Page 89 of Demonic Cage
“I can give you a distraction if you want, little champion.”
It’s as if Darya is sensing what it takes to make me explode.
I shout, spin around, and start hitting him. There’s nothing controlled about my movements. I hit wherever I can.Murderer.
Darya is the murderer! Not me.
I need the distraction, otherwise I’ll drown in the guilt of ten years ago.
And Darya lets it happen. I hit with all my strength, my hand hurting already. He stands there, patiently looking down at me from under his long, black eyelashes.
I step away from him, my hand trembling beside my body.
“Do you seriously think,” I shout, “that I believe you don’t lie to me? Do you think I don’t know that your goal all along was to throw me to the monster, even after we made the deal?”
Darya quietly watches, then steps closer and gently takes my face into his hands.
I hate that my skin warms under his touch. I hate that I love it when he caresses me.
I hate him, I hate him, I hate him.
“You’ll understand later,” he says softly, running his fingers along my jawline, “that maybe I’m not as much your enemy as you’d like me to be.”
I laugh bitterly.
“I wish I went with the angels,” I hiss. “I wish they could defeat you, so no child ever has to suffer again because of you!”
I know what I’m doing. I’m directing my anger at Darya because he’s the safest.
But he’s patient. He doesn’t bite back, just looks deeply into my eyes.
“Let’s make a deal.”
I gasp.
“No.”
“You can decide whether we bring the next demon-blooded child to Filizi or leave them in your world.”
I furrow my brow.
“What do you gain from this?”
Darya smiles wickedly.
“From now on, you sleep here with me.”
My mouth drops open.
“What… and Léthé? No, wait, surely not!”
“For now, Léthé has other plans.”
I raise my eyebrows as Darya steps closer to me.
His fiery breath caresses my skin, and we both look at each other’s mouth.
The lifeless blue eyes of the Swedish boy enter my mind, along with Bengt’s. I can save a boy’s life by leaving him in my world. I wonder how they choose children.
