“Cerus, want to tell me what you’re doing?” Ajax asked dryly, leaning against the kitchen counter with studied ease. He looked like he was waiting to order a martini at the bar at the end of the day, not questioning the demon who was threatening his buddy.
“I’ve discovered these two interlopers,” the crossbow-wielding demon hissed, and Ajax merely laughed.
“Cerus, consider where we are, you pompous old ass. To him, you’re the interloper—I’m pretty sure he’s the one who lives here,” he said, chuckling, gesturing to Logan as if he’d never met him before. “You’ve heard the rumors about Rego’s protégé. I doubt he’d be thrilled with you if he came home to find you’ve impaled his charge with one of your fluffy little arrows.”
I gripped Logan’s hand where it curled around my hip as I stole another glance at Cerus. For some reason, Ajax didn’t want to reveal that he and Logan knew each other. I already didn’t trust demons—but a demon that other demons didn’t trust? Clearly that’s the worst kind of demon ever.
Cerus studied us, his gaze calculating and cold.
“Remember, kid, one false move and your little friend will taste my arrow in the back of her throat. I never miss.”
Ajax nudged his friend, who finally turned her gaze on me. Her body twisted gracefully, and she vanished in a swirl of black and red, thin trails of the color bleeding into the air like ink dissipating in a glass of water.
“I’m not going to hurt you—unless you’re into that sort of thing.” A light breath in my ear tickled my skin as she materialized behind me. I screamed as the demon grabbed me in her arms, my ribs throbbing with pain as I struggled against her ironlike grip. The room whirled around, a dizzying pinwheel of color and light—and suddenly I was swaying on wobbly legs, sandwiched between Ajax and this new girl, who whispered, “Be very quiet” into my hair as she kept me locked in her arms.
Logan started toward me just as Cerus gasped at the distraction, letting his concentration falter. In three long strides, Logan changed direction, crossing the room and swiftly delivering a roundhouse kick that slammed into Cerus’s wrist. The demon cried aloud as his crossbow clattered to the floor, and he fell to his knees to grab at his weapon. But he was too slow: Logan punted it across the room, where it smashed into pieces against the wall, falling to the floor in a limp pile of feathers and wood and metal.
Logan raised his sword and sliced it down swiftly, stopping the blade a mere inch from Cerus’s neck. A weak cry bubbled up through Cerus’s lips as he shut his eyes in fear.
“I never miss either. Do yourself a favor and remember that,” Logan growled as Cerus whimpered. Logan took a step back, keeping the tip of his sword pressed underneath Cerus’s jaw.
“Aw, what’s wrong? Not so brave without your crossbow, are you?” Logan goaded sarcastically. “Now, listen up, you little troll, what are you doing in my kitchen, shooting arrows at me?”
“I am not a troll!” cried Cerus, glaring at Logan from where he remained kneeling on the floor. “I am a Regent, a member of the superior demon race, and you would do well to respect—”
“Please, go right on ahead and kill him,” Ajax offered, a smirk on his face. “Cerus talks like this all the time. It’s really annoying. ‘I’m a Regent, I’m so great, durr, durr, durr,’” he imitated in a deep, doofy voice. “Who isn’t a Regent? I mean, really?”
“Even your friend doesn’t seem to like you.” Logan spoke with menacingly cool detachment. “So, why don’t you tell me what you’re doing in my kitchen before I accidentally run you through with my sword?”
“I’m here to confer with Rego,” Cerus said scornfully, “on matters that have nothing to do with you, child. Why are you so concerned with me, anyway? Don’t you care about Ajax and his little friend? After all, they’re the ones holding your little human friend hostage.”
“They didn’t shoot arrows at us. Now, tell me, who are you, and where is Rego?” Logan demanded, pushing the tip of his sword further into Cerus’s neck, effectively erasing the arrogance from his face.
“Rego isn’t here yet! I arrived for our meeting early.”
“To snoop around, I bet,” Ajax chimed in.
“You’re not even supposed to be here,” Cerus snarled in reply.
“And yet I managed to show up anyway,” Ajax retorted, the disdain in his voice contradicting the innocent smile on his face. “Funny how you like having meetings without me these days, Cerus.”
“What are we all, childhood friends catching up? I’ll ask once more before I take your head off,” Logan barked, using the broad side of his sword to whack Cerus in the ear. The blade struck his skin with a loud smack, and Cerus howled in pain as lavender blood streamed from his ear. I squirmed, uncomfortable at the brutal sight.
“Just stay still,” Ajax whispered to me, his voice low and his mouth covered as he pretended to scratch his nose. I stopped wriggling but glared at him. I’d had enough of demons telling me what to do today.
“Why are you here for Rego?” Logan demanded, his jaw clenched as he dragged the tip of his blade across Cerus’s throat. I blanched, gritting my teeth at the grisly scene. Logan was menacing, authoritative, threatening—terrifying, even. The soldier he’d said he’s always been.
“The Regent Queen—she needs to be overthrown. Her reign is impure,” Cerus stammered in reply to Logan’s question, his violet eyes wide with terror. “I have information for Rego on her itinerary.”
“And you tell him this why? For your health?” Logan continued his interrogation, smacking him in the ear again before returning his sword to Cerus’s neck.
“In exchange for his protection! Once she’s assassinated, the warlocks will reign again. And I’ll gain a prominent position, money, power.... Please, don’t kill me,” Cerus babbled, his face shimmering with sweat and his neck streaked pastel as blood streamed down his skin.
Logan smacked Cerus again, and I winced, fighting the urge to look away. I didn’t harbor any particularly warm and fuzzy feelings toward Cerus, but this inquisition was difficult to watch.
“This is a revealing scene, Cerus. A teenager threatens you with a little paper cut on your neck and a few taps to the head, so you divulge all our secrets. Remind me to put you in charge of nothing,” Rego seethed, startling us all as he stepped through the now-glowing doorway behind us.
Rego’s entrance triggered an emotional charge in the room: Cerus paled, his eyes focused on the warlock as he appeared to forget the blade at his throat. Logan stood up straighter, his face composed and slightly defiant, with only the flexing of his jaw hinting at any unease.
After hopping up on the kitchen counter, Ajax gave Rego a cheerful wave and a big grin, but it looked forced. The demon gripping me held me more tightly, only this time I couldn’t help but feel like she was using me as a human shield.
Rego gracefully slipped off his nondescript beige trench coat, and tossed it carelessly into a corner—revealing the same military-style uniform I’d last seen him wearing—and stood before me, his reserved glare even colder. The Rego I’d met earlier was positively snuggly compared to the intimidating man who now stood before me.
Ajax tapped the girl demon with the back of his hand, and she released me. I all but ran into Logan’s arms; well, arm. He still held his sword against Cerus’s neck with one hand but pulled me into his side as Rego took his place before the red-and-black-haired demon.