Page 29 of Demon's Beauty

“Uh, yeah,” I say, entirely unable to comprehend what my mouth is doing, being put on the spot like this. “That’s uh, that’s fine.”

“Alright,” Glenson claps his hands together. “Let’s get things moving, then.”

He calls more orders to other members of the guard. Vayla walks off to inspect the supplies she packed, everyone else gets into their assigned spots, and for a moment I want to call after her and let her know that oh, no, I’m not going after all, that this whole idea was cursed, that I have no business being—

“It’s alright if you’d like to travel with someone else,” Finn says quietly. “My apologies, I didn’t mean to… I should have thought for a moment before I said something.”

Maybe I should take him up on that offer. Being as close as I’ll need to be to him to step through a portal certainly won’t help things. It won’t help this unruly magick still going haywire now that he’s so close. It won’t help all my racing thoughts and the nerves squeezing tight in my chest.

It won’t help anything at all.

But I make myself remember.

Overreacted. I overreacted.

I was unforgivably rude to him yesterday—downrightcruelto him yesterday—and even if I really, really can’t handle having a demon mate right now, it doesn’t mean I have to be a jerk.

“It’s okay,” I tell him, just as softly. “I don’t… I don’t mind.”

I don’t minddoesn’t seem to be quite the answer he wanted to hear, but he accepts it with a nod.

I hold out my hand, feeling foolish. “And also, I know Seren told you who I am, but I should probably introduce myself. Officially. I’m Soleil.”

A flash of surprise breaks across his face.

But he doesn’t say anything.

It’s only a few seconds, but each one is agony, stretching out long and impossibly awkward between us.

Oh, goddess, this is terrible.

I should just step back, put my hand down and—

“I’m Finn.” He reaches out and grasps my forearm instead of my hand, firm grip so large that his fingers reach all the way around. I do the same, awkwardly trying to copy the gesture.

He frowns, though there’s something a bit exaggerated and playful about it. “That’s not right, is it? I feel like I’ve seen humans do this differently.”

An unlikely smile tugs at my lips, and I shake my head. “It’s more like…”

I slide my hand down his arm until I can grasp his in a handshake.

Unfortunately, the moment I do—the moment our skin touches—magick tugs hard and insistent in the center of my chest.

It feels almost… pleased.

Like this bond is a living creature that needs andwants, like it’shappyabout this.

Weird.

So, so damn weird.

I’ve encountered a lot of different types of witch and wielder and demon magick, but none like this.

Finn inhales a sharp breath through his nose, apparently just as aware as I am about that magick. He laughs as he draws his hand back, though it comes out a little shaky.

“Well, that’s… potent.”

“That’s one way to put it,” I mumble, and he laughs again, warmer this time.