Page 51 of Chaos Carnival

“I don't know,” I said, my arms tightening around her possessively. “But we're going to find out.”

And then Lilith and I were going to have a conversation that would make Hell itself uncomfortable.

She shuddered, her skin still unnaturally cold where the strands had invaded. “It felt like they were alive. Like they wanted...” she quieted, pressing her face into my chest as iftrying to hide from the memory. Then she jerked back suddenly, staring at something over my shoulder.

“Tess?” I followed her gaze but saw only the restaurant's plain wall.

“The threads,” she whispered, reaching out to touch empty air. “They're everywhere now. Like cracks in reality...” Her voice took on an unsettling sing-song quality. “Beautiful broken pieces...”

I grabbed her hand, forcing it down. Her eyes weren't quite focusing right, shifting between me and whatever she was seeing in the air around us.

“They wanted in. To unmake me. To... to remake me...”

She swayed a bit, and I tightened my grip. This wasn't just demon magic going wrong, this was something specifically about her.

“No more practicing without Lilith,” I ordered, my voice carrying the pressure of both mate and protector. “Not until we understand what happened.” Not until I could find a way to control these things.

She nodded weakly against my chest, but I caught the slight resistance. Even terrified, she was drawn to these forces. Her fingers traced patterns on my shirt that made my skin crawl. “I'm sorry. I just wanted to show you how everything connects. How we're all tangled up in their dance...”

“Shh,” I cut her off, gentler but firm. “Not your fault. But next time you want to demonstrate wraithshade theory, maybe stick to diagrams.” The attempt at normalcy felt wrong, especially as I watched her pupils dilate and contract, tracking invisible movements.

Her giggle didn't sound quite right, almost like multiple voices layered together. She pressed her face into my neck, but I could feel her lips moving, whispering numbers and coordinates that made no sense.

I held her until the trembling stopped, though mine had only begun. The restaurant's mundane sounds felt like mockery now, humans oblivious to the ancient forces reshaping my mate. One thing was clear. These strands were far more duplicitous than Lilith had admitted.

And I had some questions for our demon teacher.

Chapter 22: Veiled Visions

Tess

“Youpracticedwithoutme?”Lilith's voice sounded like it was coming through water, distorted and rippling.

I giggled, swaying as Maverick's arm tightened around my waist. “Practice makes perfect,” I sang, the words tasting like a purple haze on my tongue.

The apartment walls kept shifting, breathing almost, and behind Lilith, dark wisps coiled and stretched, forming into people. So many people, all laughing, pointing, their faces twisted in cruel mirth. Lilith, standing there in her expensive clothes while darkness rained down around her.

I tilted my head, studying the scene. “Poor Lil, it's all so dark, Lil. Why are they so dark on you?”

Through the haze of shifting colors and dancing shadows, a familiar crystalline voice cut through my hazy mind.

“My dear, while I typically encourage artistic exploration of consciousness—having dabbled quite extensively myself in various mind-altering substances during my corporeal years—I must say you appear to be having what the youth these days call a 'bad trip.'“

Oscar's skull sat on the coffee table, his empty eye sockets somehow managing to convey genuine worry. The crystal caught the light in fractals that splintered across my vision.

“Beaut—” I reached out to touch one of the void people, but my hand passed through empty air.

“Beautiful like the wallpaper at my deathbed, perhaps. Though I dare say even that held more charm than your current state of supernatural intoxication.” His voice carried that sharp wit I'd grown used to, but underneath lay something softer. The room spun lazily as I processed his words. Even in my state, I could hear the real concern beneath his usual sardonic tone.

Lilith's eyes narrowed, something like alarm crossing her features. “What happened?” she demanded, looking at Maverick.

“Sit down,” Maverick was saying, trying to guide me to the couch, but the cushions looked like they were made of writhing snakes, and I jerked away.

“No no no,” I said, wagging my finger. “Snakes bite. They always bite. Ask Ivan. He knows all about biting snakes.”

“Tess,” Lilith's voice cut through the kaleidoscope of images spinning through my mind. “Look at me.”

I did, but there were three of her now, all wearing different expressions: concern, anger, and something that looked almost like fear. “Which one are you?” I asked, reaching out to touch one of the Liliths. My hand passed through empty air.

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