Kai nodded, and Maggie looked up.Their eyes met briefly, but then the demon driver held the door to the museum open, and Fian was nudging Kai forward, so he went.
Inside, the demons seemed to have built something of a headquarters, and a modern one at that.Computer screens and printers had been set up on three tables, and there were a good dozen demons in the small room.
Mikano sat in an old chair that Kai wouldn’t have dared for fear of it breaking under his weight.
“Please, no more.I’m full.Why did Kantra have to be on vacation right now?”
“But it’s just one more witch, sir,” a tall demon standing next to Mikano said.
Both looked up when they saw Fian and Kai.
“Ah, Tickle!And Kai.Everyone, that’s my brother and Kai.Kai, say hi to my team, they are the best.When they don’t force me to overeat.”
“Uh, hello.”Kai looked around at smiling demon faces.His eyes fell on a black and white photograph of a group of what had to be the real villagers, posing in front of a boat, the boathouse in the background.It hung on a wall and had gathered a layer of dust on the frame.
“Well, good of you to come.We aren’t quite done yet, but Tickle said you wanted an update.”
Kai nodded.He was trembling.He reached for Fian’s hand.
Mikano frowned, but he didn’t comment.The other demons walked out, giving them space.
When they were alone in the museum, Mikano stood, stretched.He walked over to the photograph Kai had seen where it was mounted on the wall.“Do you see that young man in the front?”
Kai leaned in.“Yeah.”
“That was Howard Carr-Smith, the mailman.From what we could find out, he found a book.A demonologicon.”
Fian gasped.“But those are not allowed in the human realm.”
“I know, Tickle, I know.But he found one anyway.Maybe someone lost it, and it washed up on shore, I don’t know.I just know he had it.”
“What’s a demonolago—”
“A demonologicon.Basically a book about demon magic,” Mikano said.“He used that.He networked, I guess you could say, that is he built his coven of like-minded men.You met one of them.They were all like that, sure they deserved whatever and whoever they wanted, and they took it with the help of demon magic, something that has been going on for a good twenty years at this point.We have found several more survivors like yourself and have freed them of the spells that bound them.”
Kai shook his head.“I’m not a…I’m just not.”
Mikano looked at him until Kai looked away.
“Kai,” Fian said.
“Well, anyway.That is the long and short of it.We’re handling the witches.We’re also obviously going to help those they enchanted, given it was demon magic.I already knew you wanted to leave this place, and we’ll have people arrange for that.That’s a different division, but they’ll be here soon.Until then, we’re putting everyone up at the hotel you’re currently staying at.”
“I need to go buy clothes,” Kai said.
Mikano nodded.“Fangal can take you.”
Fian cleared his throat.“I’m coming too.”
Fian’s tentacles changed color as if he were stressed, scared he wouldn’t be allowed to come.
“Of course you’re coming.Who else is going to carry all my stuff?”
Mikano sighed.“Please, do make him get a phone if you can.”
Their shopping trip was an easy and quiet affair.They got food too, but mostly because Fian insisted.
Kai was glad that Fian didn’t force conversation on him.He needed some time alone in his head.Twenty years,he would think while buying socks and a pair of shoes.Survivors,he would think, back in that same clothing store where he’d lost his shit.
