This was weird. Pax took the soda and followed Zane out the wide doors to the covered deck and wooden chairs facing the snow falling lightly over the lake. Zane pressed a button on the table in front of them, and a full fire sprang to life, warming Paxton instantly. Almost in a dream, he opened the soda and took several gulps, letting the sugar take hold.

Zane kicked back with his drink and put his boots on the table near the fire.

Pax swallowed. “I’m sorry I put Hope in danger.” His voice cracked, but it had been doing that for months, so hopefully Zane wouldn’t think he was scared, even though he was.

Zane drank, the expression on his face thoughtful. “I’ve asked you before if your dad was hurting you. I didn’t know if it was regular training, or what, so I wondered when I saw bruises and cuts on you. Every time, you said he wasn’t.”

Pax wanted to throw up. “I know. I lied.”

“Why?” Zane asked quietly.

Pax opened his mouth but nothing came out. What was the right answer?

Zane sighed. “You thought it was your fault.”

Pax jerked. Did Zane know it was his fault?

“You thought you deserved to get hit.” Sadness and an odd understanding filled the demon’s garbled voice.

Paxton held perfectly still. “I was fat and slow, and now I’m too skinny and still too slow. I’m not very smart.” He didn’t know why he was telling Zane all of this. “I—”

“You’re none of those things, Pax,” Zane said quietly. “I know words won’t help, but someday, when you look back, you’ll understand that the problem was with your father, not you.”

Right. “How do you know that?”

“I was there. Right where you are now.” Zane finished his root beer and crumpled the can. “We were raised by my uncle, and he hated us. It was—hard. I blamed myself, and I was wrong. Just like you are now.”

Somebody had hurt Zane? He was the strongest demon alive. How was that possible? “Where is your uncle now?” Why had Pax asked that?

“I took off his head.” Zane turned to look at him. “I’m not suggesting you do that with your dad.” He grinned.

Paxton laughed, shocking himself. They were actually joking about this? He relaxed a little bit. “Hope was very brave in there. You should be proud of her.”

“I am. I’m proud of you both.” Zane turned serious again. “You risked yourself to save my daughter, to protect her, and I’ll never forget that, Paxton Phoenix. Never.”