Demon from the Dark (Immortals After Dark #10)(81)

When fully powered, she was able to pitch building-crushing bombs from her hands.

And that is the life she wants to return to?

A life he wasn’t a part of.

He glanced back in Carrow’s direction. So close. Yet loneliness weighed on him, worse than any of his nights in that infernal mine.

Because now I know what I am missing . . . .





36




“Crow, are you awake?”

“Why do kids ask that when they know you’re not?” She cracked open her bleary eyes. “No. Really.”

“I’m hungry. And that demon’s gone, so I can’t get him to fetch me something.”

“Ruby, he’s not a dog.” She rose from the net, wincing at her body’s chorus of twinges. The floor was going to be freezing on her bare feet, and there was no enticing aroma of coffee to coax her out of bed. Still she rose. Have more than myself to look out for now.

Carrow had always been fiercely defensive of her coven, raring on the front line in any conflict. But looking out for Ruby was different, the need to do right by her even stronger. Because she’s depending completely on me. “Was Malkom here when you woke up?”

“Nope.”

“Oh. Well, let’s see what we can find.” She rooted through the feys’ pack, finding only two energy bars and a few packs of energy gel.

Again, there were no multipurpose tools or weapons of any kind. But there was shampoo and soap aplenty. The feys were just as silly as she’d been when packing.

Carrow held up her find. “You wanna chocolate-chip energy bar or some energy gel?” She might have been worried that they’d run out of food, but she knew Malkom could catch more.

“The bar.”

As Ruby ate the chocolate chips off the bar, Carrow peered out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. Surprise—it was still raining!

Fern fronds climbed upward like trees, stretching as tall as she was. Lichen seemed bent on covering every inch of rock, battling with fungi for dominance.

At the shore in the distance, all appeared harsh, scoured by wind. Here within the trees, fog subdued the scenery, muting it.

She realized Malkom wouldn’t have to fear the sun here today, could travel comfortably under the cover. And in the interior, the forest was just as dense as here. So how far would he go? she mused as she began exploring the cabin.

First thing she noticed? Nonpoisonous spiders and centipedes filled the place to the rafters. Good thing witches like insects.

The sole closet contained a coil of rope, some life jackets, and a pile of decomposing blankets. At the bottom was a bucket and an old-timey wooden tub.

In the cooking area, she found a rickety stove, a couple of rusting food tins, and an assortment of mismatched pots and pans. Twine, clothespins, a whalebone comb, and a moldy deck of cards were in one drawer.

Another stroll to the window, another eager scan. No Malkom.

Carrow needed to talk with the demon so she could run her new plan by him. She thought they should get this place fortified, and then he could venture out to search for a way off this island, looking for allies, a boat, a severed hand, anything.

She suspected that Lanthe was still here. Though Thronos could fly, there was no way he could go a thousand miles over an ocean with a passenger, especially not when he was so broken, his wings twisted. If Malkom could rescue Lanthe, then they might be able to track down Fegley’s hand.

Long shot? Absolutely. But Carrow didn’t exactly have any short shots to choose from . . . .

Still he hasn’t returned. She needed something to take her mind off him, something to keep her occupied.

So she strung up a line of twine in front of the fire, using the clothespins to hang up Ruby’s damp clothes.

Which took ten minutes. What to do now . . . ? Her gaze fell on Ruby, hopping after a centipede on the floor.

“You need a bath, kiddo.”

By dint of Herculean effort, muffled curses, and trial and error, Carrow procured water from a trough outside, warmed it on the stove, and filled the wooden tub.

“I’m kind of getting handy,” Carrow said as she began washing Ruby’s hair with the feys’ shampoo. “Little House on the Prairie-esque, even. We’re just like pioneers, except we don’t have to wear bonnets, right?” Ruby gave a half smile.

I’ll take it. The first smile she’d seen from her since their ordeal began. “Look at that. I almost forgot you had dimples.” Carrow ran her forearm over her brow. “Come on, let’s get you rinsed off.”

After the bath, once Ruby had been fed, washed, and dressed, with her hair combed out, Carrow gave a mental hat tip to moms everywhere. She also felt a flare of alarm that Malkom still hadn’t returned.

“What’re we going to do now?” Ruby asked.

“Maybe check out the beach?”

“It’s raining outside.”

“No prob.” Carrow helped her don the tall fey’s rain jacket, but it swallowed her, looking more like a poncho. After rolling up the sleeves, Carrow said, “Let me see you rock the poncho. Who rocks the poncho?”

“I do!” Ruby put her hand on her hip and flipped her hair. Adorable.

“Come on, you,” she said, grabbing Ruby’s hand as they tromped outside into the fog. One side of the cape was wave-tossed, the other smooth. They headed for the windward shore.