6. Mira

6

MIRA

T he floorboards creak under my feet as I make my way down the darkened hallway. After putting the twins to bed, I couldn't sleep. I'm not even sure why when I'm normally exhausted after a day of chasing the two demon twins around.

But it seems I'm not the only one. A warm glow spills from beneath Karn's study door.

I pause at the threshold, my hand hovering over the handle. Through the gap, I catch glimpses of movement - floating needles dancing through the air, weaving delicate patterns in violet fabric that matches the twins' eyes.

Karn sits in his oversized leather chair, his broad frame somehow making the furniture seem small. His violet eyes are fixed on the magical needles as they work, his usual stern expression softened in concentration.

I clear my throat. "I didn't know you could knit."

But I had noticed that the girls and I had more clothes lately, none with the botched sewing patches that they had pointed out before. I merely thought he had bought them.

The needles falter for a moment before resuming their dance. "The needles do most of the work." His deep voice rumbles through the quiet room. "I just guide them."

"May I?" I step inside, gesturing to the chair across from him.

He nods, the copper strands of his hair catching the low light as they fall loose from his tie.

"The dresses - they're beautiful." I lean forward to examine the intricate patterns. "Is this because of their heritage?"

"Half-demon children grow differently." His scarred hands adjust the fabric's flow. "Human clothes stretch wrong, demon clothes bunch up. Their magic makes it worse - burns through fabric like acid sometimes."

"That's why Luna's dress dissolved during her tantrum yesterday?"

A rare smile tugs at his lips. "Exactly. My brother had the same problem growing up. So I went and found some needles that could help…" His voice trails off, fingers brushing over the delicate stitches.

"You're good with them," I say softly. "Better than most would be."

"Most days I feel like I'm failing them." The needles slow their dance. "They deserve someone who understands both sides of their heritage. Someone who can teach them about their human mother's culture too."

"You're teaching them love," I counter. "That's the most important part of any heritage."

His eyes meet mine, the violet depths holding something I can't quite name. "So are you."

The silence stretches between us, broken only by the soft whisper of needles through fabric. My fingers trace the brand on my wrist - a habit I can't seem to break.

"My last master's wife used to make me untangle her yarn when she was angry." The words slip out before I can stop them. I reach for a skein that's twisted into knots beside his chair. "May I?"

Karn's hands still. His jaw tightens, but he nods.

I focus on the copper-colored yarn, similar to the twins' hair. "She'd throw it across the room, tangle it up on purpose. Said watching me fix it reminded her that even broken things had their uses." My fingers work through a particularly stubborn knot. "I got quite good at it, actually."

A low growl builds in his chest. I peek up to find his violet eyes blazing, but not at me. His gaze fixes on my hands as they work, on the brand that marks me as property.

"You're not broken." His voice comes out rough. "And you're not a thing."

"I know that now." I keep my tone light, though my heart pounds. "But I did learn some useful skills. See?" I hold up the partially untangled skein. "Though I admit, this is the first time I've done this sitting in a comfortable chair instead of on a cold floor."

Karn pushes himself up, his impressive height casting a shadow over me. For a moment, I tense - old habits die hard. But he only grabs his chair, dragging it closer to mine.

"Here." He picks up another tangled mess of yarn. "Show me how you do it. The twins keep turning their magic practice into impromptu cat's cradle sessions, and I end up with these."

I hide my smile at his clumsy attempt to change the subject, to ease the weight of my revelation. His large fingers fumble with the delicate strands, so different from the metal he usually works with.

"Start from the outside," I demonstrate. "Work your way in. Sometimes the knots that look the worst are actually the easiest to undo."

The yarn slowly untangles beneath my fingers as we work in comfortable silence. A flash of purple light from the hall makes us both look up.

"That's the third time tonight." Karn's shoulders slump. "Their magic's getting stronger."

"Luna turned her sister's hair green this morning." I set down the yarn. "Nova retaliated by making Luna float to the ceiling."

"Shit." He runs a hand through his copper hair. "I should've been there. What if-"

"I caught Luna before she fell." My fingers brush his arm. "And Nova's quite good at reversing her spells now."

His violet eyes fix on the floor. "I don't know how to train them. Demon magic is... different. More chaotic. And their human blood adds another layer I don't understand."

"You're doing better than you think." I lean forward. "I know you feel like you have to manage it, but you're good at redirecting them. Teaching how to use it in a better way."

"Pure instinct. My brother used to-" His voice catches. "He would've known what to do. Him and Sarah both. They had plans, books, teachers lined up..."

Another purple flash illuminates the hallway, followed by giggles.

"They're supposed to be asleep." Karn pushes himself up, but I catch his wrist.

"Let them be. They're safe. We're right here if they need us." My thumb traces one of the burn scars on his forearm. "You're not alone in this, you know. We can figure it out together."

He sinks back into his chair, closer than before. "You have a lot of patience."

"Something I've seen in you." I pick up the yarn again. "And the twins are learning, too. Nova was able to calm down and redirect a spell today. They'll get there."

Karn's expression softens. "I forget how quickly demons grow. They're so young, and yet, it feels like they know so much."

"They do." Another flash, this time blue. "Though right now, I think they're just testing boundaries."

"Like their father used to." His voice holds equal parts fondness and pain. "I just hope I can keep them safe while they learn."

I look up, catching his gaze, and my fingers slow. Instead, I'm lost in Karn's violet eyes, in the pinch in the brow and this emotion pouring through my chest. I want him to see how much good he's really done for all of us - though I understand his fears

A knitting needle clatters to the floor, rolling under my chair. Clearly, his magic forgot to hold them up as we stared at each other. We both reach for it at the same time, our fingers brushing. A shock races up my arm, stealing my breath. My head snaps up, and I freeze.

Karn's face is inches from mine, close enough that I can see flecks of darker purple in his violet eyes. The light catches the scar through his eyebrow, softening his usually stern features. My gaze traces the strong line of his jaw, the slight point of one fang visible against his lower lip.

He's handsome. Not that I haven't noticed that before, but…

He's really, really handsome.

Heat floods my cheeks as I realize I'm staring. But I can't look away. His copper hair has come completely loose from its tie now, falling around his face in a way that makes my fingers itch to brush it back.

My heart pounds against my ribs. This is dangerous territory. He's a demon - not just any demon, but one who's trusted me with his nieces, giving me safety when I needed it most.

I can't risk everything because my traitorous body suddenly decides to notice how his shoulders fill out his shirt or how gentle his calloused hands can be. It hits me just how attractive I find him. How much I want…

"I should go." I jerk back, nearly knocking over my chair. "It's late and the twins will be up early and I-"

"Mira-"

"Goodnight." I practically run for the door, not daring to look back at him. "Thank you for letting me help with the knitting."

I don't stop until I reach my room, pressing my back against the closed door. My fingers drift to where his skin touched mine, still tingling from the contact.

"Stupid," I whisper to myself. "So stupid."