“Angie-”
“Thanks for taking the time to talk to me, Ryder. But there are things I need to do.” She motioned to the hallway, hoping she wouldn’t have to come right out and ask him to leave her room. She was barely holding it together.
He gave her a curt nod and walked out. She shut the door and leaned her back against it, hating the hot splash of tears that fell from her face.
Stupid. God, she was so stupid. Was she really expecting a declaration of love from Ryder?
Yeah, right. He thought she might make a great demon hunter.
Why didn’t she ever listen to her mother and be more cautious with her heart?
She sank down the door and sat on the floor, drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs.
Too much. There had been too much revelation lately, and she couldn’t handle any more.
She laid her chin on her knee and stared at the dust motes swimming in the beam of sunlight shining on the floor.
Oh, to be that free, that mindless. She was tired of responsibility, would love to run away and forget all of this.
But she couldn’t. Because of Isabelle. Izzy needed her. She was always the strong one. And she needed that strength now more than ever.
There was no one for her to lean on.
She needed to stop feeling sorry for herself and go talk to her sister. God only knew what must be going through Isabelle’s mind right now. What was she thinking after reading Mother’s diary, knowing the concerns their mother had about Isabelle?
Izzy was in trouble. And in danger. There was a reason Bart hadn’t been able to use Angelique in the caves in Australia, a reason she hadn’t been able to empower the black diamond.
Maybe that was because the dominant demon blood was in Isabelle, not her. She didn’t really understand it since they were twins, but there was nothing normal about either of them. Izzy had always been different.
And maybe Bart had wanted Isabelle all along, and had just chosen the wrong sister.
Angelique had always known this, though she hadn’t wanted to believe it was true. Now she knew the fact and the reason why.
She also knew what she had to do-use all her power to protect her sister, even if it meant betraying the Realm of Light-and Ryder.
Again.
The first thing she had to do was assess Isabelle’s state of mind, get her sister calmed down and under control, and let her know that she was loved.
She couldn’t assure Isabelle she was going to be okay. Not until she understood the capacity of their powers. Even Angelique didn’t understand that yet.
Time, and maybe a few tests of their skills, would show what she and her sister were capable of. Angelique refused to live in fear.
But she knew this much-no one was going to hurt her sister.
No one.
And speaking of her sister, she needed to go talk to her. It would help take her mind off feeling sorry for herself, too. She washed her face, brushed her hair, and changed clothes, then felt a lot better.
Time to worry about Isabelle. That was always good for a distraction.
She found Izzy’s room, knocked on the door, and opened it. They’d never stood on ceremony with each other. She figured Isabelle would know she’d be coming in soon anyway. The room was dark, the drapes closed. Isabelle sat in a chair near an old stone fireplace. Angelique slid into the chair on the other side of the hearth.
“What are you thinking?”
Isabelle was silent for a few seconds. “I’m trying not to think. All I’ve been doing for the past six months is thinking. I’m tired of it.”
“Is that how long you’ve had Mother’s diary?”
“Yes.”
“Where did you find it?”
“Do you remember when she died, we divvied up her personal things?”
“Yeah.”
“I always loved her hatboxes.”
Angelique’s lips curled at the childhood memory. “I remember.”
“So you let me take all her hatboxes, because the designs were so pretty. I put them away at the top of the closet in my apartment. For years they sat there. You know I’m never at home.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Anyway, last year I decided to go home because I needed a break, wanted to catch up on paperwork and to
