Convoke

Chapter 60

Tom realised that they would never have a say in it when they were shunned out onto the street, and with the library doors locked behind them. "What do we do?" he asked hopelessly. "We can't just let all of these innocent demons die."

"Do you think Kie and the others know the truth?"

"Maybe they've been spinning us in circles." Tom looked up to see Ezra glaring straight ahead of him. "I don't think we can trust them anymore."

"I don't think we can either," Ezra said, taking Tom's hand and pulling him back towards the pub.

The morning was still sunny, and warm with the promise of a sweet spring breeze. Tom would have loved to invite Cal and some of his other friends to the pub. He would have loved to drink in the sunshine. But that was a time before Ezra, and before he knew what he did now.

"We can't let this happen," Tom said. "We just can't. But the other option is an uproar."

"Why are the demons doing this in the first place?" Ezra asked. "There has to be a reason. They want something, and I don't think it's just to fight."

"How do we find out?" Tom asked, and Ezra slowed his walk, so he could look at him as they moved.

"Monelle," he said. "If she was telling the truth about loving a demon, she wouldn't let this happen."

That night, Ezra went looking for the angel. Tom lingered tiredly by the back entrance of the pub. He wanted to go to bed and sleep peacefully after his long shift. But really, Tom hadn't felt peaceful in a while. Today he had been distant, snappy with customers, and distracted.

He had gotten so many orders wrong that his father had pulled him aside to ask what was going on. Tom didn't know how to tell them that an angel was planning on wiping out every demon in the country. So, he apologised and said he was tired, and that he needed an extra break that evening.

Ezra was also distracted as he worked his full shift after being almost beaten to death. But the night had been calm, and no demons had entered all evening.

Tom paced back and forth in socks on a wooden floor, so he didn't make too much noise. The noisiest part about him was his deep anxious breaths. He was worried for Ezra, and hoped that he wouldn't get himself into more trouble looking for Monelle.

He hoped Ezra didn't have to travel far to find her.

He waited another thirty minutes before sleep tempted him to crawl back upstairs and into his waiting bed. He stood up and stretched arms above his head, but as he turned to grip the handrail, the door opened.

Tom expected Ezra to be ducking under the door with an angel following closely behind. So he was surprised to see Kie standing there, dripping rainwater all over the floor.

"What-"

"Come with me," Kie said urgently. "Now, Tom."

Tom hesitated. "Why?" he asked, gripping the handrail.

"Come, or I will force you to come."

Tom shivered when another figure appeared in the doorway behind him. He could fight two demons, but then a third appeared, and a fourth, until Tom realised the entire group was outside his home.

"I'll get my shoes," he murmured, thankful that he was already by the shoe wrack. The last thing he wanted was for a group of demons to trudge through the house when it was past midnight.

He also grabbed a waterproof coat and zipped it up to his chin before he was led outside. The group swarmed him, and Tom had a peculiar feeling that he was being protected by them. "What's going on?" he asked, but all he got in return were weak smiles.