idn't sleep

ng. Her mind replayed the alley encounter on a loop: the fire-eyed stranger, t

er of tw

a dream. A h

- the one shaped like a crescent flame - w

imagine him.

ified her more

r heartbeat sti

ere the smell of old paper and strong cof

still feel heat craw

hind the register. She wore her usual

idea," Serap

press, but the bell over the door

phina

that made the lights flicker and the air taste like burnt sugar. He looked hu

wa

staring ri

books in the occult section - usually her favor

acked leather, sealed with a wax emblem she didn't r

, she op

ges. One looked like Latin. The other... s

ped to a passage with her name

e. The Angel's touch. The Demon's flame

st into flame

. The fire shimmered with silver light before fading

ked it u

e didn't whisper - it

Co

didn't run from the s

alley where

waiting

he wasn't afr

want from me

rward, his fire eye

ose," he said. "But the time h

owed. "And

er for a long

our mother's line. She was cast

a's breat

her half?" s

rossed his expression

Me

conti