And his eyes… his eyes no longer had any white to them, their emptiness swallowing the last remotely human thing on his face.

Selma screamed.

It had been so long since she was faced with the visual aspect of her lifelong nightmares, and all the years of living in terror crashed back into the present at the sight of the monster who had her in his claws.

She didn’t think—she only reacted. Something warm and powerful rose within her, and she grasped for it in desperation, using its strength to strike at the demon.

Bright, white light rushed from her hand like a current, blasting into Kirigan.

Black and white sparks flew around them as he lifted dark magic around himself at the very last moment, causing the air to vibrate with a high-pitched screech like the sound of a braking train. It didn’t stop the shockwave of the impact from throwing him to the ground.

Selma stood frozen, staring at the man the power within her had tried to destroy—that she had tried to destroy in her terror for her child’s life. His features were once again human, and the zealous fire in his eyes no longer reflected danger so much as absolute awe.

24

Selma

“I knew it!” Kirigan’s voice was raw with emotion. “The light! So pure. I knew it was inside of them! Kesh, did you see? That is their call—that is what drives us mad!”

By the bookshelf, Kesh slowly got to his feet, his bindings gone. He was eyeing her carefully, as if he didn’t know if she would attack.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, not certain her voice would hold. “I didn’t mean to.”

Kirigan got off the floor, his disturbing gaze focused on her. “Marathin was the first time?”

She nodded, confused at his apparent excitement. She’d expected anger. Retribution.

“You are not a weak little girl. You have strength to rival ours.” He was still staring intently at her as if he was trying to see the white light through her eyes. “I always knew it was buried within you, but I could never… And then you come waltzing into my son’s life, bringing us new life, and this.”

Now he turned away from her, murmuring to himself in a language she didn’t know.

Kesh stepped forward as his father went to one of the bookshelves farthest from them. He glanced from the mad demon to her, wariness still evident on his features. A faint trail of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

“You all right?”

“Yeah.” As all right as she could be after having been subjected to an insane demon, at least. Her pulse was still drumming rapidly in her throat.

“I’m… sorry I let him do that. I was unprepared, and I failed you.”