The sound of crisp pages holds his attention while I flip through quickly.
“It’s said if someone properly devours a soul,” I pause, scanning the lines for accuracy as I pull information from my memory, “the souls of the dead will breed immortality so long as the process continues.”
Nollix nods slowly, his arms crossing over his broad chest. The bottom of his shirt is skewed against his hip, and my attention locks onto the small detail. My teeth roll across my bottom lip as I remember how he felt against me.
“So take away the souls. It only breeds immortalityso long as the process continues. Discontinue the process. Problem solved. Stay the fuck away from whatever the hell the Darkest Deed is.” Nollix nods as if everything is all settled.
It’s not though.
Not even close.
“It would take centuries to starve him.” I feel the heavy pull of my lips as I speak, and Nollix’s attention settles there at the corner of my mouth. “The best I can think of is to take his morning mixture of souls and... alter the power he put into the concoction.”
Nollix’s gaze narrows.
“Oh. You just want to poison him. That’s not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.” He nods decidedly. “Yes, let’s just poison him.”
My lips part, and it’s hard for me to explain. “Well, the souls would be destroyed in the process as well.”
Another nod. He tilts his head back and forth as if he’s quickly weighing the pros and cons.
“He would devour them either way, yes? And they’re underworld souls. Have you ever taken a stroll through the underworld, Vi? It’s not nearly as charming as its name seems.”
My words catch in my throat once more as I try to get this through his thick skull.
“It’d be a painful dissolution of their spirit, Nollix.”
Another agreeing nod.
“...So is the underworld.” The half Demon shrugs carelessly. “You want me to do it? I’ll fucking do it right now.”
“Calm down,Cupcake.” I close the book. “Wemayneed the Witch to help.”
A familiar glare stares down on me. And I thought he was being sweet to me now.
“Are we sure it isn’t something I can help with?” He lowers to sit on the bed. I tilt my head into his lap and roll my eyes at him as he runs his palm over my hair.
“You don’t like her much, do you?”
A half smile tilts Nollix’s lips. His fingers trail down the inside of my arm until they lace with mine. “I don’t like anyone very much.”
Pulling the book from the blankets, I shove it roughly under the bed. “I’ve got a plan.”
He scratches at the slightest bit of stubble that has grown in on his chin. “I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a really, really bad thing. I vaguely remember the last time you had any sort of plan, it was to sneak into your father’s castle and steal that very book... and look where that got us.”
Before I can playfully smack at Nollix, the door creaks open. I pull back with my heart pounding a fearful beat.
If my father finds him... he’ll kill him.
I turn until I’m standing in front of Nollix. I shield him with my tiny frame again, but this time, he shouldn’t turn to smoke and dissolve into nothingness.
But then my gaze collides with lavender eyes.
Chapter Twenty-One
Merrick
Like a ghost born of the night, Jeriko peels herself off of the nearest wall. Her smile stretches inky, black scars that slash across her face. Her braids have been piled on top of her head, giving her an extra few inches of height. Not that she needs it. I try to stretch a little taller as she settles into place at my side.
