Page 79 of Death Deals

I gritted my teeth, Eli’s ulterior motives as clear as day. “By killing Cole,” I said firmly, “which I won’t do.”

Simon’s form faded in and out, as did Eli’s glow. A sign our time together would be coming to an end soon.

“Jade, your commitment to his life is admirable but one-sided. If the situation was switched, do you believe the half-demon would be offering you the same kindness?”

No, I didn’t.

“That doesn’t matter,” I argued. “This is where we are now, and I’m the one with my soul on the line. I won’t kill him to save myself. I won’t.”

“Your soul may not be the only one affected here,” he replied. “With a demon as powerful as Mammon possessing him, there may not be much of a soul left to save.”

I froze, dread seeping in. “What do you mean?”

“Look at him.”

I did.

“Do you think he has the energy, the strength, to push an original sin demon like Mammon out?”

My shoulders fell, his words ringing true. Even with the assistance of an exorcism, he hadn’t been able to overpower Monnie. Who knew if Cole was even still in there at all…

Hadn’t Monnie said he was incredibly weak, his half-demon blood welcoming him easily?

No. No, I refused to believe running a spear through Cole’s heart was our only option.

“You’ll make the right choice,” Simon said with a curt nod. “You always do.”

As his form became more and more transparent, Eli’s golden hue grew brighter, the power shifting. Only a few seconds later, my mentor was completely gone, invisible to me again. Any other time I would have been excited to see him, relieved even, but now, his visit had left me angry and shaking. I was already feeling backed into a corner here. I didn’t need a harder shove.

When Eli retracted his hand, officially breaking their connection, he whispered, “Thank you,” to the space Simon had been. He waited a minute before turning back to me.

“He’s gone now,” he said. “He’s—”

“Why did you do that?” I snapped at him, anger prickling.

His eyes widened, shocked by my tone.

“Send Simon to try and bring me to your side?” I clarified for him.

“There are nosides, Jade,” he replied. “I told Simon what’s been happening because he was worried, as he should be. We were all worried about you this last week. And now that we know it was because a demon interfered with Heaven, things have become even more dangerous. What Simon believes is his opinion alone. I’ve had no part in it besides telling him the truth.”

I crossed my arms about my chest.

His gaze drifted to Cole. Still unmoving. Still unconscious. “There’s no denying you have feelings for the half-demon.”

My mouth flopped open and only a squeak escaped. I knew what he was referring to—my last Archangel Trial, where I’d lived through an alternate reality with Cole. According to both him and Michael, it’d shown my heart’s truest desire, but I wasn’t really buying that explanation. As far as I was concerned, I was over Cole. Romantically. He was just an asset to have in a fight. Friend was stretching it.

Either way, the Trial had changed things between me and Eli.

Or maybe, it had only solidified what I knew was already there. That Eli and I were just too different for a relationship to work.

“You really want to talk about this right now?” I mumbled, my chest squeezing.

“I think we’ve waited long enough.”

I sighed. “I don’t know what happened during my last Trial. Honestly, I don’t know what I want, so I don’t know how the ‘mystic powers that be’ figured it out when I can’t,” I said.

“I know,” he said, his voice solemn. “And I believe you.”

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