“That’s a recent development. It has to be.” Didn’t it? I couldn’t possibly have been living in demon central my whole life without knowing about it.

But then, how was I supposed to know? How was anyone supposed to know? Only exorcists could see the demonic gleam in a possessed person’s eyes, and I’d only transitioned a day ago. There was no way I could have known about the deacon and the school officials and…

How many were there? How many had I seen every day of my life, and spoken to and been taught by?

Anabelle.

Anabelle was an ordained Church pledge. But she wasn’t possessed. She couldn’t be. I’d known her all my life, and she was still the same kind, friendly girl she’d always been. Anabelle wasn’t a demon. Surely they weren’t all demons. Right?

I sank onto the couch, half-crushed by the enormity of the possibilities coming into focus in my head. My lungs wouldn’t expand. The truth was heavier than the air I needed, and it filled me, leaving no room for me to draw breath.

I shivered. I shook so hard the room seemed to tremble around me. The truth was cold and sharp like the October wind, and bitter like ashes on my tongue.

The truth…made no sense.

“It can’t be all the Church members in my town, and it can’t be just my town.” I wasn’t sure whether to hope I was right or pray that I was wrong about that last part. “Sister Pamela isn’t from here. Neither are the cameramen. But they’re all possessed.”

“Could they have gotten possessed since coming to town?” Reese asked, and they all turned to Maddock for the answer, presumably because he’d seen more of the country than the rest of us.

He shrugged and seemed to be listening to something we couldn’t hear—Finn, of course. “Anything’s possible, but I haven’t noticed any higher percentage of demons among the private citizens here than in half the towns we’ve been in this year. Finn agrees. In fact, there’s a lower percentage in New Temperance than in some of the bigger cities, like Constance and Verity.”

“So, are those cities run by demons too? I mean, it can’t be just New Temperance and the TV people the news station sent, can it?” Reese said. “That’s too much of a coincidence, and my dad always said that coincidence is just conspiracy dressed up for show.”

Devi huffed. “Your dad was a heretic and an idiot. There’s no way two of the largest postwar cities in the world are being run by demons.”

“My dad was a patriot and an advocate for free access to the true history of the world.” Reese clutched his muffin so tightly it crumbled between his fingers. “And at least I know who my dad was.”

I was surprised by such a juvenile, spiteful jab from Reese until I saw his face and understood the truth behind his words—he was still mourning his father.