“Why?”
“Because.”
“Because why?”
“Do you ever shut up?”
“Nope. Why?”
He growled again. “Because if she’s actually going to be hanging around Mist, she needs to be tough. Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better.Ifthey get better. The last thing we need is some shrinking-violet human screaming every time she sees a demon.”
“So you wanted to scare her a bit to test her.” Meph grinned. Then again, he was always grinning, so maybe his face hadn’t changed. “Pretty devious plan, bro.”
“Shut up. I told you to stay the fuck at home. Where were you even lurking?”
“I can be sneaky when I want to be.”
A crow swooped out of the night and transformed into Raum, who fell into step beside them. He craned his head up at Belial. “Did you have to be such a dick?”
Bel clenched his fists so hard, his knuckles cracked. “I swear to fucking god if you both don’t shut up, I’ll rip your tongues out, shove them up your asses, and then strangle you with your own intestines.”
“Sounds kinky,” Meph said.
He groaned.Just kill me now.
14
Afterglow
“It’s our fault,” Iris said. “It was all because of us.”
“Why?” Lily called into the darkness. “How?”
“Everything that happened was because of us.”
“I don’t understand—”
“It’s all our fault. All our—”
“Lily!” It was her mother. Lily spun around, searching for the source of the voice, but again, there was only black.
“Keep digging, Lily. Seek the truth.”
“What truth?”
“The truth will make you safe. Don’t rest until you understand.”
“Understand what?”
“Trust your instincts. Your sister needs you. It’s up to you to make this right.”
“But how—”
“Lily.”
The new voice, deep and male, penetrated the blackness, and suddenly, she was surrounded by swirling mists. They lifted her, and then she became mist too.
“Wake up, Lily.”
