"Good. That's the first step."
She supposed. But honestly, doing the right thing really hurt when all she wanted to do was go force Sin to take her back.
Kat looked at Acheron and shook her head. "You are incredibly wise."
He laughed. "Only when it comes to other people. It's easy to see how to fix their lives. It's much harder to see the cracks in your own house."
"Well, I appreciate it. Thank you." She kissed him on the cheek before she left him alone and headed for her room. She had to leave the temple to walk across to the dormitory that belonged to all of the koris who served Artemis. Kat's room was the last on the left.
She would give Sin the space he needed to see what he wanted out of his life. She wouldn't seek him out. Let him be the one to call. It was the only way.
As she went to open her bedroom curtains to let daylight in, she heard something behind her. Turning, she watched as Xypher appeared in the center of her room.
His expression was cold and brutal as he dragged a male demon, in true demon form across her floor. He held the demon by the scruff of his neck as he kicked and screamed, demanding release. Xypher was covered in blood. Scratches marred the left side of his face.
But he didn't seem to notice as he walked calmly toward Kat.
As soon as he reached her, he dumped the demon at her feet. The demon tried to rise, but Xypher kicked him back down. "I found this piece of shit trying to eat a woman outside a deli. Thought it might prove a good snitch and I was right."
He grabbed the demon by the hair and pulled him up so that Kat could see his face. "Now tell the good lady where Kessar put the Tablet of Destiny."
"It's around his neck. He won't let anyone near it."
"And Zakar?"
"He's pinned to the side of the master's throne."
Xypher let the demon fall back to the floor. "Good enough? Now, can I kill it?"
She looked at Xypher's bleeding wounds. "What about you? Are you converting?"
He laughed bitterly. "I'm dead. Can't convert me when I don't have a pulse."
That made her feel better... in an odd way.
"Can I kill it now?"
Kat hesitated and she didn't even know why. Looking at the demon, helpless on the floor...
It was one thing to kill in a fight but another to kill after the person, or demon in this case, had been defeated. It just seemed wrong somehow.
"What are you? Weak?" Xypher snarled when she didn't respond. "Don't tell me you want me to spare this pathetic animal when it wouldn't show you any such mercy. Believe me, it's better to take the head off a cobra before the cobra strikes you."
"A cobra can't help what it is. Why should you punish it because it's doing what the gods created it to do?"
He rolled his eyes at her. "Are we going to debate philosophy or should I just kiss and make up with the demon now? Let it get a good shot at your throat so it can rip it out?"
Xypher was right. This was no time to be merciful, especially since she'd seen what demons were capable of firsthand. They didn't show mercy or compassion. But that didn't mean she had to be just like them. "Put him down mercifully."
"Yes, Queenie," Xypher said, his tone full of venom and sarcasm. "I'll make sure and use a cushioned blade."
"I could do without your sarcasm."
"And I could do without your bleeding heart."
She narrowed her eyes on him. "Just remember, my bleeding heart is what gained you a shot at freedom."
His face turned to stone. "Queenie, it was a bleeding heart that put me in that position to begin with. The person I was trying to protect when I was taken didn't return the favor. The bitch was only using me. So take my advice, whatever compassion you have, kill it off. You'll thank me for it later." And with that he vanished. Kat stood there for a full second as his words rang in her ears. It made her wonder if maybe Xypher wasn't right. Betrayal seemed to be the worst part of humanity.