Page 114 of World's Okayest Oracle (Reluctantly) Seeks Demon

She patted away a yawn. “Too long for my limited patience.”

Among the poleaxed group, Hugh’s sister managed to gather her wits and her composure the fastest.

“What the…” Eloise gaped at Death, who’d now donned an unbuttoned shirt. “You can freakingreverse time?”

His lips curved slightly. “So it seems, guardian Blacke.”

The most elderly among the trio of Fates caught Gwen’s stare, her eyes huge and distorted behind the thick lenses of her glasses, and tipped her head slightly to the side.

Toward Hugh.

The subtle gesture broke the spell of utter bewilderment keeping Gwen frozen in place, and suddenly she could think. She could move. She couldrejoice.

Sobbing once more, this time in relief, she lurched out of her chair and flung herself at Hugh. He jerked back to life too and caught her with open arms, and his own chair promptly tipped over. Only to right itself before hitting the floor, thanks to some subtle, arcane hand movement from the same Fate who’d met Gwen’s eyes.

Hugh didn’t even seem to notice the near accident. Frantic, his own shoulders shaking with helpless tears of reaction, he hauled her into his lap and buried his face in her neck.

“Oh, gods, Gwen,” he choked out. “I couldn’t free you, couldn’t find any way to save either of us, but then I saw Eloise’s knife and realized…it hadn’t even occurred to me…if I could somehow muster enough power to turn him inside out…”

He trailed off, but Gwen could mentally fill in the rest:Eloisecould get to Josiah’s heart—andI could ensure your survival and end his machinations through my death.

“I know.” Huddling into his hard, hot embrace, she clutched at his arms, his back, his flanks. Any living part of him within reach. “I know why you did it, but H-Hugh, you wereg-gone.”

His muffled voice was apologetic. “I did ask you to forgive me. Ahead of time, even.”

“You did?” She thought back, then gasped in realization. “I thought that was an apology for your failed rescue attempt and our mutual imminent deaths!”

“No.” His hands gentled, stroking up and down her spine. “Just my own death.”

Their entwined bodies—and Hugh’s beleaguered chair—swayed under the impact as Eloise abandoned her lively discussion with Death and tackled her brother and Gwen in a fierce embrace of her own.

“Bro, what the hell?” She sniffled and planted a kiss on her twin’s head. “Between the two of us, I can’t believe you’re the one who freaked out and peeled that asshole like a banana! I’m so proud of you!”

“Really?” Hugh raised his face from Gwen’s neck, a faint smile lightening his solemn features. “I wasn’t certain you’d—”

“Excuse me.” At long last, Josiah had also apparently emerged from his stasis. “I’d like to lodge an official objection. Death, you have no dominion over me. I’m alive once more and thus should be free to go.”

Gwen loosened her grip on Hugh and turned to gape at the fae, aghast at his temerity. For months, Josiah had been trespassing on Death’s ancestral territory despite every ancient warningand actual written law forbidding outside intrusion, and he now thought he should befree to go?

Was this the bravado of a male who knew he was doomed? Or simple, sheer arrogance?

Death looked from one Fate to another with the intent expression of someone actively listening, even though none of them spoke a single word aloud.

Reunion time was clearly over, and legal proceedings had begun. And since Gwen didn’t intend to disrespect Death in his own courtroom—unlike Josiah or even Eloise—she should really stop cuddling with Hugh and take her assigned seat.

As the judges continued to silently confer, Gwen sighed and wiped away a few stray tears before rising to her shaky feet. Hugh supported her as she stood, tenderly eased her into her chair, and—in his usual gentlemanly fashion—pushed in his sister’s chair too.

At the table to their right, Josiah was eyeing the foursome on the dais with obvious impatience. And after another minute passed without a verbal response to his objection, he slapped his hands on the table and attempted to stand.

Before he’d risen more than a few inches, however, an unseen force shoved him back into his seat with an audiblethump. All four judges directed unfriendly stares his way, and Gwen hoped like fuck Death and the Fates never looked atherwith so much disfavor.

Josiah tried to stand again. Failed. Grunted and strained and thrashed, wings whipping rapidly, as he attempted to loose himself from the confines of his chair.

“Forgive my inattention, Councilor Goodling.” Death gracedthe fae with a charming smile. “You make an excellent point: As a living being, you’re not subject to my authority.”

His smile widened—and for all its white-toothed brilliance, the expression made Gwen’s skin prickle into goose bumps.

He glanced at the bespectacled Fate to his right. “Let us rectify that omission, shall we?”