Page 91 of The Devil and His Sparrow

“Looking for someone?” Dante whispered, giving me a knowing smirk that looked more like a sneer.

“No,” I lied. “Just taking it all in.”

Dante clapped my shoulder. “Right.” He looked around the room. “Hopefully we can take these photos and get out of here.”

Two older teen girls—one walking with crutches and another with a portable oxygen tank—came up to Dante, their eyes glittering as they stared at him, shyly asking for his autograph. He plastered on a grin and turned his back to me to offer his attention to his fans, and I took the chance to slip away from him.

My get-away was interrupted as three girls from the group I’d met my first day here came over with their families trailing behind. I smiled brightly as they called my name.

“Don’t you all look lovely tonight,” I praised.

All the girls wore make-up, flowing dresses, and had their hair done. A man, presumably Arianna’s dad, pushed her wheelchair today, and her yellow dress practically spilled over the seat in a mess of fabric. Kaylpto, who typically had an ashy undertone to her otherwise beautiful brown skin, looked bright and much healthier than the last time I’d seen her. She still clung to her walker, but she no longer had an IV as she walked around. Even Marla looked far better. She’d pinned her dark hair up, leaving every inch of her burned flesh exposed for people to see. She’d even worn a short-sleeved mauve dress that showed off her scarred arm.

“Look at you,” I said to Marla. “Very pretty.”

She beamed at me. “Thank you.”

The girls introduced their family members to me, and I made a show of listening and caring about who these people were. Really, every part of me coiled tightly, like a predator lying in wait for their prey to appear.

After introductions were made and a pop song came on over the speakers to pull the girls toward the dance floor, Marla’s mom stepped away from her daughter and approached me.

“I just wanted to say thank you,” the round woman said to me. Tears filled her eyes, and she watched her daughter as she turned Arianna’s wheelchair in their own little dance. “Marla has really struggled ever since the accident. She’s—She’s hated the way she looks, but her confidence has grown leaps and bounds ever since she spoke to you. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to you for helping my daughter see that she’s not less than just because of her scars.”

I gave the woman a comforting pat on the arm. “No thanks necessary. I’m glad Marla’s been doing well.”

She nodded and wiped under her eyes. “She has been. Dr. Seward thinks she’ll be able to come home soon. Her burns aren’t causing her nearly as much pain as they used to, and she hasn’t had anymore self-harm thoughts. We’re over the moon that she’s made this much progress, and we know a lot of it is because of what you told her.”

I wasn’t sure my words held as much power as Marla’s mom believed, but if it meant that much to her, who was I to argue? I smiled, accepted her thanks, and continued my rounds about the room.

“Zagan!”

I turned at the excited sound of my name coming from what could only be Gemma. Despite being called to by her, I didn’t even see the youngest Winters daughter. Every part of me locked onto the vision standing in the doorway beside her. Iyla’s long hair had been curled, and it hung around her in a silky curtain. A dusting of make-up had been applied, accentuating her big brown eyes and plump lips. Her gold gown with a plunging neckline hugged her torso while the skirt moved about her legs with grace and ease.

In that moment, I became lost in her. Lost in the way sunshine filled the room when she smiled at me. Lost in the shining constellations of her eyes as they held mine. Lost in the flush of her cheeks and the inhale of her breath as she walked toward me with her sister. She was a vision of all that was good and beautiful in the world come to life, and in that moment, I found my salvation in her.

“Hey,” she said when she and Gemma reached me. “You look very handsome.”

It took me two times to swallow the grit from my voice, and I cleared the rest from my throat. “Thank you. You—”

“Zagan,” Leo interrupted, coming to stand beside us. He forced a smile as he glanced at Iyla. “Since she’s here, let’s get some photos of you three and another one with the doctor and nurses.” Leo looked around Iyla and Gemma then leaned in to ask her, “Are your parents here? It would be good to have them in the photo, too.”

“Oh,” Iyla said, her eyes dropping sheepishly. “No. Our dad passed away, and Mom … She’s not here. I’m not sure if she’ll be coming.”

Of course she isn’t.

I tried to keep the loathing of her mom off my face as I followed Iyla and Gemma to the windows where Leo positioned us for the cameras.

I looked down at Iyla as the three of us got positioned—me and Iyla standing on either side of Gemma—and my heart beat against my chest like a drum. I’d never felt anything like what I did when I looked at her. Hell, I didn’t even know I could feel this surge of affection when looking at another person. A demon like me, who thrived in the dark and twisted, craved for her light and goodness. It was new and kinda fucking scary, but it was also thrilling. She was stunning at every turn, every angle, and I wanted to keep my eyes on her all night.

Flashes lit up the corner of my vision, and I suddenly remembered we had an audience. My eyes desperately wanted to stay locked on Iyla’s profile, but I forced them away to smile for the cameras. Dr. Seward and a handful of nurses joined us for some other photos and then the rest of the band joined, too.

It felt like an hour of nothing but forced smiles and shuffling of poses when someone finally turned up the music and people disbanded into smaller groups at tables and on the dance floor.

Iyla followed Gemma to the refreshment table, and my eyes trailed after her. I started to follow when Perseus stepped in front of me.

“Don’t,” he ordered flatly. “Don’t make this entire night be for nothing. If you go chasing after her all evening, people are going to see what you’re trying to hide.”

I narrowed my eyes at the golden-haired demon. “And what am I trying to hide?”

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