Page 179 of Whispers of Wisteria
I wiped my eyes. Then froze—
Dirt.
Memories poured into me—the earthen dungeon where Ada, Gloria, and I had been held. Titus imprisoned and chained. The circle and writing on the floor, and the scrying mirror.
“You!” I stepped back and pointed at the demon. “You’re working with them! It’s your fault Titus is trapped! Let him go.”
“The dragon?” Belial lifted a thick brow. “I can’t do that. I’m upholding my end of the bargain.”
“Let him go!” I demanded again. Even though my heart was racing furiously, this was no time to be afraid.
They were cheating!
“How could you help them?” I continued.
Where was the loyalty? I didn’t know much about their roles, but I doubted things were meant to be this way.
“Damen is going to be angry when he finds out!” I warned him.
Belial’s light expression dropped and I drew back when he stepped forward. “It’s long since past the time when I sought Huo’s approval. I’ve never asked for much, and I’ve been patient. He’s had every opportunity, and, in every lifetime, he squanders it.”
I hadn’t expected this reaction. I’d have thought that with him working for Damen, even though they didn’t get along, he’d have to listen when his name was invoked.
A tentative foreboding began to fill me.
“W-what is it you want?” I asked, my voice breathy.
The dark-haired man pursed his lips, glancing me over once more.
“Let’s hasten this,” he said finally. “My arrangement with the humans only gives me a slight advantage. I’ll break my agreement with them, but in return, we’ll work out a deal.”
My breath caught. Why were demonic creatures always trying to barter with me?
I was almost hesitant to ask, but did anyway. “What kind of deal?”
He grinned again, flashing his sharp teeth in the process—a stark reminder that he was very much not human.
“First, tell me,” he continued, that same unsettling smile on his face, “how long do you think you could survive here?”
The unexpected question caught me off guard. “Wh-what?”
“Usually, your little fae ass would be burnt to a crisp by now—it’s always been too much.” His mouth twisted. “So how are you doing it?”
“Um…” How was I supposed to respond? I mean, logically, it probably had something to do with my contract with Kiania. But I didn’t think I should tell him that.
“It doesn’t matter,” he droned on, ignoring the fact that I hadn’t answered him. “How about it? Want to bypass the theatrics and stay here now?”
He was a giant compared to me. And his eyes gleamed red against his pale skin, which, silhouetted against the darkening crimson sky, made him even more imposing.
“S-stay?” He couldn’t be serious? “Here?” I asked, looking around.
Sloping, high mountains and cliffs jutted out from the distant landscape, and waves of sand and dust surrounded us. It was barren and empty, with no sign of life anywhere.
And it was so, so hot.
Could I even survive in a place like this?
Besides, the boys might let me get away with a lot, but I doubted they’d let me uphold my end of this deal.
