I focused on the dagger, envisioning it flying from Jake’s hand to mine. I tried to empty my mind—no small feat, considering that we were being attacked. Concentrating as hard as I could, I visualized the knife flying out of Jake’s hand. I watched him run toward Muriel.
A strong jolt ran through my body, the kind you got when you stuck your tongue on the end of a nine-volt battery times ten. I shuddered, my hands started to tremble, and adrenaline-filled blood pulsed through my veins at an incredible rate. I could feel it run against the sides of my veins, throbbing as it pushed its way through my body.
I focused all my energy on the dagger. He raised it above Muriel, and my gaze locked on it. I watched as he lowered it toward Muriel’s back. Reaching out my hand, I focused harder. The knife vibrated in his hand. I concentrated even harder. The vibration got stronger. Just as the tip pricked Muriel’s back, it flew backward. I caught it as it whizzed by my head. Obviously, judging by the close proximity of the knife to my face, my aim needed some work.
Jake roared in anger. Realizing their defeat when they lost the dagger and giving me a way to protect myself from Hell’s demons, the Evils ran out of the gym. Jake glared at me, his face contorted in an ugly sneer. “This isn’t over, Milayna,” he said through clenched teeth.
“I’m counting on it.” My eyes locked on his. We stared at each other for what seemed like minutes, but was more likely a few seconds. He looked away first, the first sign of weakness he’d shown since the battles began. I was getting stronger. And we both knew it.
***
“You did it?” my dad asked with a huge smile when Chay brought me home.
“Yeah.” I was still amazed it’d worked.
“How?” Drew asked.
The news of the attack spread quickly throughout the group, and everyone had congregated in my small kitchen.
“I don’t know. I just imagined the knife flying from his hand to mine. I concentrated on the image… and it just did.”
“You know what this is, right? I mean, everybody realizes what she’s done.” Chay looked at me, his eyes soft. He reached out and trailed a finger down the side of my face.
“I just got us a kickass, demon-killing dagger is what I’ve done.” I laughed when Chay chuckled.
“Keep it with you at all times, Milayna. Keep it on you. Not in your book bag, not in your purse. Keep it on you. We’ll get you a sheath to carry it in. Maybe one that fits around your ankle where it won’t be noticeable. I want you to have it whenever and wherever you are,” my dad said. He turned the knife over and over in his hand.
“It sure is pretty for a dagger made from the coals of Hell.” Muriel watched my dad roll it in his hand.
The dagger had a medium-length blade. A person would have to be close to their attacker to use it. The blade was engraved with a beautifully intricate design. But as pretty as the blade was, the handle was extraordinary. It was gold and embedded with small gemstones. Sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and diamonds glistened in the light and created rainbows on the ceiling and walls.
I didn’t think something so beautiful could come from the bowels of a place as wretched as Hell.
***
Two days until my birthday.
Chay came over Sunday for a study date. It turned out to be more date than studying, which was fine with both of us. We sat on the back deck with our books covering the patio table. Charts and lab notes were everywhere. Pens and pencils lay unused next to them while we talked about everything except Azazel.
“What are you going to do after graduation?” I asked him. The thought that after high school our paths might lead us in different directions stole my breath, like someone was physically sucking it out of my lungs and I couldn’t fill them again.
It was then, I knew. I wasn’t ready to admit it to myself, or anyone else, but I knew. Chay was the air I breathed. The reason my world turned. Why I got out of bed early on the weekends, even after I repeatedly told him weekends were for sleeping in. The reason the stars twinkled in the night sky and the sun woke up every morning. The reason I wanted to beat Azazel. Because Chay was my reason—I could tackle anything.
“College.”
I wasn’t sure I liked that answer. Of course I wanted him to go to college; I just didn’t want him to leave.
“Where?” I held my breath, waiting for his answer.
He looked at the sky, and I watched the colors in his eyes change from blue to green. “Here for starters. I’ll do my first two years of standard courses here, and then I’ll decide where to transfer, if I transfer at all. And you?” He looked down at our hands, our fingers threaded together. He gently rubbed his thumb over the top of my hand.
I let out the breath I was holding. That was my plan too, and I smiled. We’d go to the same college, at least for two years. “The same.”
“I was hoping that was your answer.” He leaned over the table and kissed the tip of my nose.
“Hey, you wanna get out of here? We aren’t getting any studying done anyway. Let’s go do something.” I shoved my junk in my book bag.