Page 85 of The Devil's Trials

“Has been compromised. That much was perfectly evident when they dismissed Marrick’s claim to the throne.”

I school my features into a mask of indifference, but shock crackles through my veins like electricity. Lucia’s psychotic lover—and Francesca’s father—has always loathed me. It comes as no surprise that he’s threatening my reign, though I can’t say I expected him to make a play for the throne.

“If Marrick is so enraged by what happened, where is he now? What’s taken him so long to act?” I pose the question to no one in particular. “Should he take issue with my ascension, he is welcome to make that known to my face.”

The eldest demon of the group cackles. “What do you think this was, boy?” He steps forward, shouldering past two younger demons. “This was merely a taste of the carnage Marrick will bring should you continueyour pathetic attempt at ascending. We all know you’re too human to rule. Give up now, and save us all the wreckage that will ensue should you refuse.”

Blake laughs harshly. “If Marrick wants a war, you tell that prick to wage it himself. Sending a horde of low-level demons and you lot is as amusing as it is pathetic.”

The demon’s eyes narrow, flicking toward Blake before returning to me. When they meet mine, dark arrogance glimmers in them, making my back straighten.

“My mistake. I wrongfully thought you cared about the hunter who shares your blood.”

Blake snarls at the same time I lunge forward, grabbing the demon by the throat. Evidently, word has spread about my relation to Harper.

“Let me be very clear,” I say in a low voice. “You—”

“Don’t bother with your threats,” he wheezes out. “It’s very simple. You are going to abdicate the throne to Marrick…or he will very slowly, very painfully end the life of your sister. Of course, he’ll only kill her after a long period of torture until every bit of her pathetic human mind and body is broken.”

My fingers dig into the bastard’s throat, breaking the skin. Black blood drips down my hand, and his breathing becomes shallow as I lean in. “If Marrick wants a war, he’s fucking got it. No one threatens what’s mine.”

When a few of the other demons step forward, Blake growls deep in his throat, his eyes going black as he moves with lethal grace.

I hear his heart beat faster as he attacks without mercy, snapping necks left and right.

Something came over him at the threat of Harper’s life. I can’t say I fully understand it, but I certainly share the sentiment. That said, I want to be smart about retaliation. We’ll plan an attack Marrick won’t see coming. He’ll find out soon enough exactly who he’s dealing with.

I’m not the half-human teenager he used to know.

I am aking.

“Leave here now,” I say in a low, hard voice, shoving the demon away from me. “If I see your face again, I’ll rip it from your skull.”

He looks as if he’s going to keep fighting, but a subtle glance around the room makes it clear he’s the one outnumbered now. With one last snarl in my direction, he disappears through the space where the bar’sfront door used to be. Now it sits in a broken mess on the floor, ripped from its hinges.

I step over bodies to approach Blake. His expression is grave, his face smeared black with demon blood.

He exhales deeply. “What’s your plan now, mate? What are we going to do about Marrick?”

My lips curl into a slow smile as my pulse settles into a normal rhythm. I meet Blake’s gaze. “I’m going to fucking destroy him.”

TWENTY-TWOCAMILLE

Noah is at my door half an hour before we typically meet in the parking garage. I open the door with my toothbrush still in my mouth.

“What are you doing here?” I say around a mouthful of minty foam.

“Your first test is today.”

An anxious pit blossoms in my gut, and I back away from the door, leaving it open and hurrying to the bathroom to spit out the toothpaste. After rinsing my mouth, I return to the living room, where Noah is perched on the arm of the couch.

“I don’t get any notice?”

“What do you think this is?”

I shoot him a look. “That’s not what I mean, and you know it. A few days to prepare would be nice.”

He nods. “I’m sure it would be.”

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