When I wake up, Lukas is nowhere to be seen and neither is Roxy. I roll over, staring at the empty space beside me, blinking sleepily. He must have taken her out for a walk or something. That thought should be reassuring. It isn’t. Because every time Lukas takes Roxy out, a small, paranoid part of me starts wondering. His mother is still after him. And for all I know, Solem is too. I know he doesn’t go far. I know he keeps his phone on him the whole time. But I feel better when I go with him. Then again, he and I have been spending a ridiculous amount of time together lately. I can see why he might want some time to himself. He is a grown man, he doesn’t need a babysitter. I don’t know when I started caring about him so much, but it’s very frustrating. I’ve never had to worry about another person before. No younger siblings, no friends who desperately needed my help. The only one I’ve ever tried to take care of is Princess. I mean, I have Laura, but she’s older than me and she’s always been pretty independent. So she’s never really needed anything from me either. I’m not used to worrying. I’m not sure I like it all that much. This entire line of thought is beyond uncomfortable, so instead of obsessing over what is probably nothing, I push the worry aside and get on with my morning routine. Since Lukas came to stay, I’ve skipped parts of it more times than I have in years. I haven’t been putting my hair in curlers before bed. Haven’t been following my normal full routine at all. I guess it’s giving me a chance to branch out and experiment with different hairstyles. But honestly? It just feels off. So this morning, I take my time. I wind my hair into a cute braid over my left shoulder, then grab my curling iron and touch up the strands that frame my face. I do my makeup. Slip on my glasses. Then pull on a white sundress with little pink flowers all over it. By the time I’m finished, nearly an hour has passed. And Lukas still isn’t back… I wander the house aimlessly for a few minutes, trying not to let my mind spiral. It’s not until I nearly trip over Princess that I finally decide I’ve waited long enough. I grab my phone and text him.
Clare- Hey, are you out with Roxy? You’ve been gone so long I’ve gotten dressed and everything.
I know my beauty routine isn’t exactly quick. But still. It’s my time to spend, and it makes me happy. The point is, it means he’s definitely been out for a long time. Lukas responds almost immediately, so at least I know he’s still keeping his phone handy like he promised.
Lukas- You look gorgeous.
I frown. Confused, I glance around. Is he back? Is he watching me through the window or something? I type out a response.
Clare- ???
A moment later, his reply comes through.
Lukas- Don’t worry, I’m not spying on you. You just always look great. I’m on my way back now, I’ll be there soon.
Oh. That was… Kind of sweet. I smile to myself, warmth curling in my chest as I scoop up Princess and carry her around, humming quietly. We do have a lot to do. We still need to figure out a real solution for Wren’s demon deal. But right now? Right now, he’s safe, Lukas is safe. And for the first time in a while, I feel properly relaxed. I feel pretty damn good.
When Lukas finally gets back, Roxy practically vibrates with excitement, jumping all over me like she hasn’t seen me in weeks. It’s been like, an hour and a half! I laugh, kneeling to give her a good cuddle, scratching behind her ears until she’s satisfied. Then, unfortunately, it’s back to reality. Back to Solem. Ugh… We need a plan. Either we find a way to break his deal with Wren, or we find a way to render him harmless. Maybe by getting him locked up. Technically, if Solem were dead, that would also solve the problem, but Lukas and I both agree, we aren’t the type to kill people. Not even someone like him, so that isn’t a real suggestion. We briefly consider reporting him to the hunters, but the problem is our families are involved. Not to mention, the person who would probably look the most guilty is Wren. Sure, he’s a kid. And yes, he was essentially forced into everything he did. But demon deals are considered contracts, and he agreed to it. Even if he was misled at the beginning, even if he never fully understood what he was signing away, it technically makes him responsible for every action he’s taken since. Hunters follow strict rules. They often act as judge, jury, and executioner. There’s no appeals process, no second opinions. So, yeah. Reporting Solem? Not worth the risk. Which leaves us with two options. One, get Solem locked away somehow. Or two, break Wren’s deal. Both of which seem… Nearly impossible. I sigh, rubbing my temples. Lukas, however, looks thoughtful.
“What if we did report Solem to the hunters, but for something else?” He says suddenly. I raise an eyebrow.
