Page 37 of The Devil's Trials

The options are clear. Lucia or Camille.

It’s not the first time I’ve been faced with the choice, but unlike the last time, I’m being judged by those who will determine my future. If I kill Lucia for a second time, I won’t be able to lie my way through an explanation because I’m being watched this time. But if Camille is truly here somehow, and I kill her…Fuck. I don’t have time to figure it out for sure. I can’t hesitate—that’s exactly what the royal guard is expecting me to do. They’re testing my weakness.

I have to believe this isn’t real for Camille. That, like Lucia, she isn’t actually here. I swallow the fear clogging my throat, reaching into myself and latching onto my newfound ability to switch off my emotions.

And then I let the dagger fly.

It finds its target in Camille’s chest, and her eyes pop wide before they roll into the back of her head as bright crimson seeps through the front of her shirt.

Lucia steps away, letting Camille’s lifeless body drop to the floor, and laughs loudly. “Hmm. Perhaps I was wrong.” Her eyes find mine once more. “Congratulations, Xander. You have passed your initial ascension trial.”

I don’t have a moment to process anything as the scene darkens, and the floor gives way under my feet, swallowing me whole.

The ground is cold and damp when I blink my eyes open and find myself propped against the side of the haunted barn. It’s quiet now. The only sound is the soft chirping of crickets and steady breathing next to me.

I glance at Blake when he murmurs, “Welcome back.”

We stand, and I groan and the ache in my limbs. “How long was I out?”

Blake shrugs, checking his watch. “Hmm. A couple of hours?”

It barely felt like ten minutes.

“And you stayed with me the whole time?”

He arches a brow, nodding. “Well, yeah. I couldn’t leave you slumped over out here. Someone could find you and would probably think you drank too much and passed out.” He nudges my shoulder with his. “We couldn’t risk having the cops called and your trial disrupted, so I kept watch to intervene if necessary. Nothing came up, though, so we’re good.” He tilts his head to the side, searching my face. “We are good, right? You passed?”

“I did.” There’s a burst of pride in my chest, but it’s tainted by the lingering pressure in my lungs.

“Dominic came by after you passed out. He told me your first trial would reveal your greatest weakness and force you to face it,” Blake says as we walk to the car, his brows furrowing. “So what’d you see?”

“I’d rather not talk about it. I need to do something now.”

“Do I want to ask?”

“Probably not.”

Blake lets loose a heavy sigh. “Well, one trial down. Only two to go.”

I chuckle softly, but it sounds more tired than humorous. “Ever the optimist. Thanks, Blake.”

“Anytime, mate. Now I hope this thing you need to do won’t take long, because we’re going out tonight to celebrate.”

I don’t bother arguing with him about the party, but I do say, “We can celebrate tomorrow.”

As soon as we get back to the house, I shut myself in the bedroom and drop into the armchair in the corner. Closing my eyes, I focus on my breathing. I’ve never dreamwalked from such a distance, but with my new power, it should be something I can do—so long as Camille is sleeping.

If she’s not dead. If I didn’t just kill her during my trial.

I exhale a harsh breath, shoving that thought away. I need to focus if I’m going to do this. I recall a conversation I had with Camille when she told me about a breathing technique to work through a panic attack and ground herself. I follow the steps she shared, inhaling through my nose and holding it, then letting it out slowly through my mouth. After repeating the exercise a few times, my nerves settle enough to focus my thoughts. I visualize going to her, finding her waiting for me.

The room spins behind my eyelids, but I keep them shut, gripping the armrests on either side of me as I continue breathing deeply until I feel the familiar pull of being transported into someone else’s subconscious.

I blink my eyes open and find myself in another unfamiliar space. I stand from the couch and follow the sound of a steady heartbeat I’d know anywhere. The relief flooding my entire body nearly throws me off balance.

I didn’t kill her.

I cross the room in a blur, pausing at a closed bedroom door before reaching for the handle and letting myself in.

---