Page 60 of The Devil's Trials

“You need to eat and regain your strength so you get better,” I cut in smoothly, keeping my eyes on her.

Pausing mid-chew, her gaze connects with mine. She finishes and swallows before she says, “You should be preparing for your trials not here being a caretaker for a human with the flu.”

I pick up the glass of orange juice and hold it out to her. “They’re not really something you can prepare for. I’m fine right here.”

She takes the glass and sips on the juice. “Xander, I don’t have the energy to argue or fight with you. What are we doing?”

“Pretending,” I offer. I’m aware of how quickly this conversation can descend into Camille attempting to throw me out, and I’d much rather avoid that. I’m not going anywhere.

“We’ve been here before. You know as well as I do that whatever pretending we do is limited. We can only ignore who we are for so long, and the longer we do, the worse it is for both of us.”

I lick my lips before asking her, “Is that why you want me to leave?”

Her gaze falls to her lap. “You know exactly why.”

I do but, “I want to hear you say it.”

She exhales a heavy sigh. “We went our separate ways after you killed Lucia. You being here, taking care of me, it’s nice but it’s also uncomfortable. A painful reminder of what we can never truly have, save for these fleeting, stolen moments that get more dangerous each time.”

I nod my agreement.

She continues in a quieter voice, “Your part of the soulmate bond might’ve vanished with your soul, but I don’t think mine did. So this, you being here, feels like the universe is punishing me for something I didn’t even do. Like you killing the queen of hell disrupted some kind of balance, and I’m paying for it. Same as me almost dying at the demon queen’s hands and you losing your soul to save me has you paying for it.

“If we are—were—soulmates, it definitely feels like we’re being punished for breaking that bond, even though we had no idea it existed.”

Her words stir something in my chest, and I frown briefly. “I’m not sure what to say to that.”

She shakes her head, setting the glass back on the nightstand and instead of eating the food I brought in, she slides back under the blankets, meeting my gaze. Her eyes are tired, drooping more with each blink. “You don’t need to say anything. We both have things we have to live with.” The sound of defeat in her voice weaves through my rib cage and strikes my heart with a power that steals my breath as I watch her slip away from me all over again.

SIXTEENCAMILLE

I startle awake to the sound of a door slamming shut. Groggy as I am, my pulse races as I sit up and get out of bed. The room sways, reminding me that I’ve been mostly bedridden for days, and I grit my teeth against the swimming in my head.

“Get the fuck out of here before I do everyone a favor and kill you instead.” Noah’s venom-filled voice forces me to keep moving, using the wall to keep steady enough to make it out to the main living area where he’s facing off with Xander. My gaze bounces between the two, then drops to the dagger clutched so tightly in Noah’s fist that his knuckles are white. Panic seizes me, and somehow I’m moving forward and putting myself between them with my back to Xander.

“Stop,” I say to Noah. “Please.”

His jaw is sharp, his expression wild and dark with the promise of violence against the demon behind me. Blood rushes through my ears and heat seems to fill my pores as my heart beats erratically. There’s no chance I’m strong enough to stop them from fighting each other if that’s what’s going to happen—so thatcan’thappen.

“Get out of my way, Cam,” Noah barks, his gaze locked on Xander.

I shove against the hunter’s solid chest, but he doesn’t budge. “Noah,stop. You’re not going to brawl in my living room.”

Finally, his eyes drop to my face, and he says, “Is this why you haven’t answered my texts since yesterday?”

I frown, not remembering the last time I even looked at my phone. The days have blurred together. I’m not sure how long Xander’s been here—maybe a day? Two? I’ve been so out of it, sleeping on and off, I feel as if I’ve entered the twilight zone by this point.

He doesn’t wait for me to answer. “When you didn’t pick up the last two times I called to check in, I got worried so I came over and knocked.You didn’t answer, so I let myself in and found this prick in your kitchen.” His eyes flick between mine. “Tell me you didn’t know he was here.”

I press my lips together. I’m not going to lie to him.

“Son of a bitch, Camille.”

When I wince at the sharpness of Noah’s voice, Xander moves closer, a deep growl rumbling in his chest. “Watch your tone,” he warns.

“Go to hell,” Noah seethes.

I sway on my feet, closing my eyes at the dizziness filling my head. “Please stop this.” I’m speaking to both of them.

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