entrance exam, and that the only reason you weren’t thrown out for it is because your mother traded favors to the administrator to keep him from turning you in.”
Fury tore through him. “I swear, I’ll—”
Kody placed her finger over his lips to keep him from ranting. “Madaug is hacking into the site even as we speak to delete it all. For everyone.”
That helped, but it didn’t change one thing. “Yeah, but how many people have seen it?”
“Do you really care?”
He wanted to lie and say no, but he thought too much of her to do that. “Yes, Kody. I do care. There are some things that you just don’t want other people to know about you. Things that they don’t need to know. I would think if anyone should understand that, it’s you. Case in point, even after a year, I don’t know who or what you really are. Your real age. Anything. Who are your parents? Did the site say anything about you at all?”
She scoffed. “I’m on the most obnoxious list, worst dressed, and the she-enhances-her-attributes list. The parent thing is only what I have listed on my school record. It says my father’s a judge and my mother an accountant.”
“Is that true?”
“Depends on the definition you use.”
Nick snorted. “You’re never going to tell me anything about you, are you?”
Sadness furrowed her brow. “I hope I never have to tell you.”
There was a note of foreboding if he ever heard one. What was she? Another angel of death like Grim? Or something a lot worse?
Was there anything worse than Grim?
He really hoped not. “Will you at least tell me if you’re a demon?”
She swallowed her bite of sundae. “Definitely not a demon. You’d be able to see my real form if I were.”
That was news to him. “Really?”
“Really. The perspicacity you developed is honed enough that you will always see a demon no matter the form it’s taking. It might only be a flash that lasts no longer than a single heartbeat, but they can’t hide from you. Unless … they’re possessing someone.”
Possession was never a good thing. “I don’t understand.”
“Demons have two very scary cloaking powers. The mid and upper-level ones can assume any disguise they want. Kind of like Caleb appears to everyone as a teenager while he’s really thousands of years old.”
Yeah, Nick had seen his real form and he was …
U-g-l-y. But scary enough to run Freddy Krueger out of the dream realm.
Kody continued her explanation. “The lower demons and those who haven’t mastered their powers yet can take possession of someone. That takes a lot less energy and talent.”
“Really? I would have thought that was harder.”
“Some people are remarkably weak-willed and make very easy targets for all creatures. The best protection? Know yourself and have your own thoughts, right or wrong. Never let someone else think for you or you’ll find yourself a sheep in the slaughter mill.”
Nick forced himself to smile and act naturally as his mom returned with Nekoda’s milk and water. He waited for her to dash over to a table before he resumed their conversation.
“Like in The Exorcist ?”
“Yes. The human has to do something that opens a conduit for the demon. Usually the demon uses a power called silkspeech or influence to get their target to do something they shouldn’t. The moment the doorway’s opened, the demon slips in and takes control of their body. The human has no idea they’re even possessed.”
He knew this scenario a little better than he wanted to. “They become Madaug’s zombies.”
“Pretty much, but they don’t have a bokor or outside master controlling them. The demon can only control them so long as it’s inside their body. That’s why you won’t be able to detect them.”
“Ever?”
“Depends. The Malachai has some exceptional abilities. So normally I’d say never. In your case … who knows? I wouldn’t put any ability past your father, and you have the potential to be even more
Fury tore through him. “I swear, I’ll—”
Kody placed her finger over his lips to keep him from ranting. “Madaug is hacking into the site even as we speak to delete it all. For everyone.”
That helped, but it didn’t change one thing. “Yeah, but how many people have seen it?”
“Do you really care?”
He wanted to lie and say no, but he thought too much of her to do that. “Yes, Kody. I do care. There are some things that you just don’t want other people to know about you. Things that they don’t need to know. I would think if anyone should understand that, it’s you. Case in point, even after a year, I don’t know who or what you really are. Your real age. Anything. Who are your parents? Did the site say anything about you at all?”
She scoffed. “I’m on the most obnoxious list, worst dressed, and the she-enhances-her-attributes list. The parent thing is only what I have listed on my school record. It says my father’s a judge and my mother an accountant.”
“Is that true?”
“Depends on the definition you use.”
Nick snorted. “You’re never going to tell me anything about you, are you?”
Sadness furrowed her brow. “I hope I never have to tell you.”
There was a note of foreboding if he ever heard one. What was she? Another angel of death like Grim? Or something a lot worse?
Was there anything worse than Grim?
He really hoped not. “Will you at least tell me if you’re a demon?”
She swallowed her bite of sundae. “Definitely not a demon. You’d be able to see my real form if I were.”
That was news to him. “Really?”
“Really. The perspicacity you developed is honed enough that you will always see a demon no matter the form it’s taking. It might only be a flash that lasts no longer than a single heartbeat, but they can’t hide from you. Unless … they’re possessing someone.”
Possession was never a good thing. “I don’t understand.”
“Demons have two very scary cloaking powers. The mid and upper-level ones can assume any disguise they want. Kind of like Caleb appears to everyone as a teenager while he’s really thousands of years old.”
Yeah, Nick had seen his real form and he was …
U-g-l-y. But scary enough to run Freddy Krueger out of the dream realm.
Kody continued her explanation. “The lower demons and those who haven’t mastered their powers yet can take possession of someone. That takes a lot less energy and talent.”
“Really? I would have thought that was harder.”
“Some people are remarkably weak-willed and make very easy targets for all creatures. The best protection? Know yourself and have your own thoughts, right or wrong. Never let someone else think for you or you’ll find yourself a sheep in the slaughter mill.”
Nick forced himself to smile and act naturally as his mom returned with Nekoda’s milk and water. He waited for her to dash over to a table before he resumed their conversation.
“Like in The Exorcist ?”
“Yes. The human has to do something that opens a conduit for the demon. Usually the demon uses a power called silkspeech or influence to get their target to do something they shouldn’t. The moment the doorway’s opened, the demon slips in and takes control of their body. The human has no idea they’re even possessed.”
He knew this scenario a little better than he wanted to. “They become Madaug’s zombies.”
“Pretty much, but they don’t have a bokor or outside master controlling them. The demon can only control them so long as it’s inside their body. That’s why you won’t be able to detect them.”
“Ever?”
“Depends. The Malachai has some exceptional abilities. So normally I’d say never. In your case … who knows? I wouldn’t put any ability past your father, and you have the potential to be even more
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