“I don’t know.”
Talbot pulled off his eye mask and stared at me. “Please, Gracie? Forgive me.”
I’d always been too trusting. Always tried to see the good in people. Was that a fault or a blessing? A weakness, answered the wolf. I didn’t know if I could trust myself to make the right choice at this moment.…
“It’s up to you,” I said to Daniel. “You’re the one he really crossed.”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Truce, then.” Daniel offered the sword to Talbot again. “I gotta get me one of these.”
“Take it,” Talbot said, still staring at me. Why was he looking at me like that? Was he angry that I hadn’t been the one to forgive him? “I’ve got more than one.”
Daniel nodded in acceptance. He grabbed his now hole-ridden black coat and used it to wipe traces of Gelal acid from the blade, with a loving look on his face.
Talbot finally broke his gaze with me, but I could still feel the tension between us.
“Well, hey, how come you never gave me a sword?” I asked, trying to lighten things up. “I get stuck with a lousy stick with sparkles, and the boys get the fancy swords?” I held up the gooey nubbin, all that was left of my BeDazzled wooden stake. “Not. Fair.”
“I can get you one, too, kid.” Talbot smirked. “I just always thought you preferred the feel of wood in your hand.”
Daniel slammed his fist into Talbot’s stomach. Talbot doubled over, coughing.
“Just ’cause we have a truce doesn’t mean you can talk to my girlfriend that way,” Daniel said, but he had one of his devious smiles on his face.
I dropped my stake and took Daniel’s free hand in mine. I walked him to the exit before the two of them could get into a pissing contest or something—because I wouldn’t put it past either of them at the moment.
Daniel turned back to Talbot, who still rubbed at his abs. “Come by the house tomorrow. I want to know everything you know about Caleb and the Shadow Kings.”
Talbot nodded. That strange look passed over his eyes again. Perhaps it was just gratitude at the idea of being included in my life again?
OUTSIDE THE MAZE
Daniel and I made our way back to the farmhouse. To my surprise, the party had all but emptied out. Just a few dazed and confused teens milling about, experiencing the effects of coming out of a trance.
“Are the rest of the Akhs gone?” I asked.
“They must have smelled the dust in the air. That’s as good as yelling ‘police’ at a normal rave.”
“Good,” I said. I wouldn’t have felt like I could leave, knowing people like Katie were still being fed off of by demons. “I’m worried about Zach and Ryan. Do you think we should have gone after them?”
“No, I doubt they’re doing much more than running around that maze, swinging their stakes. Let them have some fun.”
I gave Daniel a wry smile.
“What?” he asked.
“I feel like we’re their parents or something.” I laughed. “I guess in a way we are. Us being their alphas and all. Just our boys are headed off to kill demons instead of their first day of school.”
“Hmm. That’s kind of the problem, isn’t it?” Daniel said under his breath, and looked down at the sword he’d tucked into his belt. A solemn quiet I didn’t expect after all that excitement seemed to fill the air around him. We walked in silence until we reached the Corolla. “I was impressed by the way you handled yourself out there,” Daniel said as he opened the passenger door for me. “You seemed so balanced. I didn’t have to worry once about you losing control.”