A tear slipped from my eye and Samael looked like I’d stabbed him. “There is something else we can try.”

“What is it?”

“My bond with you… it allows me to share images, memories.”

Like he had with the memory of losing his whole family. I opened my mouth to demand he do it right now, and he shook his head.

“I will not show you the memory now, Danica. We will choose an appropriate time.”

I let out a slow breath but finally nodded. I had no doubt that after seeing my mom’s body, I wouldn’t exactly be in the good state to accompany him to his ball.

I held Misty out to him and he took the dagger from me, disappearing within his apartment where he tucked it away— likely in a hidden safe. Surprisingly, I didn’t demand to see where he’d put it. I trusted Samael to give it back to me. I frowned.

I reached for the tiny, useless sparkly purse I’d been given, tucking my phone inside. The purse could fit two throwing knives, and I slipped them in as well. I didn’t expect shit to go down at Samael’s fancy party, but it was best to be prepared.

The demon returned, reaching for the velvet box. I gave him a look and shook my head. I wasn’t wearing his jewels. He merely smiled at me and opened the box, revealing a… knife sheath. A knife sheath on a lanyard. Only his was somehow… classy.

I stared. The leather was black, polished to a gleam, with cubic zirconia set in regular intervals along the strap. While I’d bought my lanyard with the understanding that it would look like a cheap necklace, Samael’s looked anything but cheap.

My hands itched for it. I met Samael’s gaze. His expression was carefully neutral, but his eyes told me how much he wanted me to take it. I fisted my hands, and he waited me out.

“Your current lanyard and sheath will stand out amongst those in attendance,” he said finally. “They will wonder what it is and come to the conclusion that you are armed. I know you don’t enjoy drawing attention to either yourself or your weapons.”

Andddd he was chipping away at my determination not to take anything else from him.

“You had this made for me?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw and he nodded. He rightly assumed that knowing he’d had someone create this for me made it less likely that I’d take it. But he didn’t lie to me.

I wanted it. I knew at a glance that it would fit my Nim Cub perfectly— and Samael should know, I’d been unconscious and armed in his presence often enough.