“Something else? Like what?” I ask curiously. This is an option I hadn’t considered. Lukas shrugs.
“I don’t know. But perfectly innocent people don’t wake up one day and decide to do the things he does. He keeps it under the radar by making deals and forcing others to do his dirty work. But there’s got to be something out there. Some kind of evidence, right?” He points out.
“Well, yeah. Probably. But how would we find it? That’s not exactly something we can just Google.” I frown. Maybe I’m being a little pessimistic, but we need to be realistic here. Lukas shrugs again, casual and confident.
“Then we get closer. I could find out.” He says firmly. I stare. Is he seriously thinking about trying to read a demon’s mind… AGAIN?
“…Are you joking?” I demand. He has to be joking. Because that is the single worst idea I’ve ever heard in my life.
“The guy literally wants to keep you as a pet or something! You can’t go anywhere near him!” I snap. The words come out a little more aggressively than I intended, but that’s just how stupid the idea is. Apparently, I’ve stood up at some point because I now find myself towering over Lukas, hands planted firmly on my hips. He doesn’t look particularly concerned about my outrage. Instead, he just reaches out, grabs my hand, and tugs me back down to sit beside him. Then, before I can argue, he wraps an arm around my shoulder and gently tips me against his side. Hugging me tightly.
“I appreciate your concern, it’s really sweet of you to worry.” He murmurs, his voice soft and warm. I scowl.
“Don’t patronize me, Lukas.” I say grumpily.
“I’m not, but I do think it’s worth taking a small risk for a long term reward.” He insists. I scoff again.
“A small risk? You call trying to read Solem’s mind a small risk?” I say incredulously. Lukas actually blinks in shock.
“Solem’s mind? No… I was thinking of reading the minds of the people close to him.” He explains. Oh…That’s not quite as bad. I mean, I still don’t love it, but it’s at least… Less suicidal. Lukas watches me carefully, then continues.
“Think about it, Solem probably doesn’t even know what I look like. He’s never seen me in person. And as far as I can tell, he hasn’t sent anyone after me.” He points out. I narrow my eyes.
“You THINK he hasn’t.” I say doubtfully. Lukas gives a pointed look.
“His deal with my mother was for her to hand me over. He might not even be able to just take me himself.” He concludes. I cross my arms over my chest.
“You are making an awful lot of assumptions.” I am definitely unconvinced.
“Maybe.” Lukas concedes.
“But do you have a better plan?” He asks. I hate when he does that. When he calmly, logically, points out that his terrible plan is the only plan we actually have. He even gives me a moment to try and come up with an alternative. When I don’t, he continues.
“We can take it slow. Maybe just… Stake out one of his businesses. Read a few minds. See if anyone’s on the lookout for me or not.” He makes it sound so simple and reasonable. I glare.
“I hate this plan.” I declare. Lukas sighs.
“I’m not exactly thrilled with it either, but we have to do something. For Wren’s sake. Not to mention we can only skip work for so long. I know you have to be nearly out of leave now, because I am.” He adds. I groan, pressing my palms against my face in complete frustration.
“This is the worst,” I mumble. Lukas just pats my leg sympathetically.
“Fine.” I mutter, defeated.
“I assume you already have an idea of where you want to start?” I ask, Lukas isn’t the type to suggest a plan unless he’s thought it out first. He nods.
“Solem owns a rather large casino. We could blend in there. He spends enough time there that there have to be people who know a lot about him. But it’s busy enough that we wouldn’t stand out.” He decides. I groan. A casino. Lukas pats my leg again, this time in a way that’s entirely too smug. I don’t know what he’s so excited about. He hates crowds.
“It won’t be so bad.” He says, tone dangerously innocent.
“Look on the bright side. You get an excuse to dress up. I’m sure you have some outfit you’ve been dying to wear.” He says with a smirk. I freeze, then narrow my eyes.
“…Are you trying to tempt me with an excuse to wear a fancy outfit?” I demand. Lukas’s face remains perfectly neutral.
“Would that work?” I glare up at him. Because …It’s kind of working. Just a little. Damn him. This is the worst idea ever and I am SO going to regret this.