"What do you mean?" I frown, looking down at my outfit. It's comfortable and casual, but it's nothing to scoff at.

"Why are you wearing that?" He points at my pants.

"What do you mean?" I ask, confused.

"Females don't wear pants in our world." Thea leans in to whisper. "And no one wears pants this tight," she clarifies.

My lips tremble as I fight a smile.

"I'm sorry for offending your alien sensibilities. But you're in my world now. You don't get a say in how I dress in my world," I fire back.

"You impertinent little⁠—"

"My name is Luce," I state in an even tone, meeting his icy gaze.

He stares at me, and I know fully well that the word human was about to leave his lips.

"Very well. I shall not comment on your lack of taste in garments," he says, pleased at his magnanimity.

I roll my eyes.

All the while, Thea and Cer are trying their hardest not to laugh at us.

"If we could focus on our task?" I interrupt.

"Yes, indeed. Why don't you tell us about the demon encounter," Cer suggests.

We draw a few chairs to sit, but Ze is the only one who refuses, claiming he's more comfortable standing.

I do my best to describe the events in the secret passage, omitting the fact that I saw Nikki. For some reason, I don't want them to know that his ghost is with me.

"And you fought the demon," Cer addresses Ze, his tone strange.

"I merely cut his arm," he shrugs. "As soon as he saw my sword, he ran away."

"You used just your sword?"

"I know the rules well enough, Cerenios," Ze states, and the air suddenly becomes chillier.

I frown at their exchange but think nothing of it as I focus on the matter at hand and how we're going to work as a team when we're constantly at each other's throats.

"Can you break the barrier for them to get out?" Cer continues.

"It is only I who can come and go. To break through the barrier would draw unwanted attention."

Cer nods, his gaze straying to Thea. I don't fault him for being worried about her after what happened.

"We don't need to leave. We'll just nab the demon and move on," Thea intervenes. "Why don't we draw him out in the auditorium and you guys can end him or whatever you've got to do to him?"

"That is a sound idea." Cer nods.

"I'll do it. He must already be mad at me from before," I offer. With Nikki out of the way, I don't have to worry about the demon being a danger to him. And despite the fact that my teammates seem to possess some special abilities, I want to pull my weight in this team. Maybe I can't do a lot, but I'll at least try.

"No," Ze immediately says.