“I’ll wait down here,” said Ciaran, and the uncles made the same offer.
“I think we should also not bombard Demi with questions,” said Raini, giving Maddox a pointed look.
“If you want to approach this slowly and give her a chance to talk, fine,” said Maddox, though it wasn’t truly fine. “But if she refuses to answer, I will scare her into thinking I’ll harm her.”
Lachlan bristled. “Now wait a minute—”
“Sometimes a little fear is motivational,” said Maddox. “She won’t believe that any of you will follow through on a plan to push her into talking, but she’ll know that my loyalty is to Raini.”
Sighing, Evangeline rubbed at her forehead. “Fine, just … don’t hurt her. I want answers the same as you, but there’s no need for Demi to be hurt in the process.” Evangeline then led the way up the stairs and into the master bedroom.
Demi lay there, staring at the ceiling, startingly unreactive as her lair members gathered close. Her face was pale and haggard. There were dark smudges under her lifeless eyes. She seemed tired. Weak. Undernourished.
Taking the seat beside the bed that Martina had vacated, Evangeline took Demi’s hand in hers and gave it a little squeeze, but her daughter didn’t even glance her way. “Demi, baby, we’re so glad you’re home. I’ve been so worried about you.”
Demi still didn’t react. Unsure what to make of her sister’s behavior, Raini hung back and said little while her parents and Jolene sort of … gentled Demi—assuring her that she’d been missed, that all were relieved she was back, that she was safe now.
Evangeline brushed a lock of Demi’s hair away from her face. “Tell us what happened, honey.”
Silent tears began to roll down Demi’s face, but she resolutely kept her gaze on the ceiling.
Raini’s chest squeezed at the sight, but her demon wasn’t so moved. Maddox didn’t appear to be either. He stood at her side, watching Demi carefully, no pity to be seen in his eyes. On Raini’s other side, Carmen stared at the female imp in much the same way.
“Demi, I know you probably don’t want to talk right now or even think about what went on,” Evangeline continued. “But we have to know.” No response. “Who took you, sweetheart? Was it Dwain? It was, wasn’t it?”
Lachlan rested a hand on Demi’s leg. “It’s important that you tell us everything. Surely you want to. Surely you want to see this person brought to justice, especially when they’re probably also behind what’s been happening to your sister.”
Still, Demi said nothing, more silent tears dripping down her face.
Evangeline bit her lip. “How about we ask questions, and you just nod or shake your head? Then you don’t have to admit anything aloud, but you can still tell us what we need to know.”
Raini stood by as her parents and Jolene posed question after question to Demi, who never once responded. Not verbally, not with body language, nothing.
Her demon becoming increasingly pissed, Raini took a single step toward the bed. “Demi, please, tell us what happened.”
Her sister’s head very slowly turned her way, and her tearful eyes clashed with Raini’s. There was so much despair there that it made Raini’s heart hurt. Still, her sister didn’t speak.
Raini took another step toward the bed. “Please, Demi.” The plea went unanswered.
Maddox stalked forward, and Demi’s eyes snapped to him. “What do you think your sister’s most painful memory is, Raini?” he asked, ever so casual.
Raini blinked. “What?”
“Her most painful memory,” he said, his gaze on her sister. “What do you think it is?”
Clueless as to where he could be going with this, Raini shrugged. “I-I don’t know. Probably finding out that Dwain is mated. Which he actually isn’t. But I don’t think she knew that. At least not at first.”
“Hmm.” Maddox raised his hand, and it glowed red. Everyone tensed as if to act in Demi’s defense, but she made no cry of pain. He looked at Raini. “You were wrong. Her most painful memory isn’t hearing that Dwain is mated. It’s hearing him confess to her that he loved you—it was years ago, I know, but time hasn’t lessened the pain. She knew back then that he didn’t truly feel that way about you—he didn’t know you well enough to love you. That was why the moment devastated her so much. He did know her well enough to love her, he just didn’t care for her that way.”
Swallowing, Raini looked back at her sister, who was eyeing Maddox warily.
Tilting his head at Demi, he said, “You know, when I questioned one of the halo-bearers who attacked my lair, he was just as reluctant to talk as you are. He changed his mind when I told him what misery I could put him through without lifting a finger. I’m sure you’re aware of what a time loop is. I can trap someone in a mental time loop, forcing them to relive something over and over. And since I now know your most painful memory … ”