“That’s not why I came. Lily is in danger.”
“Lily? What’s she got to do with this?”
Before she could interrupt and say she was fine, Mist explained the prophecy of the fabled witch twins and how Paimon was now hunting them.
“I need her to be protected,” he finished.
Belial looked unconcerned. “She’s safe as long as she’s with you. I don’t deny the possibility of the prophecy. It’s unprecedented for an inexperienced witch to be capable of a summoning of that caliber. But she’ll be fine.”
“I may not always be here,” Mist said, giving Belial a pointed look. “I need to know she’s safe even if I’m not.”
She hated when he spoke about the future like he had no hope. “Mist—”
“We’ll find a way out of the brands,” Belial said before she could.
Mist’s jaw shifted. “I need to plan anyway.”
“I told you—”
“Of course, we’ll help keep Lily safe,” Eva interrupted loudly. “No matter what happens, we’ve got your back. Even though she’s a strong woman who can take care of herself, we’ll look out for her because we’re all friends. Right, guys?”
The demons stared blankly at her. Belial’s lip curled.
“Never mind.” She rolled her eyes. “This lot can be dumber than a bag of hammers, but when push comes to shove, they’ll back you up.”
Lily’s irrational jealousy had morphed into abject fascination. She decided to befriend the other woman immediately so she could pick her brain.
How had Eva and Ash met? How did Eva navigate the complexities of a relationship with a supernatural being who looked repulsed at the mention of friendship? Lily needed all the help she could get, especially if Eva was already friends with Mist.
But first…
“Is there somewhere private I could make a call?” Lily asked. “I need to talk to my sister.”
First things first, she had to find out if there was any truth to Paimon’s story about what happened to her parents. Then she would know how much weight to put behind the whole prophecy thing.
Mist threaded their fingers together. “I will show you my room.”
“Thanks.” She smiled at Eva. “I’ll be right back.”
Her new friend waved. “Take your time.”
* * *
Mist led Lily downthe hall to his bedroom and closed the door behind them, muffling the sounds of the others’ bickering.
There, he finally allowed himself to shift back into demon form. He was starting to believe this form truly didn’t bother Lily, and with the pain from his summoning brand clouding his mind, it was hard to concentrate on holding a human shape.
“This is your room?” Lily asked, looking around. Her only reaction to his shift was a smile. Almost as if she preferred this side of him.
He nodded. “I have my own bed. And a window.” It was the most luxurious space he’d ever inhabited, and he was proud of it.
“It’s lovely.” Lily perched on the edge of the mattress. “Very… minimalist.”
He supposed she might think that. Compared to her, he had nothing.
There was one mattress and one dresser. He kept the single sheet on the bed folded in a neat square, no pillow or duvet, and there was nothing on the surface of the dresser. In the drawers, he had only the clothes Eva and Meph had helped him acquire and the chalk he’d stolen from Belial for drawing hellgates. The closet doors were closed because there was nothing inside.
“You make me feel like a hoarder,” she said with a weak smile.
