Page 123 of The Devil's Trials

“When you’re king?” she asks, her eyes on mine.

I nod. “When I’m king.” I pull my gaze away, moving toward the door as my thoughts drift to the human I left and how I’m going to explain this to her.

A month ago, I thought Camille was my future. Escaping Lucia’s clutches after we chained her in hell, and starting a life for myself with the fiery, compassionate human I couldn’t—Ican’t—seem to live without.

Instead I lost my soul saving my soulmate and now have the responsibility of ruling an entire race, which just so happens to be the part of me I despise the most.

My stomach plummets as I follow the guard out of the shop, leaving Camille’s sister behind. My insides are in knots, my palms sweaty as I try to picture what my hell loop will be. There are endless possibilities, which makes preparing nearly impossible. That said, the finish line is in sight. I just have to get through this final test.

I may not have a soul anymore, but I still have my heart—a tether to my humanity. Though more than before, I find myself wishing I didn’t. That I could switch off the emotions plaguing me.

So do it, a deep voice at the back of my head taunts.Turn it off and become the monster you’re meant to be.

I exhale a harsh breath, crossing the empty town square as the sky above darkens. We’re heading toward a stone building that resembles a courthouse, with wide concrete steps and pillars on either side of the massive wooden doors.

I start up the steps, then freeze at the sound of my name being shouted. I turn, half expecting to find Danielle coming after me, and my blood runs cold when my eyes connect with Harper’s.

No, no, no.

She isn’t supposed to be here.

I close the distance between us and grab her upper arms. “What are you doing?” I demand.

Her eyes narrow sharply and she knocks my grip away. “You ask me to join your council and then ditch me on the first field trip?”

My brows shoot up my forehead, and I shake my head adamantly. “You shouldn’t be here, Harper.”

She tugs a dagger from the holder strapped to her thigh, curling her fingers around the hilt as she grins at me. “You wanted a hunter.”

“And you decidednowwas the best time to accept the position I offered?Here?”

She shrugs. “I have a flair for the dramatic.”

I stare at her in utter disbelief, torn between the sense of pride in my chest and the new urge to keep my human sister safe. Glancing over my shoulder, I quickly note that the guard has entered the building. Perhaps they didn’t see Harper.

“How did you get here?” I demand.

She slides her hands into the pockets of her black rain jacket. “Blake told me you were leaving for the portal, so I might have gone there and waited for you.”

My eyes widen. “And then what? You followed us through it?”

“Well, yeah. I didn’t open it myself.” She offers a little humorless laugh. “I wonder if I could, though. We share blood, right? Maybe when you killed Lucia and gained all that power, something happened to me too?”

I arch a brow, shaking my head. “Not likely.”

“Eh, whatever.” She glances around. “So this is hell, huh?”

“I’m taking you to the others,now. It’s not safe for you to roam this place alone, Harper.”

She tilts her head to the side, glancing past me. “Right, because I’ll run into super friendly looking people like that guy?”

I turn to follow her gaze, and my body goes rigid when my eyes land on Marrick as he moves toward us, his eyes filled with darkness. “Harper, you need to—”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she cuts in.

“I’m not asking,” I bark back, grabbing her by the arm.

Marrick appears in front of us, and I tug Harper behind me, putting myself between them.

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