Page 100 of Better in Black
“So, kill now?” Krog said.
Simon sheathed his blade. “I think I have a better idea.”
—
Simon and Izzy approached the center of the bridge stealthily, with Krog, in the form of a toad-sized toad, perched on Simon’s shoulder. Not that it would matter if they were louder, Simon thought, as Ajatara and Iago appeared to be deep in conversation.
Krog, apparently in a gesture of rage, licked Simon’s neck.Ugh.
“You’re supposed to be incognito,” he whispered to Krog. “Just a regular toad. So if you want this plan to work, no morelicking.”
They were close enough now to be able to overhear Ajatara and Iago. Simon and Izzy paused at the railing, pretending to gaze out at the dark waters of the East River, where once Valentine had nearly murdered Simon. It was the first place Simon had ever felt the sun on his skin again after becoming a vampire. He’d thought that was the best moment of his life, but everything after he’d gotten together with Isabelle had put it in the shade. So to speak.
“Regardless, I thank all nine Hellish Princes that we ran across each other here, today,” Iago was saying to Ajatara. Simon had never heard a Shax demon’s voice before. It was a sound like insectoid legsskittering across a table, all clicking and hissing. Not exactly Prince Charming material, Simon thought, but who knew what demons were into. “Long have I wished to declare my intentions.”
“Your what?” Ajatara took a step backward.
“My intentions. To make you my dark bride, beautiful Ajatara. You will be Princess of Shax demons!”
Ajatara looked horrified. “But you’re Krog’s friend. You’ve been his friend forever!”
“Forget Krog,” Iago snapped.
Krog croaked. Simon willed him to keep his cool, just a little longer.Give her a chance,he thought at Krog.Trust her.
“Krog has abandoned you,” Iago said. “He’s living with toad women in Central Park!”
Ajatara gasped. “It cannot be so!”
Red sparks shot through the dark clouds overhead, signs of Ajatara’s anger. Krog croaked louder. But he stayed a toad, a normal-sized one. And he stayed on Simon’s shoulder, rather than trying to eat Iago’s face. Which, Simon admitted, was impressive restraint.
“Water seeks its own level, my darling Ajatara,” Iago said. “You are a beautiful queen of damnation. Your rages are voluptuous. Your evil is unparalleled, and very sexy. And what is Krog? Nothing. Krog is naught but a toad guy!”
Ajatara’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t think that’s a thing,” she said. “Toad guy?I have certainly never regarded Krog as such. But you, his trusted friend, coming to me like this? There’s only one toad in this situation, and that’s you.”
She whirled away from him in disgust—only to see the toad leaping down from Simon’s shoulder and taking on his human form. Tall, dark, and handsome once again, with only a slight bulge to his eyes, Krog raced to the side of his one true love.
“I should never have doubted you, Ajatara!” Krog cried. “I was a fool to trust Iago over you. I love you, and only you!”
“Krog!” Ajatara gasped, and leapt forward to sweep him off his feet. Then she pressed her lips to his and dipped him backward, in a swoony, Hollywood-worthy kiss. Overhead, the red sparks in the sky faded away. The night, finally, was calm and still, the fading moonlight glinting on the water.
“It’s kind of romantic,” Simon said, as they watched, “if you ignore the whole soulless demon thing.”
“You!” Iago roared, advancing on Simon and Isabelle. “This is your meddling hand at work, Shadowhunters. I suppose you think you’ve done a good deed, but Ajatara does not really love Krog, she has been unfaithful to him—”
“Spare me,” Simon said. “I didOthelloin tenth grade. And for the record, I got an A.”
Iago flinched back, his mandibles chittering. “Oh. Would it help if I told you I was named for the parrot inAladdin?”
“What are you talking about?” Izzy asked. “Simon, what is he talking about?”
“Do you really want the answer to that?” Simon asked.
Izzy considered for a moment. “You know what I really want?”
Simon examined her. Isabelle Lightwood, love of his life, fierce and noble warrior. “Actually, I think I do,” he said. “Go for it.”
Izzy grinned. Then she flicked her whip and neatly sliced off Iago’s head.
