Page 82 of I Accidentally Summoned A Demon
“It’s simple,” Uriel said. “Separate them.”
“I’m trying. She’s attached to him.”
“It doesn’t matter if she’s attached. Are you forgetting your vows?”
“Of course I’m not,” Gabriel snapped. “I told you I’m working on it. I can only push her so far, or she’ll get suspicious. If the demon knows we’re here, he’ll never let her out of his sight. This is the safest place to approach her. It’s the only place he cannot follow. That only gives me twice a week to speak with her.”
Uriel’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Push harder. Unless you want me to intervene. We swore oaths, Gabriel. Do not forgo your duty, or I will take over.”
Gabriel didn’t want that. Uriel could be as ruthless as a demon. “Your presence isn’t necessary. Aren’t you supposed to be in London?”
“I am.” Uriel nodded. “And if this isn’t finished by the time I resolve that problem, then expect to be disciplined bythem. We have vows to honor, Gabriel.”
“I’m aware.” Gabriel leaned on the windowsill. “I will handle it.”
Chapter 30
Perfect
Katwipedspilledpunchfrom the church floor. As Bernice got older, a past injury in her hand gave her trouble, making it hard to hold things. She was embarrassed, but Kat cleaned it up and dropped the paper towels in the trash before returning to the table.
“It’s all right.” Kat crouched beside Bernice, patting her hand. “Accidents happen. Don’t be embarrassed. Look. I have something for you.” Kat reached into her messenger bag and pulled out a velvet pouch. “They’re Chinese Baoding balls.” Kat opened the pouch and let the chiming balls fall into her hand. “You roll them in your hand like this.” She demonstrated circling them in her palm. “It’s supposed to help arthritis and build hand strength.”
“Oh.” Bernice smiled and set her hand on Kat’s face. “Thank you, Katherine. You’re so sweet.”
“Well, I learned from a wonderful woman.” Kat smiled and placed the Baoding balls in Bernice’s hand. “Why don’t you try? I’ll get you some of my frog eye salad you like so much.”
“That would be lovely, dear. Thank you.”
Kat made her way to the long table of food. Her church had a fellowship meal today, and, despite Nex’s passive-aggressive comments, she stayed. He could get over it. She wasn’t about to compromise the things that mattered to her because he didn’t like them. He tended to bounce back quickly, even if she made him mad, but he did seem angrier than usual. Today was more of a fight—their first big argument since they’d grown closer.
It sat unhappily as a heavy weight in her stomach and tension in her shoulders. She didn’t want to fight, but she wasn’t going to give up this part of herself.
“That was kind of you.” Gabriel came alongside Kat and nodded to Bernice. Every week, he’d talk to her. He even attended choir rehearsals.
Kat’s smile was disingenuous. His presence was calming, yet she felt off around him, and that confusing combination left her tense. “It was nothing. She’s a lovely woman.” Kat spooned frog eye salad onto a paper plate.
“It’s not nothing to her.” Gabriel gestured to the salad. “Did you make this?”
“Yeah, I did. It was my mom’s recipe.”
Gabriel flashed a bright smile. “It’s delicious. Interesting sermon today, don’t you think?”
Kat let her hair fall, forming a shield. The sermon about demons and how they tempt and prey made her uncomfortable, given the fact Nex was an actual demon. Though she didn’t think what she did with him was wrong.
He was nothing like the demons she’d heard about. He tempted her, definitely, but he was also more tender and caring than she knew a person could be. Calling him a demon was too simple a label for such a complex man.
Kat gave a stiff nod to Gabriel. “It was.”
“Sometimes a sermon speaks to you,” Gabriel said. “Almost as if it was made to be heard by you specifically. Sometimes as a warning, I think.” Kat’s gaze snapped to him. “Or sometimes as a reminder to get ourselves back on track. Sometimes it makes you want to pray and find yourself again as the conviction takes over your heart. It certainly had that effect on me. Would you want to pray with me, Katherine?”
Kat’s brows furrowed. He couldn’t know. “I normally pray privately, Gabriel. If you want someone to pray with you and help you find yourself, I’m sure our pastor would be happy to.”
She stepped away to return to Bernice, but Gabriel moved in front of her. “And you wouldn’t? You seem like the type of person who wants to help people, who wants to be good.”
“I am.” Kat peered up at him with a slight narrowing of her eyes. “I do help people, and I do my best to be a good person, but forgive me, Gabriel. It almost sounds like you’re implying I have something I need to repent about. Have I done something to offend you?”
“I’m implying no such thing.” He showed off another too-bright smile. “But if you’re feeling attacked, that’s often because you’re holding guilt in your heart. Do you have something you should feel guilty over?”
