Page 54 of The Devil's Trials

“Coincidence?” I offer, and she shoots me a dry look before I continue, “I found you, because as much as you’d prefer to ignore it, we share blood, which ties us to one another.”

The color drains from her face, and she steps back, as if on instinct. “What the fuck? So, you have some weird ability to track me?”

I hesitate before answering, “To put it simply.”

A muscle ticks along her jaw for a moment before she blows out a breath, fogging the air in front of her face as she glances around and shakes her head. When her gaze returns to me, she says, “Were you looking for me then?”

I nod. “It’s not exactly easy with your entourage of hunters. I’ve had to be very careful and make sure you weren’t with any of them. How’d you give them the slip?”

She crosses her arms again. “Don’t worry about it.”

“You’re concerned about my interference when it comes to graduating your precious organization, but ditching the team doesn’t seem very conducive to your fast-track plan. Sounds like self-sabotage to me.”

“That’s funny, I don’t remember asking you,” she shoots back.

I let silence hang between us for several beats. “What’s your target?”

“What?”

“How many demons do you need to kill to graduate?”

Her brows knit. “I…Why? Going to round them up for me?”

I shrug, the corner of my mouth kicking up. “Maybe.” The thought of bringing Harper onto my council shoots to the forefront of my thoughts. The idea is wild, and has never been done in the history of demonic monarchies. I started my to-be reign by making history…perhaps I should continue to.

Plus, having someone on my side from my own bloodline could be beneficial. If nothing else, I’d have her carry out punishment under my rule to save me from doing it while earning points with her organization. We’d need to figure out the logistics of how the demons would be rounded up for her to hunt without raising suspicion from the royal guard or the hunters.

They will need to have committed an act of treason so I can justify their executions.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Harper says, unimpressed. “You’re the king of demons. They’re your people—you’re meant to protect them.”

“I’m not king yet.” I’m not sure what possesses me to add, “Have you and Camille not spoken? I would’ve thought she’d report to you when I saw her after the first trial.”

Harper crosses her arms again—she does that a lot around me. “Of course we have. But she’s been a little preoccupied with being sick. She’s been in bed for two days, probably since you saw her.”

My brows lift. “What—?”

“I don’t mean to break up the playdate at the park,” Blake interrupts as he approaches, “but you shouldn’t be out in the open like this.” His attention travels to Harper. “Hello, love.”

“Bite me.”

“Hmm. Tempting.”

She scowls, reaching for her dagger again, but I step in front of her, snaring her attention away from wanting to kill Blake.

“What’s wrong with Camille?”

Her expression softens slightly at the mention of her best friend. “She’s sick with some brutal flu, but I’m sure Noah will take care of her.”

A growl tears from my throat at the thought of that damn hunter anywhere near her.

Harper rolls her eyes, snapping her fingers in my face. “You don’t get to go all alpha male, jackass.”

Blake whistles under his breath as I back away, barking, “Go home,” at Harper. “We’ll finish this conversation later.”

I don’t wait for her response before going to the car with Blake on my heels. He takes one look at me and sighs. “We’re going to New York, aren’t we?”

FOURTEENCAMILLE

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