Page 96 of The Misfit Mage and His Darling Demon

I groaned, holding back a few profanities, then braced for whatever updates her and her paramour had added.

“I know you suspected I was plotting something when I arrived,” Mora said.

I tsked. I knew she had something devious planned.

“And I did intend on telling you all about it once I’d settled how this magic functioned and arranged everything precisely after we found the perfect spot. But that Fae baron turned out to have created more obstacles than anticipated in the form of that tedious knight and the other Diabolics.”

“Just spit it out.”

“Oh, Bezzy. You know the best girls don’t spit.”

“What do you mean, perfect spot?” I raised my brows, eyeing the fields of snow in every direction.

“Well, remember when I said the Collective had no interest in this state. It also turns out—”

Wally coughed, tussling in the bed, in search of a glass of water that hadn’t been waiting for him. Water I inconsiderately forgot to leave at his bedside. My eyes tightened on Mora who studied my face before I vanished in a blur.

“Guess I’ll just tell Weather all about my intentions.” The sound of Mora petting the pup faded once I reached the bedroom and swung the door open.

“Wally.”

He sat up, observing the destruction of our bedroom. Devil essence had busted the dressers in half, stabbed holes through the walls and floor, broken the few portraits I left, shredded clothes hidden peacefully in the closet, and shattered the glass windows along with the planks I’d replaced them with twice to keep out the cold. Stone incantations turned out to be the best salve for this issue.

“What the…” Wally tilted his head, absorbing the destruction he didn’t intend, and didn’t have a part in.

“I might’ve celebrated Eligos’ death a bit boastfully.” I grinned. “Apologies. It started out playful, teasing you to wake up, then I went overboard as per usual.”

“It’s fine.” He looked up at me, staring with pure black eyes. Not a trace of demonic energy—merely pure, undiluted devil essence.

“I guess there’s no room in there for demon essence.” I snickered. “Black eyes. Quitebecoming, and you know I will be cu—”

“What?” Wally’s eyes bulged with shock over the statement I’d failed to bury with humor.

He took heavy, confused breaths as the lovely hazel irises and whites of his eyes returned in true form, overpowering the essence inside him, which eased my fears. Wally was strongenough to handle anything, even housing devil essence and keeping it in check.

“What do you mean no room for a demon? What does that mean?” Wally asked, the desperate creak in his voice needed answers, explanations, things he could sort and study. That much I could give to him.

“When I devoured a piece of Beelzebub, I had to use the entirety of my demon essence to repress the single fraction of his.” I approached, sitting on the bed beside him. “It was enough to overpower and subdue that tiny piece.”

“Can you give me more?” Wally bit his lip, longer than usual as he fumbled for the right words. “More of your essence?”

“No. It would be destroyed on contact.”

“What? Why?” Wally trembled as I kept strong in my explanation. “How?”

“Essence, like all things Diabolic, battles for dominance and control and territory. If I gave you my essence, that which resides in you would see my presence as a threat and obliterate it.” I knew this because the bits of my essence that traveled inside of Wally when I poured the devil into him had all been snuffed out in a matter of seconds. The essence I’d poured into him every single day he’d slept and recovered was also eradicated instantly. “It wants to live, and now it’s living inside of you, and in exchange it will ensure you live. It doesn’t want to share, true to form for any devil. Even a piece of one.”

“So, that means we won’t be able to…”

“It means we’ll never be able to bond again because the devil essence inside you won’t allow it,” I explained, running my hand against his thigh, testing the perimeters of his unconscious defenses. Nothing. It seemed the essence remained obedient so long as he remained aware. “This is good, though. You’ll be safe from any and all demons. It’s also not enough devil essence for sentience, so I don’t have to fear for your mind.”

Wally sniffled, cupping his hand around mine. It might’ve pained him more to lose our bond than it did me. And the idea of never truly, fully feeling him again cut more than any pain I’d suffered in Hell.

“But I’m sorry. If I’d done better our link wouldn’t have been severed.”

“Can you take back your devil essence?”

“It was never really mine.” I shrugged, still adapting to the loss of power.

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