Page 57 of Saints & Sinners

“How does it happen?”

I realized she wanted to know because she was afraid, that she would be a target for corruption. Leaning back, I ran a hand through my hair as I wrestled with how much to say.

She stared at me, unrelenting, and I knew then she wouldn’t back down until I told her.

I sighed. “I heard it starts small,” I said finally. “A crack. A moment of weakness, of anger, of desperation. That’s all it takes for them to find you.”

“Them?”

“Demons.” The word tasted bitter on my tongue. “They don’t just show up out of nowhere, Grace. They look for people who are always breaking and offer...” I trailed off, my throat tightening.

“What?” she pressed. “What do they offer?”

“Whatever you think you need. Vengeance, power, freedom, a way to stop pain—whatever it is to pull someone in.”

Her eyes searched mine, fearfully. “And then what happens?”

“They take a piece of you,” I said quietly. “Your soul. Not all at once—just enough to start. And the more you use what they give you, the more they take. It’s slow, subtle. You don’t even realize how much of yourself you’ve lost until it’s too late.”

She swallowed. “And when it’s too late?”

“Then I suppose, you become one of them. A demon, someone fallen...” I shrugged.

“And you?’ she whispered. ‘Have you ever experienced something like that or close to it?”

I tensed. I should have stayed in my room, stayed far away from her. “Let’s just say it’s not the first time that I’ve heard of this happening.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. I could feel her staring at me, but I couldn’t bring myself to look back. My instinct was to reach out to her and tell her not to worry about it,that it would never happen to her because I wouldn’t let it, but then a shuffle of feet broke the tension, and I turned to see Silas stumbling into the kitchen, scratching his head and, of course, completely naked.

“Fuck’s sake, Silas,” I groaned, the tension dissipating as he stopped in front of us. “Put some damn clothes on. No one wants to see that.”

Silas blinked, half-asleep, squinting at us as if he’d just realized he wasn’t alone. “What?” he muttered, grabbing a banana from the counter and shooting me a lazy grin as he made his way back to his room. “You weren’t saying that to me the other night.”

Bastard.

Grace tried to stifle a laugh, her face turning pink as she shook her head. “Well, on that note,” she said, setting the mug down. “I think it’s time I head to bed. Hopefully, this will help me sleep.”

“Grace—wait.”

She stopped and glanced back at me.

“Were you serious before?” I asked, the words leaving my mouth before I could second-guess myself. “About helping me find my brother?”

She held my gaze, the warmth in her brown eyes easing the tension within me. “I was,” she said. “I want to help. I... want to try.”

I nodded, feeling that resolve settle over me. “Alright, then if you mean it. Meet me tomorrow at seven. Canteen. I’ll train you.”

A small smile played on her lips. “Really?”

Unapologetically, I smiled down at her. “Yes, really.”

There was a spark in her eyes again that made me want to go back on this, on everything I have done over the last few weeks.

“I’ll see you then,” she said, pausing outside her door. But instead of going in right away, she lingered. “Also... thank you,”she murmured. “For getting people off my back.”

I didn’t say anything. Didn’t need to. She gave me a small smile, one of the rare ones that didn’t quite reach her eyes and disappeared into her room.

I stood there in the quiet, a slow smile tugging at my lips.

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