She shoved him into the cushions, and Nick flicked a nasty look at me for not stopping her. He was a big boy. He could take care of himself. “I was coming to talk to you when the gargoyles grabbed me,” he said. “I was on the front walk. I wanted to tell you I was sorry.”

“But you’re not.” Jenks nearly spat it, his wings transparent as he hovered at eye level.

Nick turned to face me as Ivy pointedly sat in the chair across from him. “I made a mistake. I’m trying to fix things,” he said, but his tone was too hat-in-hand.

Jenks laughed bitterly. “So is Rachel. Actually, she’s trying to save all the demons and the entire ever-after, so what’s your point, crap for brains? Didn’t you expect the deranged, freak-of-nature demon to turn on you?”

I didn’t like Jax being so close to Nick, and I put my hand down for him to climb on so I could move him to the end table. “I’m sorry, Ms. Rachel,” he said as he got on and sat down, tattered wings tickling my palm. I said nothing, mad at all of them as I set him under the table lamp and turned it on to warm him. Still angry, I sat in the chair beside him and snatched up the remote, turning the TV on for any news that would indicate we were in worse trouble than before. Setting the remote clattering onto the end table, I traced my cheek where Nick had slapped me. Not hurting him for the hell of it was harder than I thought it would be.

“I knew you wouldn’t believe me,” Nick said, and Ivy shoved the coffee table into his shins to get him to shut up. “I want to help.”

This time it was belligerent, and Jenks laughed. “Help!” Jenks exclaimed, and Jax hunkered down under the light, his back to his dad and looking miserable. “No fairy-farting way!” he yelled, and his kids who had been hovering vanished. “You are not switching sides. You are lying! Rache, why are we even listening to this? Nick put the lie back in believe.”

“I don’t know,” I said listlessly. “Maybe because if he’s sitting in front of me, he’s not coming behind me with a knife. Besides, there’s nothing on TV.”

Nick pushed the coffee table away from his knees, and Ivy pushed it back. Clearly at the end of his patience, he tossed the hair from his eyes and held his wrists up, asking to be released. I shook my head, and he lowered his bound hands. “Ku’Sox dying is the only chance I have of surviving this.”

“You think?” Jenks said, but I could feel Nick’s eyes on me as I watched the news—nothing so far about surface demons at the park, not even a teaser for the end of the broadcast.