Page 69 of The Demon's Pet

“If he runs to the void, then I’ll follow him there,” Sam said nonchalantly.

Zarris grinned. “That’s exactly why we called you instead of Gabe. Your willingness to do anything is much appreciated.”

Sam merely nodded. “I’ll kill him, for the usual tithe.”

Zarris nodded.

Tithe? That was new to me. Had Sam been paid to execute me and Griffin too? What a racket.

I’d heard an old human saying once that if you did what you love, you’d never work a day in your life.

Sam had picked the right job, then.

“I have to talk to him,” Sam said. “Alone with Os.”

“Very well,” Zarris said. “I can take your friends to their accommodations.”

“They’re coming with us,” Sam said. “They will have to stand back while we discuss things with the abomination, but then we will all go to our accommodations together.”

“I understand,” Zarris said. “It might take several days to deal with such a complicated creature.” Zarris stood, and his attendants followed him outside.

Other fae were poking their heads out of cottage doors, and I wondered if all of the insides of the houses were so glamorous and spacious.

We followed Zarris over the soft dirt paths that connected the parts of the village, and Sam and Os moved in front of the cage as Zarris stepped back to stand with us.

He moved in closer to me, sniffing the air subtly.

“Keep your distance, Zarris,” Sam called out tersely. “I told you she’s with me.”

“Picky, picky. Celestials are so possessive, even when not bonded.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know much about fae,” I said quietly. “What do you mean by bonded?”

Zarris looked delighted by my question and, ignoring a low growl from Sam, moved over to me and put my arm over his to escort me as we walked in a circle around the area with the cage.

Griffin followed closely after.

“My dear, we all have magic deep inside us. We draw it from the planet where we are born, from every living creature and every element. And we can choose to join that magic to another, sharing each other’s strengths. That is what I mean by bonded.”

“That’s pretty cool,” I said. “So that’s when two fae become a couple?”

“Two fairies, yes,” Zarris said.

“Do you have wings?” I blurted out. After all, every day with Sam might be my last, and I was dying to know.

Zarris smiled warmly, and beautiful, iridescent butterfly wings unfolded from behind him, glittering with pink and blue. “Our strongest power comes from gemstones, which radiate energy from deep within the earth.” He showed me his hand. “I resonate with sapphires, turquoise, and pink tourmalines, along with rose quartz and pink spinel.” He wiggled his fingers, making the stones twinkle. “Which do you prefer?”

I looked among the rings and pointed to one with a vibrant pink stone at the center surrounded by vivid light-blue stones that seemed to glow.

“Ah,” he said, removing it from his hand. “Mahenge spinel and Paraíba tourmaline.” He handed it to me. “You’re excellent at sensing power in gems. You might make a good fae yet.”

I laughed. “I can’t become a fae.”

“No,” he said. “But you could bond with one and still share in their power.” He made no attempt to take the ring back.

I handed it to him, taking one last glance at its beauty. “I don’t think that’s possible. Thank you, though.”

I glanced over at Sam and Os, who were discussing something with the void creature in low tones I couldn’t make out.

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