My stomach sinks. Every true crime aficionado knows that there are two rules everyone should follow:
Don’t murder people.
Never, ever, ever agree to a polygraph test.
Sighing, I stare at my reflection in the mirror.Well, I break rule one every other week. I might as well go ahead and destroy number two.If it means I can get closer to the Daemon King, to Helena…
“Okay,” I mumble. “I’ll do it.”
The Daemon’s eyes light up, and his lips peel back from his teeth, revealing two very long canines. “Perfect,” he growls.
I’m throwing out all the rules now.
* * *
“How old are you?”the Warlock says. He stares at me from across the table, his brows raised.
He types on his computer, the polygraph machine, nothing more than two white wireless dots attached to my heart and my head.
I reply, “Twenty-nine.”
The Warlock nods, still typing on his computer. The interrogation room seems a lot more cramped with the newest additions. I swallow, looking around the room. The same Daemon from before is now standing in the corner, his arms crossed as he glares at me.
“What brings you to the Gates of Hell?”
“Tourism,” I joke.
The Warlock glances up, his eyes flashing purple. “Lies,” he hisses.
The Daemon’s wings snap, and I tense. “The next time you lie, human, you’ll lose a finger. Understood?”
I swallow. This was definitely a mistake. “Understood.”
The Warlock repeats his question.
“I made a deal,” I say through gritted teeth. I’m staring at the logo on the back of the Warlock’s computer, avoiding their eyes.
“Who did you make the deal with?” my interrogator asks.
Pursing my lips, I shut my eyes for a moment. “The Ice Mer King.”
“Truth.” the Warlock says. He looks up, his eyes snapping to mine for a second before he continues. His voice is sharper than before. “What was the deal?”
I shift in my seat, staring at my lap.
“Answer him!” the Daemon barks, slamming his fist into the wall. Dust billows in the air as the plaster cracks.
“I owed him a life debt. He wanted me to kill his daughter. If I did it, I would be free.”
The clacking of the keyboard is the only sound. Seconds tick by into minutes.
The Daemon is the one who speaks this time, his voice dangerously calm. “Did you do it?”
Visions of Helena’s smiling face appear before me. My heart constricts in my chest. “No. I didn’t.”
More tapping.
“Where is she now?”