I took a chance, keeping my voice even and uninflected. "Now, expand it. Imagine it growing, spreading out to cover a larger area."
Rissa's expression became peaceful as her concentration deepened. The net stretched, extending outward until it enveloped the table, the air above, and a part of the carpet under it. She held it for a moment before releasing it with a controlled exhale, the magical threads vanishing into the air.
I whistled. "Impressive. Based on how you feel, could you do that on a larger scale? Big enough to cover a city? The world?"
She considered it for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I have to. I want to practice more, but... yeah. I’ll have the power to do it right later."
If she retained even a portion of the magic I remembered, she could do it. A brief flare of envy flickered in me. What I could do with that level of power…I shook it off. I’d explode like a tick who’d sucked too much blood if I tried to encompass that level of energy.
"Okay then," I said, then grinned at her. "Which exercise do you want to continue?"
Rissa grinned, a fierce light in her eyes. "Are you up to it, daemon lord?"
The door to the kitchen and bathroom burst open with a bang. Both of us spun to face it. Numir, head of the Council, strode out, his dark suit impeccable as always, a smug smile playing about his lips.
"Well, well," he drawled. "Isn't this cozy?"
My hands clenched into fists at my sides, red anger flooding through me. "So it is the Council."
The fool’s grin widened. "Now, is that any way to greet an old friend?"
Beside me, Rissa snorted. "Less gloat. More demands."
Numir ignored her, his gaze fixed on me. "I must say, I'm impressed. Teaming up with a goddess to try to save the world? How superheroic of you. Very much in line with those new action movies. Like the one where half the universe dies."
His tone fed the anger. I took a step forward, putting myself between him and Rissa, holding a hard rein on the desire to pound him flat. "Out with it, Numir. What does the Council want?"
He spread his hands wide. "Why, only to help you two, of course. I've come to offer my assistance in your little... project."
I narrowed my eyes. "And why would you do that?"
His smile turned sly. "Let's just say I've been enjoying the show, but you two need a little redirection."
That was it. I lunged at him, my fist slamming into his jaw with a satisfying crack. He staggered back, his eyes wide with shock.
Pressing my advantage, I methodically beat him down. He tried to fight back, but I hadn’t spent the last millennia having minions do all my labor for me, unlike him. Exercise and a risky life made me faster and stronger than most daemons. My knuckles cracked as I punched him, venting all the rage and frustration of the past few days.
Finally, he stopped flailing back at me and crumpled to the ground, a bloody mess. I stood over him, chest heaving, knuckles throbbing.
"Get out," I snarled. "And don't come back."
He glared up at me, hatred burning in his good eye. But he didn't argue. Slowly, painfully, he dragged himself to his feet and limped out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
I turned to face Rissa, wincing as the adrenaline began to fade and a few aches made themselves known. Numir wasn’t quite as ineffectual in a fight as I’d thought him.
She regarded me, her expression unreadable.
"Sorry about the interruption," I muttered. "But he had it coming."
To my surprise, she laughed. "You don't have to apologize to me, daemon lord. I was about two seconds away from punching him myself."
I grinned at her, feeling something warm unfurl in my chest. "You can have the next one. Taking turns is the sign of a good partnership, right?"
She rolled her eyes, but I caught the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Maybe. Rey’s still working on that concept too."
A few minutes later, Numir's disembodied voice drifted into the room, dripping with barely contained rage and sarcasm.
"You think you're so untouchable, don't you Luce?" he sneered. "Always playing the rebel, fighting against direction for the common good. Do you see where it’s gotten you? You’re trappedin a bottle prison like a common criminal, reduced to card tricks and idle sensuality to break the boredom."
