“None of that matters, now,” Kim said. “We’ve all got some history, here, that’s apparent. But we need to focus on the problem. Dad, Nina is the women in the prophecy in the Naissance de Demoniac. Does that mean anything to you?”

Charles’ eyes shifted to mine, and then he scanned me from my hair to my shoes. “No,” he paused. “Who is she?”

Kim turned to me. “I told you. We’re not allowed to open the book. He knows nothing.”

“Is that why you came here?” Jared said, livid. “I could have told you that! If Charles knew anything, Gabe and Jack wouldn’t have taken it in the first place!”

“It was worth a try, because our next option was the last resort.”

“What are you talking about?” Jared said.

I looked at the crowd of people around me, feeling the negative, hostile energy in the air. It was in that moment that I recognized we had finally come to the last leg of the journey. Getting the book back into our hands had always been the only choice, which was why Gabe and Jack had come to me with the answers at night.

“I have to distract Shax long enough for you to get the book,” I said softly.

Jared turned to me, his eyebrows squeezed tightly together. “Are you serious?”

“No, Jared, she’s trying to be funny. Of course she’s serious,” Kim said.

“Bad idea,” Ryan said.

I reached out to to him, touching his cheek with my fingertips. “It’s the only way you’re going to get the book.

Jared glanced at Claire, and then back to me. “We’ve been trying to get the book to save you. It doesn’t make sense to put you in danger in order to get our hands on it.”

“This is stupid, let’s go,” Claire said.

Kim held up her hands. “Wait. Just wait. We all know she doesn’t have much time left.”

Kim saying aloud what everyone else knew—and had hoped to keep from me—felt like a bittersweet release, but the siblings' expressions were ashamed.

Jared’s eyes hit the floor.

“Did I miss something here?” Ryan said, shifting his weight. For the first time since we'd arrived, he seemed uneasy.

Kim’s eyes met mine. “Both sides are talking. You know too much, Shax wants revenge, and you pose a threat to Hell just by being alive. We could pluck out your uterus today and they would still end your life to prevent a miracle. You are going to die, anyway, Nina. It’s time we resort to desperate measures.”

“Christ Almighty,” Charles whispered.

The air was absent of sound. Everyone’s eyes were on me, but I couldn’t reply. I could barely breathe.

“I’m not going to let that happen, Nina,” Jared said. “We can figure out another way.”

“Is it true?” I said, looking up at him.