Page 20 of Infernal Bindings

I know it in my bones that there’s nothing I can say to convince anyone he’s innocent—not my mother, or Salios, or even Christopher. It’s a damning memory.

Whoever framed him did a great job.

Together, the coven and Salios watch the rest. They see Mom’s gaze pivot to Daemon. Then they see Daemon flip everyone off before taking me with him. As the vision fades, replaced once again by the portal to Salios’s throne room, the yard falls silent.

“I see,” Salios says. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention.”

And then he steps—floats, really—over the pool. His foot sinks into the portal, and reflexively I call out to him. “Daemon didn’t do it. Please, don’t hurt him.”

Eyes narrowed, every coven witch swivels their head in my direction. Well, everyone but Christopher, who sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. My stomach is in knots as Salios pauses, his gaze locking onto mine. I force myself to raise my chin, to walk with the confidence and authority I’ve seen Mom use my entire life.

As I step closer to the archdemon, the crowd of witches parts for me, but they needn’t bother. In a blink, Salios is no longer hovering over the pool, but towering in front of me. “You’re the incubus’s pet,” he says, gripping my arm. He yanks my shirtsleeve up, exposing my tattoo. “Tell me, Annie, what do you see when you look at me?”

“What do you mean?” To my credit, my voice doesn’t shake.

My brows furrow as Salios leans closer, then closer still, the scent of cinnamon on his breath. He stares into my eyes like he’s solving a puzzle, and then his lips curve into a wicked smile. “Is that your mate over there?” he asks, so low no one else can hear. I follow his line of sight to Christopher and nod. “And yet you don’t see him. Interesting. You are interesting, Annie.”

The way he uses my nickname makes me shudder. He may wear Daemon’s face and dress in Daemon’s clothes, but he’s certainly not Daemon. Everything about him is wrong.

“I can break this covenant for you,” he says, stroking my tattoo. “In fact, I will break this covenant when I punish him. Seeing as Daemon will be confined to my world, he will no longer be able to fulfill his obligations to you. Knowing that, would you still protect him?”

My soul.

Salios is offering to return my soul to me in exchange for Daemon’s freedom, possibly torture too. It should, at the very least, be tempting, but it isn’t. Daemon is my friend. He comes for me not because he has to, but because he wants to. And he didn’t kill Martha, even if everyone else believes it.

I shake my head because yes, I want my soul back, but not like this. Not at Daemon’s expense.

“He didn’t do it,” I whisper. “I’ll find out who did and prove it to you.”

Salios keeps stroking my tattoo, and I have to fight not to jerk my hand away. “My magic doesn’t work on you,” he says. “That’s interesting, too.”

There’s a long pause.

Finally, Salios claps his hands together. “Alright, Annie, I’ll make a bargain with you. God made the earth in six days. I’ll give you six days to find the killer. Give me a name by then, and Daemon is free. Fail and he’ll be punished as I see fit, and your covenant will be transferred to me. Does that sound fair?”

My throat turns sandpapery. Daemon possessing my soul is one thing; I can at least convince myself that he might not torture me in the afterlife. But Salios? What would an archdemon like him want with me—and do to me—with an eternity in his possession? I feel like I’m going to vomit. I hesitate, and Salios starts to turn.

“How disappointing,” he whispers, then he floats toward the pool again.

Without thinking, I run to catch up. Because if he disappears—if he jumps into that portal—I have no idea what will happen to Daemon, and I’ll have no way of helping him ever again.

“Wait,” I say. And Salios does. He pauses at the foot of the pool, though he doesn’t turn to face me. I realize then that all the witches around us are frozen. There’s no wind. No birds. It’s like time is standing still. I stand before him and gaze up into his red eyes. “I’ll do it.”

Salios licks his lips. “Excellent.”

To seal our bargain, I expect him to shake my hand, or perhaps take my blood, the way the summoning spell had with Daemon. He doesn’t. Instead, Salios cups my cheek and bends down, pressing his lips to mine. The sensation is searing. I feel his power flow into me—stronger and more intense than anything I’ve ever experienced. I yelp in pain, but he swallows it down with his mouth, kissing into me with his entire body.

And then, he’s gone.

As quickly as it started, it’s over.

The portal vanishes as he sinks back into his macabre throne, and time resumes.

10

UNSTABLE MAGIC

“What did you do, Annalise?” my mom hisses.