Page 86 of The Tracker's Dawn: Sunderverse

Eric shrugged. “Me, too. I mean... if we’re going to take care of Mekare Graves, we’re going to do it together. That means we can’t have you two distracted with all this unbreakable pact stuff.”

“You’re always so sweet... and practical,” Damien told Eric.

“Shut up,” Eric shot back.

I ran a hand through my hair. “I don’t know what to say.”

Jake was more graceful than me and spoke with sincerity. “Thank you, everyone.”

“That works!” Damien slapped a hand on the table.

I laughed nervously. “Of course, thank you. Thank you!” I felt like kissing them all. I appreciated their support, even if I still didn’t know if getting Lucia involved in this plan was a good idea.

Always perceptive, Rosalina got up from the table, giving her head a quick jerk to signal Eric and Damien. “I’m going to go call the insurance company to see how our claim is going.”

Damien stood up next. “And I have to make a few phone calls.”

“Hurry up and decide,” Eric said, as subtle as ever.

A moment later, Jake and I were alone.

“We don’t deserve such an amazing group of friends, do we?” I asked.

“I certainly don’t.” Jake left his chair and took the one Rosalina had vacated. “Toni, I know this is hard for you, so let me make it easier. We need to leave Lucia out of this. Maybe Damien can try again, and if he can’t get better, then at least we gave it a shot.”

“You’ll marry her then,” I said, aware that was not his plan, but hoping something had made him change his mind.

“No, I won’t. We’ve already talked about this. My decision hasn’t changed.”

“Please, Jake!”

“I can’t lose you.” The tears that had pooled in my eyes slid down my cheeks.

He wiped them away with his thumb. “I won’t do that to either of us. You may feel that way right now, but as time goes by your feelings will change.”

“No, they won’t.”

He ignored my protest and went on, “and I will hate myself and be miserable from day one. It would not be living, and you know it.”

Damien’s words played in my mind,“Your sister won’t be in any danger. You’ve seen how it is. The demon is confined to the pentagram to begin. Then I let it out for a bit to do its thing, and when it’s done, I command it back. I can certainly handle that. Lucia would be perfectly safe.”

“I’ll ask her,” I said out without thinking. “If she doesn’t want to do it, I’ll understand, but I can’t let you die without doing something.”

“You know your sister. She won’t sayno.”

I felt the truth of Jake’s words as soon as they left his lips. Lucia would be delighted to be involved in something like this. She had always been the risk-taker, the wild child. Ever since she realized the nature of her powers, she wasn’t shy about using them. She was an amazing telekinetic and had received several offers from different colleges and companies now that she was close to graduating high school. Her innate power was off the scales, and controlling the demon would probably be nothing for her.

“You’re right,” I said. “She won’t sayno.” Which meant I had to be extra sure about this. I thought for a long while, trying to weigh everything, but it was overwhelming. In the end—even though I wanted to protect my sister—it came down to the difference between Jake dying and Lucia being exposed to demons. The former was unthinkable, and the latter. Well...

It will be a controlled environment.

Damien said she’ll be safe.

I can’t lose Jake.

It all came down to this last one.

“I’ll ask her,” I blurted out.