Page 29 of Demon Apathy: Sunderverse
“Yes.” He nodded emphatically. “I mean… can you imagine the world ending because of someone like Solar Blue Hudson? Could you come up with anything more tragic than that?”
I inhaled to keep arguing but found that Drevan was right. It wasn’t fair that because this dude lived like a slob while most people busted their backs working ten-hour shifts for minimum wage, the world had to end. But who said anything was fair?
“No,” I admitted. “I can’t imagine anything more tragic than that.”
Drevan looked surprised. “Wow, it’s refreshing having you agree with me. You’ve changed a lot.”
“Realizing you’re a world-ending misfit does that to you.”
His nonchalant demeanor dropped like a curtain, leaving behind a taciturn expression that pulled at my heartstrings.
After a long moment of quiet, he said, “I can’t apologize enough for… But I was forced to do it. Lying to you was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”
His words stole my breath away. They sounded sincere, more than anything anyone had ever said to me. Still, the logical side of me struggled to believe them. If he had lied so easily in the past, he could be lying now—all to convince me to help him in this impossible quest.
“I’d rather not talk about it,” I said, then checked the time on my phone. “Maybe we should leave. It’s getting late.”
He dabbed at the corners of his mouth with a white linen napkin, which he then deposited on top of his unfinished eggs.
“I need you, Lucia,” he said, an unexpected longing ringing in his voice. “The world needs you,” he added quickly, undoing the tingling that had started in my chest at the thought of Drevan Morningstar needingme.
“You can find someone else to help you. I’m sure there are many others who would selflessly work on the task and are far more capable than me.”
“But I don’t wan—” he abruptly stopped and shifted gears, leaving me wondering what he’d been about to say. “The clock is ticking. Things are in a more precarious situation than we previously thought. The Man Upstairs has grown impatient. People are dying at a much higher rate than before. Something about a pandemic, haven’t you heard?” He smiled sadly. “Hell is filling up quickly. It’s gotten harder to control things. More demons are getting past our security measures. I’m sure you’ve seen the reports on the news. We don’t have as long as we thought. There’s no time to find someone else.”
“You can’t put this on me,” I said, feeling the pressure of guilt tightening around my ribs like a steel band.
“I know it’s not fair. I wish you could live a full, normal life.” His voice wavered as he said this, and my foolish heart could do nothing else but believe him and wonder why the thought seemed to pain him and please him at the same time.
“But…” he continued, “at this rate, letting you be may not result in what we both want. You may not get a chance to do that. Many people won’t.”
“Is itreallythat bad?”
“It is.”
“How can I believe you? After all the lies you told me, I just…”
My breath caught, and my chest grew so tight I was afraid my heart would seize.Witchlights!The hurt was unbearable.
He snatched my hand and pressed it tightly between both of his, golden eyes reaching into the depths of my tangled feelings. “I swear to you on my eternal life that I haven’t lied to you since the day you fought Ronark. And I swear that I would never lie to you again. Never! Lucia, please, I… I feel that I can’t… do this without you.”
How could I say no to him when I felt like an insect caught in amber? Still, I didn’t want the responsibility of the entire world in my hands.
“Drevan, I don’t think I can do it. Please, I’m nothing. All my life, it’s been one boastful foolishness after another. I realize that now. I was just lucky I didn’t end up dead in a ditch or maimed by some of the stupid things I did. Why not Grant? Or Qui Song? Someone!”
“It’s you.”
I pulled my hand out of his grasp. “It’s the prophecy, isn’t it? I read it, and it’s ridiculous.”
“It’s not just the prophecy. I’m telling you the truth. I don’t feel capable of going through this without you.”
“But why?” I shook my head, unable to understand.
“Because…” A knot seemed to build in his throat, and he had to take a second to swallow it down. “Because… I can hardly find the energy to care if you’re not here.”
The declaration felt like a punch in the gut. My lungs and my heart started working overtime as, once more, I tried to find meaning and truth in his words.
“What are you trying to say?” I pressed.
