The Demon's Covenant Read Online Free PDF

slowly enough for Jamie totake a step away. His back slammed up against the door, and Nick had him trapped.
    â€œThat’s
enough
!” said Mae, jumping up, but before she could move toward them the moment changed.
    Jamie suddenly didn’t look scared, didn’t look uncertain. He tilted his head and fixed Nick with a long, calm look. Then he reached up and caught the blade gently between his palms. Mae looked at the back of Nick’s head and wished for a frantic moment that she could see his face, until she remembered that even if he was about to slice Jamie’s hands open, his expression would not show one trace of emotion.
    Nick’s body was held taut, either to attack or defend.
    Jamie closed his eyes.
    Between his hands the sword flew apart like a dandelion clock that had been blown on. It dissolved into a hundred glittering points of steel that fell in the air around both boys, fading as they fell until they were nothing more than dust motes, visible for an instant in the light from the bay windows.
    â€œI’m not a magician,” Jamie whispered. “I’m not. I know what I owe you all. I know that both of you could have let me die, and I know that if Mae hadn’t killed a magician for me I would’ve died. You’ve all done more than enough for me. I didn’t want to be a burden anymore. I wanted to be able to handle this myself!”
    â€œLet him go, Nick.”
    Mae looked back instinctively at the sound. Alan was leaning forward in his chair; he hadn’t made the slightest effort to get up. She looked at him and realized his body had been held in the same taut lines as his brother’s.
    He had not spoken in that tone of low command until he’d heard Jamie say that he wasn’t a magician.
    Nick gave no sign that he’d heard Alan. The hilt of his vanished sword was still in his hand, and he tossed it high up into the air like a toy.
    The day was so bright that the light of the chandelier seemed pale and irrelevant, but it caught the sword hilt with a sudden particular gleam. The gleam spread, became a ray of light that looked almost like a sword, and when the hilt hit Nick’s palm the light had become steel. The sword was whole.
    â€œDo you think I need a sword to kill you?” Nick asked softly.
    â€œNo,” said Jamie in a shaky voice. “But you didn’t have to threaten me.”
    â€œLet him go
now
,” Mae ordered.
    Nick didn’t pay any more attention to her than he had to Alan.
    â€œI wasn’t threatening you. I was menacing you. You threaten people with words,” Nick said. “I prefer swords.”
    He stepped back then, sliding his restored blade into the sheath he kept strapped to his spine, under his T-shirt.
    â€œAnd that one is my favorite sword,” he added, turning away from Jamie and heading for the window. “Don’t mess around with it again.”
    He braced himself against the casement, one leg up on the window seat and his face turned a little away from them all. Jamie slumped against the door, looking massively relieved, and of course immediately said something ill-advised.
    â€œYou and swords,” he remarked brightly. “Compensating for something?”
    The corner of Nick’s mouth curved upward a fraction. “No.”
    He apparently didn’t feel the need to say anything else, but the slight sign of amusement relieved the tense atmosphere alittle. Mae took her seat again, and Jamie went over and sat on the hearth rug between Mae and Alan’s chairs, curling himself up small and leaning closer to Mae’s chair. She reached out and touched the ends of his spiky hair, and he smiled at her.
    â€œNow that we’re done menacing each other with swords, I feel it’s time for social pleasantries,” Jamie announced. “How’ve you been, Alan?”
    â€œI’ve been all right,” said Alan. “What’s going on with Gerald,