Page 63 of Monsters' Touch

I pause, wondering if I should tell Lily the hardest part of this job. The thing that keeps me up at night. She is already fragile. Already broken. If I share, will I break her further?

Go on. What’s your hardest? Misery loves company and all.

It’s only once we’ve broken open completely that we can build ourselves anew.

It’s the little ones. The ones who never lived at all. Born sick or just born with bad luck. Those souls always tear my heart out.

Lily wipes a tear from her eye.What do you do?

The same as you. I disassociate from it. Detach myself from them and their situation just enough so it won’t eat at me.

Lily’s features shift. Her brows pull down and her lips press together.Why? Why is this necessary? Why can’t your world leave ours alone?

Remember, Lily, our worlds have always been linked. And our need for energy doesn’t cause humans to die. It’s part of this existence. Our world simply recycles the energy.

But why do they have to be collected? Why can’t you… we… just let them go where they want? Where they’re meant to go?

You know the reason, Lily. The Council decides where and how to disburse energy, and they say we only have so much, so we’re forced to collect more.

Lily goes silent. She doesn’t retreat into her mind, she simply doesn’t speak.

After far too long, she finally looks at me in the mirror once more.I need a break from collecting. Give me a day to sort myself out and then we can resume.

All right. Whatever you need, Lily. I’ll make sure the others agree.

Thank you,she says, and I recede from her.

Wait, where are you going?

To tell the others.

Um… will you return?

Do you want me to return?

She nods.

Then I will.

Chapter22

Lily

“Oh hello, dear. Come in. It’s nice to see you again. Let me make you some tea and we can catch up.” Claudia ushers me to her sitting room and goes off to make the tea.

This witch is mighty. Don’t anger her,Mal says in my head.

Me? You don’t anger her. She likes me.

Faster than I expect, Claudia is back with a tea set and pouring me a cup. “So, tell me how things are in your—Lily, where the hell is the necklace I gave you?”

“Oh, that’s actually why I’m here.”

Claudia sets the teapot down and leans forward to give me a once over and a long sniff.

Her eyes narrow as she pulls away. “Give me your name, demon!”

I startle straighter. “Oh, uh—you know he’s here with me?”