Demon Touched (The Infernal Bond Book 2)

Prologue

Syrus

Ican’t find her.

I sweep through the castle, trying to calm my thoughts, which spiral faster with every door I thrust open to reveal the empty, Leah-less room beyond.

The first thing I did when I returned from my meeting with the lords was seek her out.

But she wasn’t in her bedroom, and she wasn’t in the library, either.

I shouldn’t be worried. The castle is a big place.

I wouldn’t give it a second thought, if it wasn’t for everything that happened yesterday and how close she came to—

I squeeze my eyes shut for a second, trying to banish the image of her imprisoned in Kaliban’s arms, his blade to her throat. There’s a sharp edge to the memory that tells me it will haunt me.

“Leah, where are you?” I murmur, unease simmering in my chest. Our last conversation didn’t go the way I wanted it to, and now when I try to reach out to her mind—just a gentle nudge to let her know I’ve returned—there’s a set of high, thick walls standing strong around her consciousness, blocking me.

I sigh. It feels wrong to be separated from her, to be met with only silence when I call out to her. Just last night, I told her how much I need her, so it hurts for her to punish me like this.

But maybe that’s the point. I knew she’d be upset when she learned I’ve been trying to prevent her ephilium side from developing, but I thought we’d built enough trust that she’d believe me when I said it was necessary.

That—even if I can’t explain why right now—I’m doing this for her. For us. I thought she’d understand.

Judging by those walls…apparently not.

I lightly push against them again. They’re surprisingly strong—far sturdier than what she managed last time. Is this a natural side effect of her stepping into her powers, or has she been…practicing?

When she’s not in my parlor or the garden either, my unease starts to curdle into something worse.

Could the other lords have used this meeting as a distraction to get to her? Has someone else taken her?

You’re being paranoid, I tell myself. Quill’s guards have been watching the castle this whole time, on high alert since the attempted invasion. And if Leah was in trouble she would’ve reached out to me herself—argument or no argument.

I see Aster in the hallway by the dining room, one arm in a sling, the other clutching a piece of paper.

“Have you—” I start, only to cut myself off when I see her expression.

“Leah left me a note,” she says, deep frown lines forming between her brows. “I found it slid under my door. Syrus, what did you do?”

The tension that’s been growing in my chest solidifies into a leaden ball that drops straight down into my stomach. I snatch the paper from her. As I frantically read the few lines written in Leah’s hand, an icy chill sweeps through me:

Aster -

Please don’t worry about me. I’ve gone to Aradis. I’m sorry I couldn’t say a proper goodbye.

- Leah

I have to re-read it twice before the words start sinking in.

“This can’t be…she wouldn’t…” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Darling,” Aster says gently. “I think she has.”

I’ve gone to Aradis.

I’d understand her wanting some distance. I’d understand if she’d stormed off to Strata in a cloud of anger, looking to cool off. But this?

She’s made herself unreachable, uncontactable.

In Aradis, I can’t even send a message after her, much less get Viz or Aster to try talking her around.

She wanted to get away from me so badly that she’s chosen the enemy over me.

In doing so, she hasn’t just shut a door between us—she’s locked it tight and thrown away the key, burning every bridge by which I might reach her.

Why would she do this?

Because she doesn’t need you like you need her.

The answer stabs deep, but I resist it, refusing to believe it’s that simple.

I check the back of the paper in case I’m missing something. She left a note for Aster—an apology for her—but nothing for me? Leah must have known I’d read it, yet it’s almost cruel in its sparseness. Only those three short lines.

She’s gone. One argument, one disagreement, and she’s walked out of Infernum like her time here meant nothing. As if it were no more than a brief interlude she ended the moment it became inconvenient.

A void is opening up inside me, a gaping hole that’s been there for centuries, but which recently I thought had been filled by a pair of bright green eyes and a smattering of freckles.

It’s empty again now, though, and the ache of it is much worse than before.

The void has grown—is still growing—the edges of it spreading outward and threatening to swallow me up.

To just leave. After everything I was willing to risk for her—

Which she didn’t know about, says that voice in my mind again. Because you didn’t tell her.

Except I shouldn’t have to. I’ve lived long enough and seen enough that she should’ve trusted me—accepted that I know what’s best for all of us. That some prices are too high to pay.

And I would have told her. Maybe. If she’d just given me time. I would’ve explained everything eventually, wouldn’t I? Once I’d mitigated the risk. Once I’d made sure it was safe.

She couldn’t even allow me that. Because she doesn’t see me like I see her. I thought she knew who I am, that she understood, but obviously I was deluding myself.

I crumple up the note, dropping it to the floor and turning on my heel.

Aster calls after me, but I can’t face her right now.

She’d try to reason with me, to talk through things or cheer me up, and I don’t want that.

I want to give in to everything I’m feeling, let it take me over as it has in the past. It’s sweet release, surrendering to the way the darkness of the void twists into something uglier.

Betrayal. Anger. I’m a wounded animal snapping its jaws, but there’s relief in that—in surrendering to the monster everyone expects me to be.

I close my eyes and shove my awareness out to her once again, only this time I am not gentle.

I batter her mental defenses, digging my claws into them and gouging deep, trying to break through. An enraged roar sounds inside me as I throw the weight of my power behind my attack, wanting to smash every one of those walls down until there’s nothing but rubble and dust between us.

It’s no use.

The barriers remain firmly in place. The woman who opened up so much for me—unlocked Strata and Malice and even my own heart—has completely shut me out.