Page 35 of Demon Found

Naeve’s face pales, and she grasps my hand.

“How much, Lorelei?”

“Uh . . . some. I don’t know, like a bag?” I gesture the size of a football, and Naeve shoots up, pacing the room.

“This is bad. Really bad. That’s far too much. He’s got no self-control. He’ll kill himself. Or fry his last brain cells. We have to tell someone.”

“Whoa, Naeve. Slow down. I don’tknowwhat he was planning on doing with it. If I rat him out, he’s not exactly going to want to power share with me, is he?”

“SupeZ is lethal. He’s only been able to get twists until now.”

“Twists?”

“A little powder in a twist of paper? I thought you grew up in Venez?”

“Enough judging. I stayed the fuck away from drugs, and the gangs.”

“Sorry. I’m stressed.” Naeve pats my head absently, and I swat at her arm. She gives me a blank look, then continues pacing. “Zephyr’s changed. He’sdestinedto be the greatest visionary in our generation. Now we’re lucky if he sees his own toes, even luckier if he can work out that they belong to him.”

“What happened?”

“He’s been off the rails since Farrell’s dad . . .” Naeve stops in her tracks. “Maybe that’s it. Maybe you need to know more about us. Maybethenyou’ll trust us enough.”

So, there is something weird in their past.

“But it has to come from them—Farrell and Zephyr. It’s not my story.”

Chapter Eighteen: Lorelei

Naevegrabsherpadand quickly types out a message.

Lorelei has been added to Ali-G chat.

Naeve: Boys, allegiance powwow, our room, bring cake

Farrell: Welcome to the madhouse, Lorelei

Farrell: I’ll bring the angelic one. Don’t expect too much. He’s currently chewing off his own tongue while simultaneously talking to the ‘stranger’ in the mirror. Do you still have some juju juice to bring him down, Naeve?

Farrell has changed user Lorelei’s name to Hairy Harpy.

Hairy Harpy: What the fuck? Undo that, asshole.

Farrell has changed user Zephyr’s name to Space Cadet.

Naeve: I have juju, do you have cake?

Farrell: Must be bad if we need cake. I’ll get the hadas to send some.

Naeve: Fine. Just get here. I have an idea to help our allegiance.

Farrell has changed user Naeve’s name to Naive.

Naive: Farrell, stop that and get both your backsides here.

Naive: How do I change it back, blasted boy?

Zephyr falls in the door, half propped up by Farrell, and the hada arrive seconds later. They duck and dive, attempting to pass the agitated long-haired hippy. He swats at them, overbalancing with each swipe.

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