The witches would benefit. Most witches didn’t have a chance if they were up against a demon. But they were usually more consumed with finding ways to remove power from the Mage Council. Early on after the portals opened, the council checked the witches’ power, came to a mutual agreement with the demons, and ruled when the witches couldn’t.
The fae could benefit, but it didn’t feel right. Most of the fae had no interest in Earth’s politics. They stepped in when necessary, but the dark and light fae kings typically spent most of the time in their own realms. The status quo worked for them, and if the demons fell, the fae would probably be targeted next.
I sighed, rubbing my forehead. And then there were the arrows. Those arrows made it clear that my mom’s murder wasn’t a random case of wrong-place-wrong-time. If whoever had killed her thought they could scare me off by killing my only leads, they were about to learn differently.
Even I could admit that my warding lessons were a good thing if my wards could help protect me from someone armed with a crossbow. Because eventually, whoever was killing my leads would solve all their problems by taking me out instead.
17
Danica
“Again.”
I ground my teeth at Samael’s imperious command, meeting his hard stare. I saw all sorts of things in his eyes. Things that did nothing but confuse me.
I heaved a sigh and closed my own eyes. My hand stung from the deep cut in my palm, and a small voice in the back of my head reminded me that witches didn’t need blood to set wards. Only to break them.
I was a freak.
“You’re not focusing.”
He was right. And the sooner I satisfied Samael— and didn’t that thought bring up all kinds of visions of twisted sheets and hot skin— I could get back to work.
“Danica.”
“Sorry.”
I repeated the same steps as last time. The thought of Agaliarept on the ground— he still hadn’t woken up— and the fear that ate its way through my body as I felt our enemies approach.
“More.”
I didn’t open my eyes. I couldfeelthat the ghost of my ward was there, and I reached for the trickle of my power, cajoling it into working with me.
“You’re not trying. This ward wouldn’t stop a pixie from giving you a papercut.”
I opened my eyes, a savage reply on the tip of my tongue. Someone knocked on the door. Samael didn’t take his gaze off my face, and I refused to be the first one to break our little staring competition. In spite of his obvious irritation, the corner of his mouth lifted.
“Enter.”
I glanced away as the door opened, and a demon from Monday dinner gave me a grave nod. Sathanas, that was his name. He held a tablet in his hand, and his gaze left mine as he addressed Samael.
“We have a problem.” He handed the tablet to Samael, who watched whatever was on it, his face darkening. A muscle twitched in his jaw, and I fought not to demand that he tell me what was going on.
He raised his head and offered me the tablet, turning to Sathanas. I blocked out their conversation as I watched the video, my stomach churning.
On the screen, a demon was standing in the corridor I’d walked down with Bael just a few days ago when we put the knife in a safe. The demon onscreen moved weirdly, taking a few steps forward before jumping back, his hand stretching toward what I knew was the elevator. Eventually, his slow amble took him to the first metal door, and after a few minutes of jerking his head back and forth, he lowered his face for it to be scanned. The door opened. I glanced at Samael. Something told me I didn’t want to see what was on the rest of this video.
On the tablet, the demon continued his odd walk, until he got to the main ward. After a long moment, that door slid open too. The demon’s feet seemed to scramble along the floor as he fought with himself some more. Someone was controlling him, and when I found out who, they were going to regret it. I glanced at Samael again. He was murmuring to Sathanas, his face blank. But his eyes burned with retribution.
On the tablet, the demon stopped at the safe. 383. He was after the knife that had been used to kill the three demon women. His hand was held high as he attempted to break the ward, but the air around the safe shimmered, glowing red as he was denied entry. He tried again and again, alternating between slamming his hand into the safe, and attempting to walk back out of the room as he clearly fought the compulsion.
I jolted as he smashed his head into the safe. My stomach swam, but I made myself watch as he threw himself against the steel, again and again and again.
Finally, when his head and face were little more than mush, he slid to the ground, where he stayed.
“I’m sorry,” I managed to choke out around the lump in my throat. Both demons glanced at me and I handed the tablet back. “I gave Bael the knife to store here.”
The expression on Samael’s face told me he was ready to go on a murder spree. “It wasn’t your fault. Someone got to one of my people. You couldn’t have seen that coming.” He turned to Sathanas. “Is he dead?”
