Page 52 of The Devil's Trials

“For as long as you want me, I’ll be by your side. The gates of hell couldn’t keep me away from you.”

I swallow past the lump in my throat, thankful he can’t hear the race of my pulse. “Seems that’s exactly what they’re doing,” I murmur before I can stop myself.

“Need I remind you that you’re the one who left Seattle?” His tone is level, unbothered, which irks me further.

“Yeah, after you went all ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ on me. What should I have done, Xander? Bowed to you like that room full of demons did?”

There’s a gruff sound on the other end of the phone, something akin to a growl that brings the warmth back to my cheeks.

“We had a plan,” I rush to add. “When that was derailed, I panicked. I did what I had to do to protect my sanity.” I hug the pillow tighter and admit, “I’m hanging on by a thread most days and I make no apologies for what I’ve done to keep my head above water.”

“I’m not asking you to.”

“Good.”

“Good,” he echoes with a hint of amusement.

I sigh. Even this ridiculous banter is making me long for what we had before everything went to hell. “I should…I’m going to hang up now.”

“Okay,” he says.

The pang of disappointment that surfaces when he doesn’t try to continue the conversation makes me blink my eyes open. I reach for my phone, my finger hovering over the button to end the call.

“Camille?”

My heart lurches, and I whisper back, “Xander?”

“Sweet dreams,mo shíorghrá.”

I’m caught off guard by the rush of tears that burn my eyes, and I quickly disconnect, kicking myself for calling him to begin with.

One of these days, I’ll learn to fight my weakness.

Better yet, I’ll conquer it altogether.

THIRTEENXANDER

Since reaching Camille in the dreamscape two nights ago, I’ve had a curiosity about another, newer connection. Since learning I can dream walk without being close to my target, there’s a chance my other abilities—like tracking—are enhanced, and I can track down Harper.

Before discovering our relationship, I had no inkling of our shared blood. Perhaps if I had any link to my human family, I would’ve felt a bond with Harper before I discovered she was my half-sister, but Lucia ensured I never did. There’s an absence where I expect to feel resentment, and I shrug it off.

Grabbing my jacket from the foyer closet, I nearly run into Blake coming through the front door.

“Where have you been?” I ask, pulling on my jacket.

“Checking on the bar,” he explains. He hasn’t spent much time there since everything went down with Lucia. I suppose he has employees taking care of his business while he’s not around, though I’ve never asked.

“Everything okay?”

He nods. “Where are you headed?”

I slide my hands into my pockets, preparing myself to have him try to warn me from going to see Harper.

Instead, he spins his key ring on his finger with a grin. “Let’s go.”

Blake drives toward a suburban neighborhood on the outskirts of the city, while I sit in the passenger seat with my eyes closed.

I focus my breathing, pushing my senses out until something like an internal GPS flares to life in my gut, singing in my blood with gentle vibrations. I press my lips together at the new sensation, giving Blake directions as I follow the invisible guide from connecting to the Gilbertbloodline. It’s as if I’m seeing the road light up in my mind, and the surrounding details get clearer the closer we get to Harper.

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