Page 110 of Hell Burns Between Us

Wisteria’s eyes turned glassy. She whispered, “Her brother found out about us and promptly destroyed any chance we had.”

“Oh,” she whispered back. “Wisteria—I’m so sorry.”

“I don’t think any demoness can really break free if we’re all constantly being crushed. Suppression wears so many faces. It’s only when we’re allowed to make our own decisions... that’s when we become the ones who spark real change.” Wisteria wiped her eyes. “Right now any freedom we have is an illusion.”

They stood in a quiet moment, feigning interest in the growing crowd of new arrivals.

Wisteria tilted her head, considering the weight of her own words. “It won’t be easy. But it’s not impossible.”

Peri glanced at her with a mixture of uncertainty and thoughtfulness but said nothing, her gaze sweeping the room again. Suddenly, Wisteria grabbed her arm, her grip firm and urgent. “You could ask Slang.”

Peri froze, her eyes wide with confusion. “I mean, I haven’t yet… cut off anything to offer up for answers and I’m not about to make a bargain with my own blood again.”

“Well, if you want my vote that’d be the way to get some answers.” She raised her glass and clinked it to Peri’s with a mocking cheer. “And that demon you’re betrothed to could stand to lose a finger or two if you ask me.”

Peri carefully folded away all that Wisteria had told her, taking a long drink of her cocktail as she did. She wasn’t ready to think of the Lady of the Lake or cutting off a sacrifice in hate for Slang. So for a long while the two of them drank in silence, the hum of the party drifting around them. More guests filed into the ballroom, laughter and music filling the air.

As if coming out of a trance, Peri noticed the shimmering golden cocktail in her glass with a start. “Does this have blood in it?”

Wisteria choked on her drink, a laugh sputtering out of her. “No. It’s sunberry wine. The fruit takes on the scent of whatever you’re attracted to.” She winked. “It’s the perfect drink before a night filled with trouble.”

Peri brought the glass to her nose, intrigued. It smelled of soft florals, bergamot, and something rich and earthy, just enough to stir something inside her.

A flicker of regret crossed Wisteria’s expression before she masked it with a playful smirk. She took another sip, her gaze flicking to the revellers around them. After a beat, she turned back to Peri. “So, Peri. Have you ever kissed anyone?”

Peri choked on her drink. “No?” The word came out nervous, unsure of where this was going.

Wisteria grinned devilishly. “Well, that’s the first thing we’re going to have to fix.”

“Oh, but I was... I mean, I am saving my first kiss for when I’m mated,” Peri stammered, thoughts flashing back to Valus in the fields—a moment she’d shoved away as quickly as it came.

“Alright.” Wisteria’s eyes sharpened as she glanced back at the crowd. “But tell me, is that something you actually want to do, or is it something you’ve been told to do?”

Peri’s stomach twisted. Maybe she should feel conflicted about kissing someone who wasn’t Valus. Only… she didn’t?

She looked at Wisteria with newfound resolve, setting her drink down. “You’re right. I would like to kiss somebody.”

Wisteria grimaced. “Gross. Don’t say it like that. Be more vague about it. Let us guess what you mean.”

“That feels inefficient and mildly confusing,” Peri remarked dryly.

Wisteria raised an eyebrow. “You’re clever. Find a way to say it without being so blunt.”

She thought for a moment, then a playful grin spread across her face. She winked at Wisteria, the gesture filled with as much mischief as she could muster.

Wisteria groaned dramatically. “Maybe you’re not as clever as I thought.”

“What? A wink’s subtle.”

Wisteria rolled her eyes, but the faintest smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She grabbed them two more cocktails from a floating plate. These drinks were aqua blue, their scent reminiscent of a fresh forest after the rain. Peri took a sip and realised it tasted exactly how she imagined an adventure would feel.

“You’re truly embarrassing,” Wisteria said, her tone warm but laced with amusement. “Lucky for you, most beings here will soon be sloshed enough that they won’t notice your perky enthusiasm.”

They weaved through the crowd, grabbing food from floating plates and refreshing their empty cocktails as they went.

Peri let herself be swept along, her head buzzing from the music and the drinks. Together, they stepped into the enormous underwater ballroom. The space was an iridescent dream, surrounded by towering luminescent crystals that bathed everything in phosphorescent pinks and teals. Gold shimmered in the air, dusting their skin. Fiery string music with deep, vibrating bass filled the air, reverberating through Peri’s chest as she and Wisteria were pulled into the party.

Wisteria disappeared into the crowd, pulled away by a group of friends. Peri, now alone, dazedly followed a floating tray of snacks. She finally caught up with it, reaching out to grab a small plate filled with something lavender and fragrant. But before she could take a bite, her wrist burnt like it had been set on fire.