I laughed. I laughed and I laughed as a giddy feeling overwhelmed me.
Ryker turned to face me, a deep frown contorting his face.
With a silent thank you to Zane and his terrible, god-awful jokes, I pulled the dagger free from its sheath, slit open my palm and squeezed my hand shut. Blood dripped from my clenched fists onto the message on the stones. I pulled all my anger and frustration from my core, focusing on the same feeling I’d needed to use to get to the Underworld and spoke clearly. “Demons are a ghoul’s best friend.”
Nothing happened.
Ryker stared at me, his mouth dropped open. Even though I couldn’t actually read his mind, I didn’t need to. He thought I’d lost all my marbles.
“Do you think I need to say it in demon?”
“I can’t believe I’m about to do this.” He shook his head, clearly wishing to be anywhere but here, and stepped close. He clamped his hand over mine, opened his mouth, and a bunch of demonic words poured from his lips.
A portal snapped open a foot away from us and we finished the trial the same way we started it.
Together, with Ryker scowling.