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“It means the demonic part of her soul is on the rise”

“Explain,” I de the Once and Future Queen should know And since they’d abased themselves before me, my ire was appeased After I heard the explanation, I would dispense an appropriate punishment for their defiance

“You have doubtless been told that the Old King’s power over deels,” Greydusk said softly

I inclined my head

“What your source did not reveal, I suspect, is how they imbued the first Binder with that power”

“My patience wears thin”

“Long ago, there was a true queen of Sheol, named Ninlil She ruled over the castes and all owed her fealty Then the greatest of the archangels called her forth On the steps of the tereat battle, he slew the deels gave Solo of Aandaleeb, known to most as the Seal of Solomon He used it to summon and bind Asmodeus, who had been Ninlil’s consort, at which time we bestowed upon him the title Binder Your line has carried it ever since”

“So…the ick, drinks potions fueled by it, the e Become less herself and more the demon queen”

Since it was more or less what I’d have asked, I didn’t reprimand the male Yet But he had to learn subservience if he was to remain with me And under me

“Rise,” I said “And bring irl She’s one of mine, and those who stole from me will suffer”

Greydusk obeyed with alacrity, as it should be Once I had the pack inswept over , and I had no na The scene replayed infor—andin particular She nudged , and a lock of dyed-black hair flopped into her eyes We’d picked out this bag together All at once, I wanted to weep, but deirl was mine, and that hy I wanted her back

I ignored their stares as I unzipped the backpack It had her things in it: a change of clothes, a toothbrush, some books, her netbook, and iPod Oddly, they both still had power I clicked through her playlist, wondering if she’d cowered in the dark listening to the music that drowned out her terror: “Fear of the Dark” by Iron Maiden, “Trains” by Porcupine Tree, “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult, “Dru” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, “Wretches & Kings” by Linkin Park, “On My Own” by Three Days Grace, “I’m Not Okay” by My Chemical Romance, “Cryin’ Like a Bitch” by Gods” by Pop Evil

At that point I stopped scrolling Her music told me so much about her—or rather, it reminded me A lot of it was old, a hallmark of her stunted childhood in Kilmer Other bands were those she’d discovered since I freed her, and they reflected more of her personality

Steeling myself, I curled my palms around the iPod, which I knew she loved There would be a charge If her time in this roo Sufficiently braced, I let my concentration drop and the pictures screamed into my head, and I became Shannon Cheney

I’hly frohten my fist so I don’t drop it This ishere? What do they want? These things don’t talk toOh, God, I’m so scared

Jesse

I want him so much I ache with it He’s my first love, and he doesn’t knohere I airl igged out because I have a less-than-stable background He thinksfor hi with me, but I’m not a kid I’m not

I wanted hihtmare I can’t wake up from Where is here?

Monsters skitter at s that are like spiders, only they’re not; it’s like they ate a baby’s head or sory I wish I had s even here I’d wreck them all

The bastard behindthe spider things They back off, per my faceless captors to shove me toward the closet They’ve keptStop talking about me

A hard push launches me inside, and then the door shuts behindinto the far wall My face is bruised Blood drips down my chin Chains rattle as they fasten me in here My hands are bound, but not et my earbuds in so I don’t have to listen to theat the door I won’t let them break me I won’t

Maybe the music can take away this awful, endless pain—because I reate burned all the cobwebs out of et I don’t understand it, but somehow, I lost all my memories of my best friend And then I stole her boyfriend So I probably deserve to be here Whatever happens next, I’ve got it co

I fell out of her thoughts then Maybe thethe iht me by surprise, burst out in a noisy rush Oh, God, Shan, it’s not your fault It’s rief The sobs felt endless, and I couldn’t resist when Chance pulledin loorried tones to Greydusk, but with so uish inbut weep

It took long ainstme close Eventually I mustered the self-control to explain what I’d seen I didn’t share Shannon’s private thoughts, her guilt That was my burden to bear alone, until I could find her and explain She had to know I didn’t bla that had happened with Jesse In fact, I was happy for theh forbut his happiness—and if he could find it with Shannon, then they hadherself up for the spell I cast on theainst their will I accepted full responsibility for the fallout

“Unfortunate,” Greydusk said when I finished