Page 112 of The Prince of Demons

My necklace flickered out, as it usually did, with Gaksi spending less and less time with me as I grew stronger.

* * *

“Luna,I have been holding my tongue. I have been trying very hard to be a good friend to you, but this must cease.”

I glanced at Aubrey. She came to our wine night with a bottle of pink vodka and a platter of crackers, but she tossed them onto my desk so hard it rattled.

She wore pajamas, but her expression promised death.

Her hands settled on her hips, and she shot me the most intimidating glare I had ever seen from her.

“What’s your problem?” I asked. I popped a cracker in my mouth. Knowing Aubrey, this could be serious or just a ‘fashion intervention, because my eyes bleed around you.’

“First, I demand you hear me out till the end.” Aubrey began.

“Okay?” I grabbed another cracker.

Aubrey inhaled deeply. “Your relationship with the Reaper threatens everything.”

I swallowed. “I know.”

I wouldn’t ask how she knew I still saw him. I trusted she had a reason for bringing it up now.

“I’m not finished,” Aubrey continued.

I stared her down. If she wanted to go there, she could. “Talk, then.”

“You seem to think this relationship can continue forever,” Aubrey stated.

I flinched. “I never said that.”

“No, but you act like it,” Aubrey said. “You continually disappear for hours—and I know you’re with him that whole time—”

“You don’t own my company,” I said simply.

“It’s not about me!” Aubrey yelled. “It’s about how obvious it is that you’re with him! I know your patterns and behaviors because I know you well. But it won’t take long for others to connect the dots and realize you’re still seeing him. That you go out of your way to spend time with him because youcare for him!” She screeched the last few words.

I reared back in shock. “I do not—”

“You don’t have to admit something to me for it to be true,” she declared. “Anyone with any bit of sense can tell you’re too smart not to spend your time strategically. I mean, you’re a straight-A student! You’re at the top of the freshmen class after weeks of nonsense assignments! You wouldn’t spend your time away from all that unless it was for a damned good reason.”

She looked like she was about to pull her hair out in frustration. “You have no idea how dangerous he is. He’s immortal! He has centuries on you of practicing his magic! Of becoming lethal! Of molding himself into this perfectly charming weapon of mass destruction!”

He had committed no acts of mass destruction so far, I reminded myself. And the only magic he regularly practiced was teleportation for his job.

I gritted my teeth. “You don’t know him at all.”

I didn’t know what drove me to defend him. But with such blatant lies, it just felt right.

“You don’t know how well he can manipulate and control!” Aubrey shouted at me.

“I’m more of a control freak than he is,” I said. “And he cannot manipulate me easily with a goblin of my own at my side.”

Aubrey stomped her foot, indignant. Her eyes flashed. “Why would he want you?”

“What?” I inhaled.

“Why would he want you?” The seriousness of her tone hit me like a hurricane. “A human girl with no throne? A stranger to him, even better yet, a child? You don’t think it’s a little predatory for someone that experienced in life to let a kid who just left her home—”

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