I start to let him haul me backward, but the demon places a hand on me and poof.
Just like that, we’re gone.
Chapter Twelve
When I regain consciousness, I have to blink several times to process where I am. Green grass and tree trunks are above my head, and the starry night sky is below my feet … What the hell? What is this? Upside down town?
“What the heck? Why is everything upside down?”
“Do I really have to answer that?” The demon’s voice sounds alarmingly close.
I blink and blink again, putting together that the world isn’t upside down. I am. Because the demon has me slung over his shoulder and is carrying me somewhere.
“Where are we going?” I murmur, my brain fuzzy, probably from being upside down for so long.
“That will be revealed in time,” is all he says as dirt crunches underneath his shoes while he continues to hike toward the unknown.
Fear pummels through me, and I long for my magic wand. Sure, I suck at using it, but if for nothing else, I could stab him with the end of it.
“Are you taking me underground so the demons can drink from me or whatever?”
He chuckles. “Not even close.”
“Are you going to hurt me?”
My body jostles as he jumps over a rock.
He laughs darkly. “If I wanted to hurt you, I would’ve done it already.”
“What about my sister …? I mean, Ryleigh? You said you were going to get her body back.”
“I did.”
My heart leaps with hope. “Then where is she?”
“I dropped her off in your basement.” His hands wander to the back of my thighs, and he grips them tightly as he makes a sharp right turn up a twisting brick path. “Right before I took you.”
“Why have you taken me?” My fingers curl into fists. “This wasn’t part of the deal.”
“It wasn’t not part of the deal, either.”
I frown. “I can’t bring Ryleigh back to life if I’m here with you. And my time is already running out.”
“Don’t worry; time here moves much differently,” he assures me. “You may be here for a while, but when you return home, you’ll probably only have been gone for a few hours.”
“Where is here?” I wonder, lifting my head to peer around at the grassy hills, trees, and brick path. “It looks like a magical forest to me.”
“You’ll find that out soon enough,” he replies with a shrug.
I grimace, beyond frustrated. “Can’t you just tell me the truth? I really need some of that right now.”
“Patience, my little rainbow trout.” His grin is evident through his voice.
I sigh. Damn demons. They love getting their kicks and giggles by playing mind games.
Technically, don’t you, too, since you’re kind of one of them?
“Who are you, anyway?” I ask, trying not to think about what I may or may not be. Otherwise, I might start crying. And while I’m not super in tune with my demon knowledge, I know better than to cry in front of one.
Again, with the one, Eva, as if you aren’t part of their kind.
He gives a drawn-out pause, then, “For now, you can call me Max.”
“Is that your real name?”
He doesn’t answer, leaving me to come up with my own conclusions about who he is, what he is, where in the magical kingdom he’s taking me, and what he’s going to do with me once we get there.
About the Author
Jessica Sorensen is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.
Coming Soon!
Other books by Jessica Sorensen:
The Soulless:
The Curse of the Soulless
The Curse of the Soulless (coming soon)
The Unveiling:
Unveiled
Unveiled 2 (coming soon)
Mystic Willow Bay Witches Series:
The Secret Life of a Witch
The Secret Life of a Witch 2
The Secret Life of a witch 3 (coming soon)
Unearthly Balance:
Captivate
Captivate 2 (coming soon)
Shadow Cove Series:
What Lies in the Darkness
A Deadly Little Game (coming soon)
Standalones:
Rules of a Rebel and a Shy Girl
Confessions of a Kleptomaniac
The Illusion of Annabella
The Forgotten Girl
Broken City Series:
Nameless
Forsaken
Oblivion
Forbidden (coming soon)
Guardian Academy Series:
Entranced
Entangled
Guardian Academy, Dash’s Series:
The Forest of Shadow and Bones
The Forest of Shadow and Bones 2 (coming soon)
Sunnyvale Series:
The Year I Became Isabella Anders
The Year of Falling in Love
The Year of Second Chances
The Year of Kai & Isa (coming soon)
Unraveling You Series:
Unraveling You
Raveling You
Awakening You
Inspiring You (coming soon)
The Coincidence Series:
The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden
The Redemption of Callie and Kayden
The Destiny of Violet and Luke
The Probability of Violet and Luke
The Certainty of Violet and Luke
The Resolution of Callie and Kayden
Seth & Greyson
The Secret Series:
The Prelude of Ella and Micha
The Secret of Ella and Micha
The Forever of Ella and Micha
The Temptation of Lila and Ethan
The Ever After of Ella and Micha
Lila and Ethan: Forever and Always
Ella and Micha: Infinitely and Always
The Shattered Promises Series:
Shattered Promises
Fractured Souls
Unbroken
Scattered Ashes
Breaking Nova Series:
Breaking Nova
Saving Quinton
Delilah: The Making of Red
Nova and Quinton: No Regrets
Tristan: Finding Hope
Wreck Me
Ruin Me
The Fallen Star Series:
The Fallen Star
The Underworld
The Vision
The Promise
The Fallen Souls Series (spin-off from The Fallen Star):
The Lost Soul
The Evanescence
The Darkness Falls Series:
Darkness Falls
Darkness Breaks
Darkness Fades
The Death Collectors Series (NA and YA):
Ember X and Ember
Cinder X and Cinder
Spark X and Spark
Unbeautiful Series:
Unbeautiful
Untamed