There! There he was.
Oliver manifested then, and it was a different Oliver now. This one was calm, not the anguished, angry one of before. It was like he had no awareness of what had happened—and that was likely why he was stuck, because he had never even had a chance to process his death. Fang watched him, heart still racing as the gravity of what she was dealing with sank in; it was not the first time she had encountered a lying demon, but they usually pretended to be a lost spirit in need of help. She had never encountered one that actually manipulated reality in this way.
No matter. One step after the next. First releasing Oliver, and then...then the demon.
She started to to move, ready to slide Lawrence off her so she could rise, but everything came to a screeching halt when she felt the cold press of steel against her throat.
Her breath caught and she froze, not daring even to swallow, not daring to breathe. The gaping wound, Lawrence's confession, oh goddess, she really was a fool. That voice in the back of her head telling her he'd kill her for knowing...she should have listened, she should have done a thousand things differently that were fantastic now in hindsight, and really, Fang, traipsing off into the jungle alone with a strange foreigner?? Really? No, no, calm, this had to be a mistake—the demon! If it could change what they saw of Oliver, surely it could change what Lawrence saw of her, too?
Maybe it changed what she saw of him, as well—had it really been his confession or just the demon's illusion?
She clung to that possibility like a lifeline.
"Lawrence!" she gasped, unable to keep the high note of fear from her voice. But just as quickly as it had happened, the knife fell away,
It was an effort not to sag in relief.
Instead, she stared down at him, her hand flying to her throat as though to check for damage as she met his tortured eyes with her own. Was...was he crying? Was that what was shining on his cheek? "I-I knew that wasn't you," she said at last, her voice a little shaky, her palms slick with sweat. "It's...it's the demon. It was making us, ah, see things." Another deep breath. "It's okay. We're okay. I'm sorry I scared you."
What had he seen when he awoke to her looming over him?
"Here. I'm going to take care of Oliver, okay? The demon's gone for now; I can't feel it anymore. Just stay here. I think this Oliver will be more receptive."
She flashed him a reassuring smile, concern in her eyes. But even as she said it, there was an unspoken we'll talk later in her tone.