Page 90 of The Little Shop of Curiosities, The Music Box Part 2

“I’m not sure exactly.” I shift again, feeling another pulse of warmth through my belly. “But from what I understand, it contained very powerful magic. Cordelia called it The Book of Lala Khal, and she used it to raise the demon, although I’m not convinced she ever had any real control over it.”

“What makes you say that?” Her gaze sharpens.

“Just a feeling,” I admit. “And something Issac said.”

“What did he say, Prickles?” Sam asks, and something in me relaxes a tiny fraction. We still need to talk about my lies, but the fact that he’s still calling me Prickles must mean something.

“Prickles.” Olivia chuckles. “Oh my god, you guys are too cute, but go on.”

“Apparently, the demon knew the moment I was conceived, right here in this building. Issac wanted to kill me while my mother was still pregnant, but the demon wouldn’t let him.”

“Wouldn’t let him?” she repeats, her smile fading.

“That’s what Issac said,” I reply. “The demon said I had to be born.”

Olivia’s expression shifts into something I can’t quite put a name to.

“What?” Sam asks in concern. “What is it?”

“I’m not sure yet.” Olivia stares at me thoughtfully. “This book? The Lala⁠—”

“The Book of Lala Khal,” I correct.

“Yeah.” She nods. “What happened to it?”

“I don’t know. Cordelia’s siblings, Constance and Cornelius, must’ve managed to take the book from her somehow, before she could do any more damage, then used it to trap the demon. After that, I couldn’t say where it ended up.”

I shift again uncomfortably, only this time there’s no pain, just my arse being numb from laying on the ground propped up in Sam’s arms. I glance down as Olivia removes her hand. The symbols on my skin are gone, leaving me as pale and freckled as ever, and while the wound has not disappeared completely, it is healed, leaving a small, puckered scar.

“Sorry about that,” Olivia says. “I’m not really a healer. It was the best I could do. You’ll always have the fading scar, but everything on the inside is as it should be.”

“Thank you,” I whisper hoarsely.

Now that Olivia’s magic is no longer warming my healing body, I shiver, very aware of how exposed I am. But before I can say anything, Sam removes his suit jacket and wraps it around me.

“Thank you,” I mutter, still swamped with guilt. I don’t deserve the care he’s giving me right now.

“You’ll be fine,” Olivia says. “You’ve lost a fair bit of blood. With anyone else, it would probably have been a trip to the ER and an emergency blood transfusion, but that’s the beauty of magic. You’re in no danger of dying unless you’ve got any other homicidal distant cousins on the loose.”

I frown. “I really hope not.”

“What does he need?” Sam asks. “Are you sure he’s going to be okay? Not to downplay your magic mojo or whatever, but what if he takes a turn in the night?”

“Takes a turn in the night?” I scowl. “What am I, a ninety-year-old? I’m perfectly fine.” I push away from him and sit up, but as I do, my head spins and I sway.

“Whoa, take it easy,” Olivia says, and I feel both her and Sam’s hands rest on my back to steady me. “Blood loss, remember? It wouldn’t hurt to have someone with you tonight though.” She looks at Sam.

“Don’t worry, he won’t be alone,” Sam says quietly, but from the tone of his voice and the look in his eyes, I can tell he’s not happy. Not a surprise.

Olivia nods. “Give him plenty of water to drink. He needs to rehydrate. Also getting some food into him would be good, nothing too heavy, and rest. Above everything else, he needs to sleep.”

“He’s sitting right here,” I say waspishly.

Olivia grasps my chin with warm, gentle fingers. I’ve just watched this woman appear out of thin air, stuff a demon back into Hell, and heal my internal injuries without so much as breaking a sweat, and now she’s watching me with a kind of big-sister amusement.

“Honey, you need to take care of yourself,” she says in a firm tone. “You and I are going to be spending some time together.”

“What? Why?” I ask in confusion.