Chapter 37

37

A small grate at the bottom of the cell door opened, and a cup of something chunky and sloppy was shoved through the gap. The cup toppled, and the goop spilled across the stone floor.

Wow, they’re really angry.

The door opened, and Huxley popped his head in, grinning.

“Joking,” he said. “Did you fall for it?” He banished the cup and goop spill, then set a tray on the single bed beside me. A tray filled with nutritious and freshly cooked food.

I grabbed a soft roll. “Yes, I did.”

He picked up the second roll and took a bite.

Only one of us was locked away, but sure, take my rations. “How is it?”

Huxley pursed his lips. “Wild went bonkers when he arrived to find you being led away. The coven is reeling. They’re talking. They’re in turmoil. They don’t know what to do.” He glanced around. “Clearly. This place could never hold you. Why don’t you walk out?”

I lifted a shoulder. “Why? I want them to let me out.”

After finishing the bread roll, I dusted my hands off. “Is Sven pissed?”

“Yep. So is Rooke, but she’s pissed on your behalf. Sven is just pissed at you. He says you had an out. You didn’t have to tell everyone the truth, and with Frond gone, you would’ve gotten away with it. He could have used his magic to bring back control.”

“Probably could have.”

“You don’t want control, though. You want truth.”

“I do.”

“With the turmoil, his magic isn’t having much effect,” Huxley said, pushing up his glasses. “He’s butthurt because of that. What matters is that you know why you told everyone.”

“Why was that again?” I joked.

“Because you grew tired of living a lie.”

His words were spoken from experience.

“Ah, yes. I remember.” I looked around the holding cell that was close to where Wild first tested my affinity magic. A similar room had contained Corey’s magic draining setup. The cells likely hadn’t been used to hold actual prisoners in some time. Until me.

Even then, Huxley was right. There wasn’t much holding going on by the cell. I was choosing to respect that the coven had put me here to await their verdict. I’d left Varden and the others in quite the pickle. “Is everyone else safe?” I hadn’t known if the quad and Rooke—even Varden—may end up in cells beside mine.

“Safe enough. Some are asking us questions. Some have been angry—we obviously knew most of what you knew for as long. I also think our presence is doing them good. We’re not bothered by what you are. We’ve eaten and laughed with you over the last few months.”

“And also spurned me,” I said drily.

“That was because Wild had dick issues.”

True.

“You’ve existed amongst them for months, and you have a track record of doing the right thing—of being brilliant and of putting your life on the line for them against demonkind. That’s making those who want to believe you’re a traitor or dangerous pause for a second. Instead, they’re wondering why we don’t have an issue with your nature. They’re wondering instead of reacting to their instinctual fear. That’s something.”

I set the tray on the table beside my bed. I didn’t want Huxley to eat more, and he’d been looking at the chocolate-chip biscuit on there.

“Been up to much?” he asked.

I pursed my lips. “It’s a busy place. I was actually thinking I could use the time to figure out all the differences concerning me and my demon and Wild. Is it weird that it took being locked in here to find the time to do that?”

“No. You’ve been working yourself to the bone for the last few weeks.”

Is that why I felt so tired? Maybe. “How are you and Spyne?”

Huxley pulled a face. “You’re worried about us when you’re locked in here?”

“I seek escapism. It’s been four hours.” Two were occupied by Wild being here until I convinced him that he needed to be seen by the coven. That would help most of all.

Huxley reached over and tried to snag my cookie. I slapped the back of his hand.

“Don’t touch my prison food.”

He glared at me, rubbing his hand. “Asshole. Me and Spyne are… I don’t know. What you did sat right with him. It doesn’t sit right with me that you doing that sat right with him.”

I squinted as I tried to follow. “You’re annoyed because he wanted me to tell the truth, even though that ended up with me here?”

“Why couldn’t he see it was your choice? Why didn’t he trust that I wouldn’t put him in danger?” Huxley wrinkled his nose. “Seems over. He wants to leave, and part of me wants him to go, too, now. Perhaps he’s right, and we’re not meant for each other right now.”

For maybe the first time ever, I saw the full picture of their relationship. I wondered if Spyne was aware of how little he’d given of himself in their relationship. Not that Huxley’s issues were Spyne’s fault, but they’d become the focus of what they shared, when it was clear Spyne had his own too. As both sides in a relationship always did. Spyne wanted to leave, for instance, and he had displayed a few times that his urge to control others’ choices sometimes got the better of him.

