Page 61 of The Demigod

Claiming.

Apparently, it was what happened when a demon fell in love. And it made it impossible for them to go back to hell.

I had to admit, the idea of Daemon possibly havingwingshad all sorts of ideas drifting across my mind as I slipped off to sleep.

It was the cold that woke me up. I knew instantly that Daemon had not only left the bed, but a while before, judging by the chill in my bones.

The room was full of a strange earthy, almost smoky smell that had my nose wrinkling.

“You’re supposed to be sleeping,” Daemon’s voice said, making me turn to find him coming in from outside.

Where had he been?

Though, as if answering my question, he held up two cups of coffee and a brown bag of some sort of food.

“What time is it? How long have I been out?”

“Almost sunset. Nearly sixteen hours.”

“What?” I yelped, shooting up in bed, feeling my head immediately swim.

I wanted to say it was from the lack of food for so long, but I had a sneaking suspicion it had nothing to do with food and everything to do with whatever was wrong with me.

“You okay?” Daemon asked, head tipped to the side.

“Yeah. Just… confused,” I lied, holding gimme-hands out for the cup of coffee, hoping it would ward off the chill. And maybe give me the energy boost that even sixteen hours of sleep didn’t seem to accomplish.

“Might have considered holding a mirror under your nose a time or two,” Daemon admitted, coming over to sit on the bed with me. “Feeling better?”

“Yes,” I lied again.

If sixteen hours of sleep wasn’t enough to revive me, it didn’t seem likely another day would do anything. I knew that would be exactly what Daemon would want if I told him the truth. But we couldn’t waste any more time.

My stomach already felt twisted into knots at how many innocent humans had already suffered because of our adventure. Even if it was necessary for us to leave to put an end to this, once and for all.

“Just gonna be glad to get this over with,” I added as I sipped the coffee that was jam-packed with caramel and sugar, which was somehow exactly what I needed.

The nearness of Daemon was already chasing away the chill, but the coffee was sure helping from the inside out.

“Are the poppies ready?” I asked.

“Ready and already very carefully transferred into the jar we’re going to use to transfer it. Once we are fueled up, we can go,” he said, sounding hesitant.

I understood.

I didn’t want to go either.

But want had nothing to do with this situation. We had to do this. Or my siblings’ reign of terror was only going to expand until who knew how many humans would suffer and die.

“So, the plan is, I shadow up, go into the estate, find the bottles or the communal drinks, pour the poppy juice in, then…”

“Then leave,” Daemon filled in. “Come back outside with me. Then, once the gods are good and fucked up, I will go in, find the witch or warlock, get them out, and we go to your sister.”

“It can all be over by morning.” I was speaking my thoughts aloud.

“Yeah, that’s the plan.”

“I almost can’t believe it. I’ve been at this for so long.”And getting weaker by the day.

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