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“Me too,” Lucille said, way too excited about all of this. Perhaps I shouldn’t have invited her.
They all entered the SUVs and I remained outside with Raika.
I turned to her and pulled her to my arms. “Please, be careful,” I whispered in her ear.
“You too.”
I moved my mouth to hers and kissed her—deep and hard, opening all of my feelings to her. I knew she knew how much I loved her, but it seemed like I needed to show her, tell her all the time.
I pulled back, staring at her beautiful face. “I love you.”
Her eyes shone. “I love you too.”
I turned, hopped into the SUV’s passenger seat, and told Dom to go before I lost the nerve and changed this entire plan.
Dom sped away and I glanced at Raika through the side mirror. She stayed in the same spot until we left the garage and I couldn’t see her anymore.
15
RAIKA
Seeing Shane leaving hurt. I stayed in that garage for a long time, trying to force myself to move.
I only did because I had promised to have dinner with Minsi, Tyren, and Rue. Tyren was in an odd mood. He loved being appointed beta, even if he wasn’t officially one yet—Shane had to do a small ritual under the moonlight to pass the beta powers to him. However, he was also pissed about not going on the mission.
I was relieved. He was only fifteen. I didn’t want him out there fighting yet. By the moon, I hoped that after Shane fixed the problem with Serge and we defeated Paimon, there would be no more fights.
After dinner, I helped Rue in the kitchen, put Minsi to bed, said goodnight to Tyren, and went back to the castle. Once more, while walking away from the village, a sense of loneliness fell over me. I had been alone for so long. I had had only Minsi and Rue for an entire year, and even that had been restricted and controlled. I should be used to being alone, right? But damn, I wasn’t anymore. Being alone felt horrible.
A long sigh escaped my lips, and I forced my thoughts to the truth. I might feel alone right now, but that was only because I was walking a deserted path, alone in the dark, and my impeding death hovered over me like a cloudy day.
I knew I wasn’t truly alone. All I had to do was say the word and someone would come to me. Or they would let me come to them—my family, Rue, Lavinia, Thea, Almae. Even Lucille, though she wasn’t here now.
My thoughts turned to Ivy. While I had been with her and Paimon, she had been a good friend, a great sister. I missed her.
My phone vibrated, and I pulled it out from my back pocket.
I skidded to a stop and stared at the screen.
I need your help.
It was from an unknown number, but for some reason, I knew who this was.
Ivy?
Yeah. It’s me. Can we meet?
I frowned. Was this really Ivy? I had tossed the other phone away and I hadn’t added Ivy’s number to this one. She could also have changed it. If I was a higher demon on the run, I probably would change phones every couple of weeks, or I would only use burners.
I called her, but she didn’t pick up.
Ivy: I can’t talk right now. Text is safer.
Me: How do I know it’s you?
Ivy: Are you doubting your own sister?
Me: Well, you tried to kill me.
