“Myra. You like him.”
“No, I don’t. I…can’t.”
“That blush on your face and that look in your eyes tells me differently.”
“The look is anger.”
“The look is fear.” She said that gently, and then walked across the kitchen, closing the distance between us. “I know you’re angry with him. I am too.” She held up a finger to keep me quiet. I crossed my arms and waited.
“I am angry that he hasn’t given my soul back. And I know…I know I should be more than angry. I should be…more, just more than I have been. I know you and Ryder talk about me. You and Jean too. I see how you look at me. I might not have my soul, but I’m not dumb. I know I’m losing bits of myself. That it’s getting worse. So, we agree on that, okay?”
I nodded, relieved to hear her say those words, and with that relief, even more worried.
She nodded too. “Okay. We agree we need to get my soul back.”
“Yes. And we need to find Xtelle. So she can use the scissors.”
“Xtelle? You really think letting her use the scissors on my soul is a good idea?”
“It’s the best we’ve got. Only a demon can use the scissors without doing more damage to your soul.”
She blinked, then blew out a breath. “Okay. That’s. Well, that’s not great. Do we agree that Bathin is holding onto my soul for a reason?”
“Yes. Because he’s an asshole and he’s hiding in Ordinary so his father won’t kill him.”
She blinked. “What?”
“I didn’t tell you that?” I ran back over the last day. Had it only been a day?
“His father. The king demon of the Underworld. He wants into Ordinary. We—Than and I—think he’s behind the vortex openings. Well, if Xtelle isn’t behind them.”
“Bathin’s father.” She tucked her long hair behind her ears again. “Okay. Crow said something about the King was looking for his son, but he didn’t elaborate.”
“Crow.” I rolled my eyes.
“I know. But something doesn’t make sense. If the king of the Underworld wanted into Ordinary, and is using the vortexes to do it, why was the first vortex filled with demon spawn? Why didn’t he just march right through? Why was Xtelle there, posing as a unicorn? And why was the second vortex all about drawing people in and turning them into frogs?”
“I know who we can tie up and ask.”
“Xtelle?”
“Xtelle.”
“All right,” she agreed. “Let’s go get the dragon pig.”
~~~
Delaney and Ryder’s living room looked a little more sparsely decorated than the last time I’d been here.
“Where’s that huge recliner?” I asked.
Delaney threw her coat down on the arm of the couch. “Eaten. I’ll get dragon pig. You do your thing in the kitchen.”
We’d left Jean at my place to keep an eye on Bathin. Ryder was catching a short nap there so he could relieve her in a couple hours. The Slammin’ Salmon Serenade started tomorrow morning with a big parade. Jean had to show up early to help Bertie. It was going to be a crazy busy day.
Somehow we were going to take shifts watching Bathin, because he was not to be trusted, even in a trap in the middle of my house. I was beginning to think this non-plan stunk. But if we could find Xtelle tonight, talk to her, make her use the scissors, I was sure everything would work out.
Yeah…the plan stunk.
