Bile rose again as I remembered the strange, electric sensation as I shook his hand. I swallowed it down with a hiccup.

“I feel a little … hungover,” I managed.

Hellen nodded sagely as if that made absolute sense to her. “Yes, coming down from the high, no doubt.” She stood abruptly, heading back to the door. “Oh, Father has decided to celebrate Mephistopheles Day this year.”

I blanched. “Really? Is now a good time to be hosting a party? With the Pit Demons on the verge of mutiny?”

Hellen shrugged. “They seem in much better spirits knowing their future king has a solid plan to save them.” Her voice was chilling, and her smile was vindictive. “Besides, a party always boosts morale.”

She reached the door, her eyes boring into mine. “Between your Soul Token and the first reaping in decades, you’ll be the guest of honour.”

With that, she turned and strutted away, her hips swaying, her tail thrashing.

“No way you can get out of attending this time, Boss,” Beezle informed me.

Fuck.

18. Ferretcon

Chapter 18

Ferretcon

Jemma

“Well, hello there!”

I glanced up from my half-set-up table to find Humphrey grinning over at me, two takeaway coffees in his hands.

“Ezra informed me that I needed to look after you this evening, seeing as he has to work … and that looking after you meant caffeine first thing.” He held out one of the cups to me. “Hazelnut latte?”

I took the coffee, wishing it was cool enough to slurp immediately. But it wasn’t, so I set it down on my trestle and picked up the box of costumes I was sorting through. “Thanks. Are you working tonight?”

Humphrey nodded. “Yeah. I’m in the next row over.” He leaned closer. “I’m so bummed we’re not side by side, because if your blond beau comes to visit you today, and I miss seeing him, I’m going to die! Ezra said the nurses who saw him at the hospital have not stopped gushing.”

My stomach fluttered. It had been a week since the infamous brunch. In that week, I’d lied a lot to Ezra, ignored a number of texts from Joe demanding SJ’s job credentials, his housing situation, his income … which in Joe’s mind was much more important than how he treated me.

I’d repeated the same sappy, completely fake donut story that I’d told Ezra to Ellie, Faith and Harper when they demanded to hear all about our meet cute.

But there hadn’t been so much of a single flash of heat, the thing I had begun to realise heralded a visit from him. Every day that passed had me even more riled up, on edge with waiting for him to show up unannounced, sporting a smirk, and his next task for me.