Hold on, he’s still moving, Tegan said into my mind.
He as in the demon possessing Henley. Again. My stomach turned.
THERE! Tegan shouted as a white portal box opened up right in front of me.
I felt magic wrap around my waist and then my feet slid over the hardwood floor. I flew straight into her portal…and came out inside the gymnasium at Gulf Shores High School. There were no lights on in here, but the skylights let in plenty of moonlight to see Demon-Henley standing at the far end of the court, facing the wall behind the basketball hoop.
Every muscle in my body tensed. Bile rose up my throat.
Because I knew why we were here. I knew what happened here before.
This was where dark-Tegan helped demon-Henley summon a greater demon.
This was where dark-Tegan stole the magic right out of our veins.
And this was where we thought we’d killed the shadow monster.
He hadn’t succeeding in bringing in a greater demon before. Tegan had used all of our magic to ensure he didn’t…but I knew that was why he’d come here now. He wanted to try again.
I looked for Tegan only to realize we were all still invisible, which was logical even if inconvenient. Not for the first time I wished I was telepathic like her, or at least like my sister, yet I wasn’t.
Relax, everyone. He can’t open a Gap, Tegan said into our minds.
I wanted to believe her but part of me knew it had happened before—
Y’all. The Gap was opened by ME last time. Not Henley, not him. ME. And I sure as shit ain’t doing it again here.
She was right. I knew it. I did. But still, my nerves were shot. At this point I didn’t trust anything. If Lilith really was coming for us soon, then all bets were about to be off. She would rewrite the rules to her liking – and they wouldn’t be for us.
My fingers twitched to draw my swords. My legs bounced with the need to run and fight – something. My magic surged inside of me like a bomb about to go off. I needed something to fight. Something to kill. I hated waiting and watching. I hated the long game. I just wanted to destroy that demon right here and now.
It was a damn good thing my father taught me control at a young age.
Demon-Henley, because I refused to allow myself to even think of this as Henley, summoned a ball of white magic in her hands so bright and bold it looked like she held a full moon in her palms. She chanted words I didn’t recognize but the sound sent ice-cold chills down my spine. White lightning flickered around the orb of magic, shooting out all around her.
NO. ONE. MOVE, Tegan growled into our minds. He cannot open it.
Demon-Henley’s chanting grew louder and louder until it echoed around the gym. Then she thrust her hands forward and her glowing white orb slammed into the blue padded wall. White lightning streaked across the wall and up to the ceiling. It hit the floor and the wood warped under her feet. White light flashed. Her porcelain skin shimmered like snow even through her black fishnet shirt.
Henley isn’t strong enough on her own to open a Gap, Tegan said telepathically in a calm voice. He needs me, Em, or Tenn. And he don’t have that this time.
Her white magic faded…but nothing had happened.
The wall looked normal.
Demon-Henley screamed and shot white lightning out of her palms into the padded wall, the bolts striking the same spot without relent.
But nothing was happening.
The magic just fizzled and sparked…and went out.
SEEEEEEEE, Tegan said and I could hear the eyeroll in her tone. Have faith in me.
The energy around me eased, like the air sighing in relief.
Demon-Henley made a growling sound like I’d never heard from Henley and it made my stomach turn. Demon-Henley reached into the pockets of Henley’s little leather shorts and pulled out her cellphone. I couldn’t see the screen because Demon-Henley turned to the side, but I saw her fingers moving.
Ringing echoed around us.
I frowned. He’s making a phone call? On speaker?
The ringing stopped with a click. There was a beat of silence and then Tegan’s voice carried through the speaker. “Henley? Where the hell did you go?”
“I saw it, Tegan.” Demon-Henley said in a cheery voice real Henley would never use. “I saw the demon, the one that got me before. I got away though, I’m okay. But