Chapter Twenty-Four
“Ethan?” Someone knocks softly on the door, waiting a beat before opening it a few inches. “Anora? Are you awake?”
“I am,” I say, sitting up and holding the covers over myself. I’ve been dozing off and on for the last few hours, and had finally fallen asleep right before Julia knocked on the door—of course, right? It’s dark out now, and I can’t see the person standing in the doorway. It sounded like Julia, but then again, Sam and Julia’s voices are practically identical. Though, Sam wouldn’t be asking so nicely, I’m sure of it. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” Julia says, and my eyes start to adjust to the hall light spilling in behind her. “David is home and wanted to talk to Ethan. How’s he doing?”
“He’s still asleep.”
“Don’t wake him. Though if you could come down and take a look at some books, it might help us identify the bird-demon things.”
“Sure.” I run my hand through my hair. “Let me, uh, find my clothes.”
“Your shirt was a little bloody,” Julia reminds me. “Your clothes from the other day are here. I washed them. I’ll bring them up for you.”
“Oh, right. I forgot about that. Thanks.”
The door clicks shut, and I lie back down, resting a hand on Ethan’s chest. My heart swells, and I feel so fucking much for him. Keep a level head, Anora, I tell myself, though I know it’s a moot point. A few seconds later, Julia returns, and sets my clothes on the dresser. I get up, fumbling in the dark. My phone is…somewhere, and with the curtains drawn, the room is pitch black.
Though it doesn’t have to be. I hold my hand out in front of me, imagining the fire surrounding my palm. Nothing happens. I close my eyes this time, remember the way the heat of the flames felt against my fingers. Again, nothing.
“Dammit,” I grumble and let out a sigh. I bump into the dresser and feel around for my phone. I grab Ethan’s instead, but turn the flashlight on and get dressed.
“Anora?” Ethan breathes, slowly sitting up. “Are you leaving?”
“Your dad’s home and, uh, I think he has some books about the bird-demons.”
“Oh, okay.” He starts to sit up.
“You should rest,” I tell him, and he shoots me a look.
“I’m fine.”
My brows go up. “I watched Julia sew your skin together. With green thread.”
“She used green this time? It’s better than pink, I guess.” He’s trying to make a joke, but I just stare at him incredulously. Yawning, he slowly uncovers himself, and I can’t help but admire his naked body. Goddamn, he’s a good-looking man.
“Rest, Ethan,” I tell him.
“I’m hungry,” he persists and gets out of bed, turning on the lamp on the nightstand. We both get dressed, I find my phone, and we go downstairs. David is in the living room, and my dagger is unsheathed on the coffee table in front of him.
“Ethan,” he says when we come downstairs, and goes over, looking at his son with concern. He pushes up the sleeve of Ethan’s t-shirt, looking at the bandages and annoying Ethan, who pushes his dad away.
“I’m fine,” Ethan huffs, rolling his eyes. “And starving.”
“I already ordered takeout,” David says and motions to the couch. “Sit.” He eyes me almost suspiciously, and for some reason, it reminds me that Ethan didn’t want Julia to know I was able to summon fire and hold it in my hand—which sounds so fucking wild, I know.
“Julia briefed me on what little she knew,” David starts and motions to the dagger. “You stabbed the demon with this and nothing happened?”
“Right,” Ethan says, putting his arm around me when we sit on the couch. “I stabbed the fucker right in the chest and nothing.”
David picks up the dagger, eyes narrowing as he looks at the blade. “It was forged in magic, yet we were wrong about it the whole time. How disappointing. The dagger isn’t magic but appears to be a medium for magic.”
“Well, that fucking sucks,” Sam huffs, coming into the room.
“Yeah, it does,” I say slowly, and she looks at me with surprise. “If anyone could use the dagger to cause demons to go up in smoke, it would be very handy.”
“And you had no idea it didn’t work for anyone else?” Sam asks me, raising her eyebrows. “You just let Ethan take it and think he’d incinerate a demon only to have nothing happen?”
I shrug. “I was too busy casting love spells to mention it.”
Ethan cocks an eyebrow and looks from me to Sam and back again. “I was the one who told her the dagger was enchanted. Wishful thinking on my part.”
Sam purses her lips and looks away. David looks at Ethan in question, and Ethan shakes his head.
“Did you find anything about the bird-demons?” I ask David.
“We still don’t have much to go on. Do you think you could draw what you saw?”