Page 93 of The Devil's Trials

“Just keeping things fun.”

Muffled voices on the other end of the phone snag my attention.Is Xander with him?

“Anywayyyy,” he says, drawing out the word. “I’m calling to see if you’ve decided—”

“No,” Harper cuts him off in a panic.

He sighs. “Xander wants an answer.”

“You can tell Xander to go to hell.”

Blake chuckles. “Yeah, that’s not the insult you think it is, love.”

I watch the whole exchange with a frown.What is going on right now?

“I’m not dealing with this right now. I’m going to enjoy my time with my bestie, eat tacos and cookie dough, drink too much, and I’m most definitely not going to think about you or Xander for a second.”

He whistles. “You wound me so flippantly. But that sounds like a good time. Should we meet you—”

“Goodbye, Blake,” she says in a firm tone before ending the call, exhaling a harsh breath.

“Do I want to ask?” I angle toward her while she keeps her attention on the road.

“Uh, probably not.” She signals to get off the interstate and slows to a stop at a traffic light.

“Okay. Should I be worried?”

She looks over at me. “I’ll explain everything once we get home. You’ll want the tequila.”

Unease blossoms in my chest. “I’m going to be really bummed if I lose my appetite, because the tacos smell divine.”

With a short laugh, she turns her attention back to the road, and we’re moving again.

Being back at the apartment I lived in before fleeing to NYC is weird. Almost as though I never left and also like I’ve been gone far longer. It’s an odd mix of feelings as I walk inside, wheeling my suitcase behind me.

Everything looks the same. Harper hasn’t changed anything since I left. It still smells like our favorite citrus candle. The throw blanket I crocheted last summer is still draped over the back of the couch. The wall in between the windows in the living area is still covered with our photos. Nothing is out of place. I’m not entirely sure why, but that brings me a sliver of comfort, maybe because it means I can come back and it’ll feel like home.

Once we’re settled on the couch with our food and drinks, I pin Harper with a look until she starts talking.

“Before I say this, you should know that I still haven’t made up my mind about the whole thing.”

My brows lift. “Okay?”

She chews her lip, looking away as if she can’t stand to hold my gaze when she says, “Xander asked me to join his council.”

“Hewhat?” I demand, shaking my head. “That doesn’t make sense. You’re not a demon.”

Harper finally looks at me. “I know that.Heknows that.” She plucks at the blanket draped over her lap. “He wants a hunter.”

I blink at her, trying to wrap my head around what she’s saying. “I feel like I’m missing something here. Why does Xander want a demon hunter on his council?”

She swipes up the bag of tortilla chips and munches on one. “He doesn’t want to kill demons—even when it’s required of him in an underworldly political capacity—and I need to in order to graduate. In theory, it could be a mutually beneficial arrangement. But I don’t know. It also seems absolutely insane when I say it out loud.”

“Yeah, kinda,” I offer unhelpfully.

“Guess I don’t have to ask if you think I should do it,” she mumbles, pulling out another chip, and the disappointment in her features has me reaching for her.

I rest my hand on her knee and squeeze. “My hesitation comes mostly from the danger associated with the role. I trust that you’ve thought it through and you’ll make the best decision for you. I’ve got your back no matter what you choose, you know that.”

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