Page 44 of Chaos Carnival

I felt a headache creeping in. This was not going to be easy to explain. “It's a long story—” I began.

“Then start talking,” Stone growled, cutting me off. “Because it looks like you two have mad–“

“Hey!” Maverick shouted, rushing into Stone's face. “You talk to her like that again and you'll lose your fucking head.”

I stepped between Stone and Maverick, placing a hand on each of their chests. “Stop it, both of you. This isn't helping.”

The tension thrummed like electricity between them.

Stone's jaw clenched. “You don't understand what she is-”

“Actually, I do.” My voice came out sharp. “And Lilith is our best shot at saving Addie and dealing with whatever Ivan's become.”

“Tess, consorting with these demons...” Lux's quiet observation cut through the tension. “Is a treacherous path.”

Lilith's dark laughter echoed off the alley walls. “More so than letting your friend succumb to celestial poison? Are we morefrightening than leaving that poor girl in Ivan's clutches while you squabble?”

“She has a point,” Maverick said, his shoulders still rigid with anger. “We're running out of options.”

“There are always options,” Stone snapped.

“Name one.” I crossed my arms. “Because so far, all I'm hearing is judgment without solutions.” I took a deep breath, trying to organize my thoughts. “Look, we bumped into Baphomet.” Both Stone and Lux tensed at the name. “And he offered to send Lilith to help with Ivan, to get Addie.”

“And you trusted him?” Lux asked Maverick, his voice gentler than Stone's but still laced with disbelief. “After everything that happened last time? After how careful he was to keep us away from her?”

“We didn't have much choice,” Maverick said, squeezing my hand gently. “He knows about us now anyway. Refusing wasn't really an option. Not with that old debt still hanging over our heads. My head. And this time...” He glanced at me. “This time, the stakes are even higher.”

Stone began pacing, his agitation palpable. “So you brought her here,” he said, jerking his head toward Lilith. “And we're supposed to let her into our—“

“I assure you, I have no interest in your little hideout.” Lilith examined her nails with feigned boredom. “My brother was quite protective of you three back then. Wouldn't even let me peek at his little investment.” Her eyes glittered. “I'm simply here to fulfill his wishes now.”

“Which are what, exactly?” Lux asked, his eyes never leaving Lilith. “Because last time your brother helped us, it came with quite a price tag.”

“She's going to teach me,” I said, my voice sounding small even to my own ears. The full force of everyone's stares bore down onme. “Help me control my magic, strengthen my control. Figure out a way to get past Ivan.”

All fell silent for a beat, the tension as thick as blood.

Then Stone exploded.

“This is insanity!” he roared. “We've spent centuries hiding from hunters. Centuries paying off that first debt to Baphomet. And now you've not only exposed us to him again, but you've invited hissister—the one he specifically warned us against—into ourhome!”

“Stone,” Maverick started, his voice tight with restrained anger, but Stone wasn't finished.

“No, Maverick. This isn't just about you anymore. It wasn't back then, either, but at least we all agreed to that first deal. This affects all of us. Did you even think about that before you made this new arrangement?”

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. He was right, of course. We hadn't thought it through, hadn't considered how this would impact the others. We'd been desperate, and now we'd put everyone at risk.

“I'm sorry,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “We didn't mean to—“

“Oh, spare me the waterworks,” Lilith interrupted, rolling her eyes. “You mortals and your guilt. Look, my brother may have kept me away from you back then, but times change. I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm here because your situation intrigues us both. So, why don't we all calm down and try to make the best of it? After all,” her smile turned sharp, “it's demon arcana you're trying to fight. What's better than fighting fire with fire?”

Her words hung in the air, and I watched as the others struggled with the reality of our new circumstances—with not just one, but now two demons involved in our lives.

Finally, Lux spoke up. “What's done is done,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “Just like that night in the demon sector—we can'tundo this deal any more than we could undo the first one. We need to figure out how to move forward from here.”

Stone shot him a glare but didn't argue. His hand drifted unconsciously to his bicep, where I knew he bore a scar from that first escape. Maverick nodded, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.

“Lilith,” said Lux, turning to the demon. “I think it's best if you give us some time to discuss this among ourselves. This arrangement affects more than just us. My brothers have already paid enough for our past dealings with your family.”

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