Page 22 of Demon's Beauty

She’s just in love.

I swallow hard, forcing myself to choke back all the arguments I want to make.

The last thing I need to do is try to tear down the life she’s built for herself or to poke holes in the concept of a mate bond that’s obviously made her and Callum very happy together.

Not that it needs to do the same for me.

“Maybe,” I mutter, because I can’t think of anything else to say.

Whether it’s enough to fool her, or whether she’s just not interested in arguing anymore, Seren reaches over and gives my arm a squeeze.

“Just give it some time,” she says. “You might be surprised.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I grumble, then change the subject. “Will I be seeing you around court at least, while I’m here?”

The question seems to surprise her.

And fine, fair enough.

Seren and I haven’t exactly spent any quality time together since she left the coven. At least not beyond a few tenseconversations or the brief times we’ve run into each other at our parents’ house.

Or when I saved her from dying from Faerie-mushroom induced anaphylaxis, but I don’t really think that counts.

“No,” she says slowly, shaking her head. “I won’t be. Callum and I are leaving this afternoon for another job.”

“Job?”

She flashes me a crooked grin. “Bounty hunting. It was Callum’s thing before he met me, and now that he—”

“Has a witch with crazy good seeking powers?”

“Exactly. Now that he’s got me, we’re basically unstoppable.” She puts her hands on her hips, filled with her trademark cocky confidence. “We’ll be back, though. Maybe in a week or so.”

“Alright,” I say. “Maybe we… maybe we can catch up when you’re here again? If I’m still here.”

“Sure we can,” she says, though there’s still some doubt in the words. She covers it with another grin. “Plus, Callum and I always stay with Finn when we’re at court, so I’m sure he’ll be around, too. You know, if you change your mind about getting to know him.”

I roll my eyes, and she nods toward the door.

“I should get going. Lots to pack before we leave.” She heads in that direction, and I try to ignore the pinch of disappointment in my chest that this was all the time we had.

“I’m not staying forever, though,” I call after her, because I am physically incapable of not ruining a moment with my sister. “In the demon realm, I mean. I’m still going back for my Ascension. So… this thing with Finn, it wouldn’t work out, anyway.”

Instead of rising to the bait and having another argument about my imminent Ascension, Seren just turns back to me and smiles.

Somehow, that’s worse.

“You say that now, but I bet yesterday you would have said you’d never run away from the coven hall and come here.”

It’s a direct hit.

Right to the chest. Right to the aching, sick, guilty part of me that knows what I did today was wrong, knows it makes me a damn coward.

And an ass, for taking all that guilt and shame and using it to antagonize my sister.

Seren goes, and I’m left alone.

Well, alone except for Vayla, who’s been politely pretending not to eavesdrop on my conversation with Seren.