Page 105 of The Devil's Trials

Francesca nods. “Other creatures inhabiting this world can turn humans into their kind. Who’s to say demons can’t do the same?”

“If Marrick can turn humans into demons and force their loyalty, this just became a much bigger problem,” Blake says, raking his fingers through his faded blue hair.

The tension in my chest burns hotter, morphing into something violent. My hands curl into fists, and I inhale slowly. “If Marrick wants a fight, I will give him a war he’ll have no chance of surviving. He’ll wish he’d been at the compound to perish alongside Lucia.”

Blake and I leave Francesca to rest on the couch while we go to the kitchen. My thoughts are racing, blood rushing through my ears as I struggle to ground myself.

I haven’t felt this out of control since the day I killed Lucia.

Jude and Roman enter the kitchen, leaving Greer asleep upstairs.

“What do we know so far?” Roman asks, glancing between us.

“You heard what Fran told us?” Blake checks, and Roman nods.

“I spoke to an old friend of mine in California,” Jude says. “Marrick was living there for a while before he joined your mother’s council, and it seems he’s returned.”

“This has been confirmed?” Blake asks from where he stands next to me, arms folded over his chest.

Jude nods. “He’s been spotted several times.”

“It makes sense,” Francesca chimes in weakly, and we all turn to her in the living room as she continues, “We have family in Los Angeles. He could be hiding out there.”

“I don’t think he’s hiding,” Roman adds in a low voice, his jaw tight. He turns to me. “Your mother had a lot of support in California. Marrick is most likely recruiting demons who will fight alongside him against you taking the throne.”

I rub my jaw, leaning against the counter. “How does he plan to turn humans into demons?”

“Who bloody knows?” Blake grumbles.

“I’ve come across centuries old literature that spoke of the process as a myth,” Jude offers with furrowed brows.

The knots in my stomach grow and tighten, making me shift my stance at the pang of discomfort. “How is this the first I’m hearing of it?”

“There’s no way to say for certain if it’s been done before because, if I remember correctly from the writings, you cannot discern a born demon from a created one.”

“Well isn’t that just fucking peachy,” Blake huffs.

“And you believe Marrick has access to this information?” I ask.

“I think it’s safe to say he does,” Roman says. “You know how close he was to your mother. How obsessed he was with pleasing her. She wanted demons to rule the human world, and he’d do anything to give her that.”

I loathe Marrick with every bit of my soulless being, though I suppose I can understand doing whatever it takes for the love of a woman.

Glancing between Roman and Jude, I say, “I need you to dig for more information. Find out if this is truly Marrick’s plan. And if I can leave it to the two of you to take care of Greer—”

“Of course,” Jude interjects smoothly. “We’ve got it covered.”

The two of them go back upstairs, speaking in hushed voices about where they’ll start looking for answers.

I grab the bottle of whiskey from the bar cart and pour two generous glasses, sliding one across the counter to Blake before downing mine. I exhale a deep sigh as the liquor burns a path to my stomach. “No one in the inner circle is safe. I need you to do something for me.”

He nods, sipping from his glass as he stares down at the phone in his other hand. “I’m already booking a flight. You stay and make sure Fran gets better. She needs to feed and keep resting. I imagine Greer will also need both of those things.”

“I’ll make sure they’re taken care of.” My voice sounds detached, an eerie reflection of how I’m starting to feel. I glance at the kitchen island, at the spread of untouched food Blake and I spent hours preparing.

He sets his phone on the counter, giving me his full attention before asking, “When I get to New York, what do you want me to tell them?”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t care what you say so long as you bring them back with you.”

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