“Maybe the best thing to do would be to part ways and learn and grow in whatever ways you’re meant to,” I said softly. “Perhaps there’s something more for you guys down the track.”

Huxley swallowed. “I love him, Tempest. The last few weeks have been messy, but they’ve been a dream. I don’t want to let go, and I know it’s right at the same time.”

I took his hand and squeezed. “I can’t believe you’re making this all about you when I’m the one in a dungeon.”

The grimoire laughed, and when he’d wiped away a few tears from under the rim of his glasses, he squeezed my hand in return. “If you needed help to bust out, then I’d offer.”

“Tell Sven none of this is his fault. Tell Corey to stop wearing linen.”

“He’s back in jeans.”

My jaw dropped. “No way! Why didn’t you lead with that?”

“Sorry, that was huge news, you’re right.”

Only the hugest news ever. “Tell Rooke she’s the best. And try to keep Wild out of here long enough for him to get some sleep and maybe a bath.”

“I wonder if he’ll growl in his sleep,” Huxley mused.

He would.

Huxley left the dungeon, and I grabbed my cookie, devouring it in three bites and in a way that said my emotions may be part of the eating process. I was glad Huxley hadn’t seen it.

“It’s just you and me,” I said aloud.

Though there was really just us now. I could feel the progressive loss of separation between my reactions and knowledge and hers. Surprisingly, her thoughts and emotions only tinged my own. I would’ve expected us to meet in the middle. For instance, I’d expected to stop saying sorry to people for hurting them. Stuff like that.

Which wasn’t the case.

I’d still say sorry for a range of things, in contrast to demon culture, but I could feel that I’d lean more heavily toward apologizing for my weakness than anything else.

A purr built in my chest. For the first time, the purr was audible out loud instead of in my head. It was a softer, more feminine version of the purr Wild sometimes made.

We were proud of ourselves for confessing all to the coven.

I hadn’t bothered to hide the black scale on my head, though after swirling furiously around me for a time, the black smoke had receded to wherever it came from. My fingers trailed over the black scales on my forehead. They joined with the rune tiara of flowers, making up the centers of the flowers, and then trailed down half of my forehead like a string of crystals. The black scales edged my hands and neck, but they were sparse—something I knew signified weakness to demons. Cutting off the head was made easier by the lack of protection.

I tilted my hand in and out of the light. The black was glossy and rich. I liked the sight of the scales, and leaving them out felt… kind of great. I could tell accepting their presence had led to other things like the purr or the near-full merging of me and my demon.

The feeling of possessing another wing in my brain had remained.

I didn’t just know all that she knew in the same way I knew everything about coven life. Then again, my grandmother taught that to me. I could feel the full access to everything my demon had been born knowing or had learned during her time in the demon realm. That knowledge would come to me as prompted by my thoughts or my situation, which was an odd feeling.

For better or worse, my demon was out for all to see.

I could live with whatever came next. I hoped.

Are you all right? Wild growled in my mind.

Still all right. He’d managed to go thirty minutes without asking this time. Have you eaten?

Trying not to hurt everyone.

I grimaced. I’m sorry. I should have warned you of what I was doing.

Yes, you should have. But I understand why you didn’t. You needed their full attention.

I smiled. You’re just so distracting.

You want to be distracted, gorgeous?

Hmm, maybe there were other ways to pass the time. What are you wearing?

His laughter rippled down our bond. He sent me a picture of him in our bathroom. The room was all but destroyed. He’d gone on a rampage.

Better wash all that dust off, handsome, I suggested.

Wild stripped off his clothes slowly, pulling his tunic overhead before giving me an excellent view of his ass and then a sudden close-up of his erection.

I blinked. Whoa, I think I just got the magus version of a dick pic.

What’s a dick pic?

Nothing good, usually, but this is an exception. I sprawled flat on the bed and closed my eyes. What comes next?

Wild was running the faucet into the mostly intact bath. How about I wash off that dust you mentioned in slow motion?

That could work for me. I could stand that.

Or maybe not.

Dungeon life really wasn’t half bad.