Page 12 of Shadow & Stars
If he said that again, I’d double-knot his tongue.
Shadows danced across Xavier’s features, making my scalp prickle. “Stop talking.” His tone dripped with warning.
“I—”
“I swear on my life, if you don’t shut up, I’ll pull out your tongue and ram it down your throat.”
Butterfly shut his mouth.
“You did this,” Xavier continued as the elevator shuddered, moving up at a diagonal angle now. “All of this is because of you.”
Butterfly narrowed his white eyes into angry slits, but stayed silent.
Xavier shook his head. “There’s nothing fascinating about any of this. This realm and Earth are both in unnecessary peril. You should have stayed dead. You should have accepted your fate.”
Butterfly still didn’t speak as the elevator slowed down.
“And you have to fix this,” Xavier carried on. “You can’t leave things as they are.”
Butterfly lifted a hand into the air. “May I speak?”
Xavier shrugged.
“I understand,” the demon said. “I am sorry for this. I did not truly understand the consequences of my actions. I am selfish. I am willing to make things better.” He dipped his head. “Even if it means my death.”
I didn’t trust him. He’d been so set on undoing magic to spark a war. Why the sudden change? I mean, he might be having a genuine epiphany. But pardon me if I couldn’t get there with him. He didn’t seem like the kind of man to turn over a new leaf just like that.
Butterfly straightened his spine. “We should go to my lair. We will be safe there. My magic will keep us safe. Oh. Not anymore.” He crossed his arms. “A terrible idea.”
His lair had been hidden, shrouded in magic and mystery. Without the veil hiding it, it would be open season for other demons to come knocking. Especially those who fell behind the awakened monarchs.
“I’m not into being a sitting duck,” I muttered.
But Earth wasn’t exactly safe, either. Nowhere was.
Damn it. There were too many rocks and hard places.
“What is the plan?” Darcy spoke for all of us.
The elevator came to a stop, the door grinding open.
“I don’t know,” Xavier answered, leading us out. “Let me think for a moment.”
Hide? Run? Try finding some back door into another world and cower in a far corner?
No. We had to fight. We couldn’t give up.
We entered a large room of blue-and-white tiles, the middle cluster on the floor forming a seven-pointed star. A tall white wardrobe stood in the far-left corner, with no other furniture in the room.
“What is this place?” I asked, gawking up at the high ceiling.
“Warm,” Darcy answered, icicles in his hair.
“A place for reflection,” Xavier said. He lowered Darcy to the floor. “Let me get those robes.” He strode over to the wardrobe, showing off his perfect backside. I enjoyed brief seconds of his peach, but my lust was on hold right now. Still, I appreciated the chance to catch a glimpse of it.
Later. Touching it can be a reward for making things right.
I crouched beside Darcy, who sat with his legs curled under him. I gave his cold body a big hug, holding him tightly, trying to steady the threat of shaky tears.
