Page 56 of Demon Hunger

She took a step back, her long skirt swaying from side to side.

“You should go with her,” Drevan told Grant, clearly wanting to be alone.

Oh, shit!

I pulled back, making myself small behind the crate. Grant and Fennix left without noticing. I stayed in place like a scared mouse. Soon, Drevan would leave too, and he would notice me. Or maybe I could sneak out while he was distracted. I peered out, but Drevan was facing this way. He would definitely notice if I came out of my hiding spot now.

Sitting back, I hugged my knees and buried my face between them, my mind reeling.

Everything was quiet for a moment, then thetap, tapof Drevan’s heels sounded against the stone floor. I held my breath.

Drevan appeared in front of me, and for a moment, it seemed as if he would keep walking, but suddenly, he stopped. He stared fixedly at a spot in front of him, his chest visibly rising and falling.

“How long have you been there?” he asked, his deep voice echoing through the chamber.

He didn’t glance in my direction until I slowly rose to my feet. He then faced me, and I expected to find anger marring his features, but I found no indication of what he was feeling. None at all.

I took a step forward, out of the shadows that had helped hide me. “Long enough, I guess.”

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

He turned away toward the exit. “I have to go.”

“Wait!” I reached out a hand as if to catch him, unwilling to let him leave like this.

He paused and stood with his back to me. Slowly, I approached him and circled around. I wanted to wrap him in my arms and somehow help soothe the pain that still seemed to cling to him.

“What were you doing?” I asked.

He shook his head, lips pressed into a thin line, eyes locked on the floor.

“Please, talk to me.”

Nothing.

“Don’t you think there’s already been enough secrets and lies between us?”

Drevan finally looked at me. “We were trying to break the curse.”

It took a moment for me to register what he was saying. He had been putting himself through torture, hoping to get rid of the curse that made him look like a monster.

“I thought that maybe if I did, you would…” He trailed off.

The unfinished confession was like a punch to the gut. He’d been putting himself through this for me?

For me?!

New tears blurred my vision.

I love you, Lucia. Have no doubt about it. I would do anything for you.

I didn’t know what to say. I had no words. I couldn’t even wrap my head around the awful sacrifice of his agony.

No one should have to change who they were for anyone else. That had to be an unshakable truth, but how could I tell him that? How? When he seemed bent on loving me, and I seemed bent on pushing him away?

I was being unfair to him. So unfair.