What the HELL is Lukas thinking?! Is this some kind of plan? A stall tactic? A desperate gamble to buy more time until Rowen shows up? Because I don’t care why he’s doing it, this is unacceptable. It’s reckless. Stupid. He’s not just playing with fire, he’s practically doing cartwheels in a bonfire while juggling dynamite. What if Rowen doesn’t make it in time? What if Solem binds him with some demonic contract that can’t be undone even if we win? Demon magic can make permanent changes to people, who knows if that goes away when the demon dies. What if one bad clause slips through and I end up dead anyway? Demon deals are like playing roulette. You’re probably just throwing everything away. Lukas is being a grade A moron, and I cannot stay silent.
“Lukas, don’t you DARE!” I snap at him. The words come out louder and sharper than I meant. My voice cracks around the edges, tangled in fear and fury. I sound completely unhinged. I don’t care. Lukas doesn’t even flinch. He doesn’t look at me. Doesn’t apologise. He just stares Solem down, jaw locked, eyes blazing with that same cold fire. More determined than ever.
“What deal?” Lukas asks, flatly. Are you kidding me?!
“I said no, Lukas!” My voice breaks on the last word.
“If you don’t shut your mouth, I swear, I’m going to kill you myself!” I threaten. Am I crying? Damn it, I think I’m crying. Stupid traitor tears. They blur my vision and sting my eyes and only make me feel weaker, like I’m just some helpless girl on the floor while the man I love prepares to throw himself into a hell contract to save me. Hold up a second, the man I WHAT now? Ugh damnit. I would fall for a guy who basically has a target on his back. There’s no question that I love him, even if I didn’t quite put the word to it until now. Now I’m even more pissed off. He doesn’t get to worm his way into my heart, make me love him and then risk his life like this. I completely forbid it!
“Quiet, girl,” Solem says dismissively, not even looking at me.
“We’re talking.” He says derisively, then he turns his back on me like I’m nothing. Like I don’t matter. The audacity makes my hands shake.
“You work for me, and I’ll let your little friend go.” Solem offers, his tone smooth as silk. Lukas scoffs.
“You call that a contract?” He replies, voice laced with scorn.
“That’s laughably vague. Work for you for how long? Let her go how? With phrasing like that, you could toss her off a cliff and still claim you fulfilled the deal.” Lukas actually rolls his eyes at Solem. I blink. He’s… Arguing the structure of the offer? What?
“My magic is rare.” Lukas continues, eyes narrowing.
“It’s dangerous when used right. If you want it, I expect a proper deal. Put in the effort.” He demands. Solem stares at him, momentarily stunned. The entire room is quiet, like everyone’s watching a car veer toward the edge of a cliff, unable to stop it.
“You want me… To make it more complicated?” Solem asks, incredulous. I can’t blame him. No one ever asks for a MORE complicated demon deal. More clauses means more chances for screw ups, loopholes, traps. Or for the magic involved to turn things completely haywire.
“Yes.” Lukas says bluntly. Solem smiles.
“Very well.” He replies smoothly, a dark gleam in his eye. Shit.
The next two minutes are filled with what might genuinely be the most ridiculous conversation I’ve ever witnessed in my life. Solem proposes a new version of the deal. Lukas, cool as anything, like he’s arguing over a zoning permit instead of a demon contract, picks it apart with precision and flatly refuses it. Solem adjusts. Then he tries again. Lukas rips that one apart too.
Rinse and repeat. If I weren’t covered in blood, in pain and terrified, I might actually be impressed. But the weirdest part of it all? I think Solem is… Enjoying himself. He looks entertained. Genuinely delighted, like a chess player locked in an unexpectedly challenging match. When he said he enjoys making bargains, I thought that was just creepy demon talk, but… Nope. He’s into this. Disturbingly so. The bargain keeps ballooning with clauses, definitions, contingencies, conditions. It’s becoming a magical terms and conditions nightmare. I can’t even remember half of what they’ve included now. But Lukas? Lukas keeps track of every single detail like his brain has an internal filing system. He’s running out of loopholes, though. I can see it. And so can Solem. The demon’s smile tightens. His fingers twitch. And then… He snaps.
“Enough of this.” Solem snaps, voice sharp with irritation.
“Are you agreeing, or shall I just kill her?” he demands. My stomach flips. Lukas doesn’t answer right away. He glances down at his watch nervously. It was subtle, but noticeable. And Solem catches it. His expression darkens instantly.
“You’re waiting for something.” He says, stepping closer to Lukas. “What is it? What are you waiting for? Are you playing games with me?” He asks, his amusement is gone. Just like that. His voice loses all charm, all restraint. There’s nothing left now but cold, seething fury.
“Nothing.” Lukas says quickly, too quickly. And then, because apparently he WANTS to get murdered or maybe just because he’s a terrible liar, Lukas glances at his watch again. I’m sure it was unintentional but it really does not sell the lie. There is a sudden shout from nearby. I can hear crashing noises and a wave of relief rushes over me. That HAS to be Rowen. She’s finally here. We’re saved! Could she have left it any closer to the last possible moment? There’s crashing and screaming. The floor seems to tremble under the weight of something massive slamming into it. A wave of relief crashes over me so hard I nearly sob. Rowen is finally here.
We’re saved. The bad news is, Solem hears her arrival too. And he snaps. He turns on Lukas in a flash, storming toward him with terrifying speed and grabs him by the throat.
“You!” He snarls, eyes burning.
“What did you do?!”
Roxy growls, low and furious, but there's fear in it too. Solem growls back. It’s not a sound a person should be able to make. It’s deep and guttural, like it came from something ancient crawling beneath the earth. Roxy stumbles back, ears flattening, tail low. She’s still watching, still tense, but I can see it in her posture, she’s afraid. And she’s smart enough to know she should be. But that doesn’t mean she wants to back down. She’s torn. Desperate to help Lukas, but too close to a monster who could destroy her with a flick of his hand. Lukas is clawing at Solem’s wrist now, both hands wrapped around the demon’s arm as he fights to free himself. His feet scrabble uselessly against the floor. He can’t breathe. His face is red, eyes wide, panicked, but still angry. Still defiant. And Wren… He was dragged behind Solem, the chain between them yanking tight as Solem moved. He’s trying to help, pulling hard on from his end, but Solem is too strong, he doesn’t budge an inch which leaves Wren stumbling, horrified and helpless. And I’m still stuck here on the ground. I turn my head toward the door. Rowen, where are you?! I can hear her. Shouts. Metal clashing. The boom of something heavy being thrown. But I can’t see her yet. I think she’s going to be another minute. But a minute more and Lukas might not be breathing at all. I have to do something. I grit my teeth. My whole body trembles as I shift, pain flaring sharp in my ankle. I bite back a sound and push myself up onto one elbow. This is it. It’s now or never.