Page 129 of The Demon's Discovery
We hugged again, the tears in my eyes a mixture of gratitude and sadness.
Rylan and Calla went through the portal first. Magnus lingered a few moments as though trying to decide whether or not to say something further, then he went through and back to our world. Vassago loosened his grip on my hand so I could have one final, lingering embrace with the man I’d first glimpsed only a few short weeks before in a portrait of smoke.
“I’m so sorry for how you got here, Libelle, but I’m endlessly happy you came.”
“Me too.”
Ris finally broke the hug and pushed me back toward Vassago, his eyes just as moist as mine. “I’ll see you soon.”
I nodded, then closed my eyes as we stepped into the black hole that would take us home, my insides upside down for aprolonged moment, then we somehow almost simultaneously stepped out of the hedges in the maze.
I looked around, feeling like it had been far longer than we had actually been gone.
“Where is everyone else?”
“Rylan and Calla likely went directly to his manor. Magnus went ahead to d’Arcan to see Grace.”
I sagged. “I was hoping to get to speak with them to. Thank them.”
Vassago’s arm came around my shoulders, his mouth pressing into my temple. “They know, Dragonfly. This is what family does. Well,thisfamily. You’ll see them soon enough, besides.” He smiled.
I couldn’t help but smile too. It was all too bizarre, but he wasn’t wrong. He scooped me up again, white feathered wings carrying us toward the collegium. I couldn’t wait for the day that I could fly under my own power.
As we came through the front doors at d’Arcan, Grace rushed out of the dining room with Magnus.
Bea and Ellis came out next, and my sister launched herself at me. “You’re okay!”
“I’m fine,” I answered, though I wasn’t sure how true that was as everything started to catch up with me.
“I’m so glad.” She squeezed me tighter, and I couldn’t help but relax into it, her affection aggressive but appreciated.
“Hello, Ellis.”
He smiled, lifting his hand in a little wave. “Greta.”
“There’s one more matter to settle, Dragonfly,” Vassago said, glancing over at Bea. “Henrik and Lara are downstairs. Their punishment is yet to be decided.”
“Oh.”
“That’ll wait,” Grace argued. “You need some rest after all this!”
“That’s alright,” I answered, getting to my feet. “I’d rather have it all done so I can sleep for a week.”
“You should stone sleep, niece.” Magnus nodded sagely.
“I think Bea should come with us,” I suggested.
“As you wish.”
Vassago led the two of us down into the cellar, a space I hadn’t known existed until now. Henrik and Lara instantly kicked up a fuss, begging both Bea and myself for pity. Even Bea seemed exhausted by them, and I wondered how many times she’d been down here in our absence.
“Silence!” Vassago said, mouth set in a feral smile that was all razorblades and ice.
Gone was the warm man who shared my bed and braided my hair so lovingly. Still, I knew he was nearly feral on my behalf—I had nothing to fear from him no matter how terrifying the shift in his appearance might be.
“What is the fate of these two, my heart? What price shall they pay for their part in all the things Vos had planned? The years of outright lies they told?” My former employers tensed against one another as he advanced closer. Lara tried to squeeze herself behind Henrik, but his grip kept her at his side. “What cost do they owe for the theft of not only your father’s money—yourmoney, while you made do with scraps and castoffs—but your freedom to grow and learn as a young stone kin should?”
“We stole nothing! It was all given in trade, a business agreement?—”
