Page 205 of The Demon's Pet

Os simply bowed his head. “You would have every right. This is my fault.”

“I thought you would protect this place, not harm it. Fairies are Simon’s only weakness, and I never thought a fae other than you would dare set foot here.”

“You should have known that if I knew the Morningstar was here, I would come, if only to protect my family,” Os said quietly. “Now do what you must.”

Sam let out a hoarse curse, pausing with his black sword in the air over Os’s neck as if he didn’t know what to do.

“I swear, if you let me live, I will change,” Os said. “I will serve the Morningstar to the end of my days. I will… try to make up for this.”

“Why? Don’t you still hate her? Don’t you think she would destroy the world?” Sam asked.

Os shook his head. “I don’t hate her. I never did. I truly thought she would only be suppressed.”

“That’s naive as hell, and I don’t believe you,” Sam spat.

“It’s the truth,” Os said. “I even attacked my mentor. The one who took me from the fae and trained me in celestial ways. That should mean something. Over the years, I’ve stopped many executions, and Gabe has been merciful. I thought this would be the same, though I did know we would need to take Cleo back to her realm. For that, I am sorry.”

I could see in his eyes that he was.

“He’s right!” Griffin yelled at us, holding the bars of his cage. “He saved me when I was younger! Give him a chance.”

“He almost got you assaulted,” Sam grated out. “And you’re going to defend him?”

Griffin slumped against the cage. “I no longer admire him, but I don’t think he should die. And if he’s truly on our side, he can help Cleo with his powers.”

Sam stared down at Os, who was looking at Griffin in shock and then remembrance.

And then regret as he realized what he’d lost. The respect of a child he’d once saved.

Griffin no longer looked at him with shining eyes, though he was still trying to save him.

I walked over to Griffin’s cage. “How do I get him out?”

Sam snapped his fingers, and the cage disappeared, and Griffin fell forward.

I ran to him and caught him in a hug. When he pulled back, his blue eyes were shining.

“Thank you for trying to save me,” I said. “It must have been hard breaking out of the ice.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’d die for you, Cleo.” He shook his head and smiled ruefully. “And I saw how hard you would fight for me.”

I smiled back. “We’re square.”

I turned back to look at Sam, who strode away from Os to approach Gabe’s body.

My sword was still sticking out of it, and he went to grab the handle but let out a hiss of pain as his hand made a sizzling sound.

“Only Cleo will be able to hold that sword,” Os said. “I’ve seen only one before, and it was bound to its creator. All Evernight swords are.”

Sam stepped back. “Interesting.” He set about picking up his swords and cleaning and sheathing them and then watched as I walked over to Gabe.

To get my sword.

My sword.

I blinked, then reached for the black hilt. It was cool and soothing to the touch. As I pulled it out, Gabe’s body dissolved into a dark puddle and then evaporated into the air, leaving only a vague outline on the cement where he’d lain.

“I can’t believe you killed him,” Os said, looking over my shoulder.

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