Page 28 of Demonic Division (The Sundering Duet #1)

28

Dagny

My mind reels as Kaebl drags me up the stairs and back down that long hallway, tracking water across the dark stone without care. What does that even mean—my monster?

I don’t have long to think about it. Kaebl stops in front of one of the doors, shoving it open with enough force to shatter the walls. Without pause, he tugs me toward a large bed of furs in the corner of the room, plopping down in the middle and pulling me onto his lap.

Goose bumps rise as the water evaporates from my skin, leaving me chilled to the bone. In response, Kaebl wraps his forearm around my chest in the same way as earlier, the fissures crawling along his skin glowing molten as he palms my breast.

A deep rumble echoes in his chest as he runs his other hand up the length of my thigh, warming my chilled flesh and sending a pulse of desire to my core.

“ Kaebl …” My voice is a breathy whisper, billowing into the air in a cloud of vapor. “What are you doing?”

Just feeling you, he murmurs, nuzzling his face into the pulse point at the side of my neck. I can’t seem to stay angry with you for long.

“Lucky me,” I murmur, my breath hitching as his clawed fingertips trail across my stomach. “Where are we?”

Somewhere no one will disturb us, he responds.

“Am I staying here with you tonight?”

Mm-hmm. His tongue lashes out, dragging up to my jaw. I need to make sure you don’t run off again. Plus, I want to talk about what happened with the antethorpe tonight.

I look over my shoulder, my eyes widening. “The antethorpe?”

The creatures you were somehow able to control, yes.

I shake my head. “I didn’t control anything. In case you missed it, I was literally getting mauled to death.”

I saw everything. Kaebl’s eyes glow molten as he searches my face. The first you encountered… you told it to leave, and it did. I find that peculiar.

“Maybe it just wasn’t very hungry…”

Kaebl shakes his head, his jaw setting. An antethorpe will gorge itself to death. It only knows hunger and pain. It should have devoured you immediately.

I shift in Kaebl’s lap, turning so I can get a better look at him. “What are you trying to say?”

Kaebl frowns, the golden fissures spreading across his face and neck pulsing to the frantic beat of his heart. I believe you were able to control it. I’m not sure how, but I have an idea … Suddenly, Kaebl snaps upright, his brows raising to his hairline. Who were your parents?

I shrug. “Erik and Annabelle Olavera. Mom was a furniture designer, and Dad… I think he was in construction? He died right before I was born, and my mom never liked talking about him. ”

Kaebl scrutinizes my face, searching for something. How old are you, Dagny?

“Twenty-one…”

When? he demands. The day?

“Um… December second. The day Cyprien took me,” I murmur, a frown creasing my brows. “Why?”

He just shakes his head slowly, awe shining in his golden eyes.

Dagny… I have very good reason to believe one of your parents was a demon.

I scoff. “A fucking demon? You can’t be serious.”

Deadly, he responds. Specifically, I think your father was one. That he died during the sundering.

“No, that’s… that’s impossible,” I murmur. “I would know if he was a fucking demon. My mom would have said something, or… I don’t know. Plus, isn’t that literally impossible? Speciation and all that good stuff?”

Kaebl shakes his head, sympathy pinching his brow. Normally, demons cannot produce offspring with humans. However, there have been rare instances of true fated mates—souls tied together by the gods themselves—and in those cases, halflings can be born. Those of mixed descent who can harness the magic of The Far Place without limit.

“And you think that’s what I am?”

He nods. I’m sure of it. It would explain your ability to control the antethorpe and how you were able to break past the magical seals holding you within the castle.

“But… then why was I raised in the human world? Why wouldn’t my mom say something about it?”

Kaebl frowns, his brow creasing in thought. During the great war, nearly all the halflings were wiped out. I believe your mother hid you away in the human realm to protect you. To save you. The same reason she kept your lineage a secret .

I’m reminded of what M told me about Abaddon—how he led the charge to wipe out an entire species—and suddenly, it all makes sense. My mother’s fear of the outside world. Her paranoia that someone or something would leap from the shadows to harm us. Her love of the blistering cold—so similar to the climate of The Far Place, where she likely spent time with my father. Even the bedtime stories she used to tell me—warning of salivating demons and creatures of the night—all to protect me from a world I never knew existed.

But what does that mean for me? My fate?

I’m scared to look at Kaebl, fearing I’ll find the answers to my questions. He said he wouldn’t hurt me, but now that he knows I’m a halfling, does that change his mind? He’s the one who wants to resurrect Abaddon—and Abaddon wants to wipe out creatures like me—so that would be a logical conclusion.

But he’s still holding me so tenderly. Still brushing his hands over my skin like I’m made of something precious. Perhaps M was wrong? Perhaps Kaebl doesn’t know of Abaddon’s true intentions—and thinks he’s doing the right thing by putting the pieces back together.

But before I get a chance to ask anything, Kaebl’s voice enters my mind, leaving no room for argument.

Get some sleep, Dagny. We have a big day tomorrow.

His wings fold around me as we lie back onto the bed of furs, Kaebl’s arms wrapped around me like a vise. And even though I don’t want it, sleep tugs at my lids only moments later. Because even if I’m in the arms of my killer, it's more comfortable than I've ever been.