?” I blink.

“Every time he consumes a soul.”

I glance back at Sin warily. “Evil ones, right?”

He nods, smiling. “That was part of my second deal with Valerion. I would become a demon, but I would only feed off corrupted souls.”

I breathe out in relief. “That’s good.”

Valerion rolls his eyes and continues, “Every time he feeds, if you drink from him, you will get the same benefits.”

“By drink from him, you mean . . . ?”

“Blood,” he says unflinchingly.

“Oh . . .”