“It doesn’t sound like him,” Grevin finished.
“It doesn’t,” he agreed.“But maybe I can stop by and talk to him.Just casually.You said he can get into your ritual room, right, so he wouldn’t have needed to break in, but he might have mentioned it to someone else.He does like to talk.”He didn’t sincerely think Hafrey would hit Grevin and steal a demon.However, he couldn’t be completely ruled out.
“He wouldn’t need to break in,” Grevin repeated as if it were a mantra.
“Unless he wanted to hide his actions.”Quentin bit his lip.“It wouldn’t hurt to check in on him.I often stop by just to chat.”
Grevin nodded.“Just visiting a friend isn’t suspicious.”
They both fell silent, eyeing each other as if trying to silently determine if the other was serious about Hafrey colluding with a demon.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Quentin said.
“Absolutely, but he’s getting old.It wouldn’t hurt to check on him.”
“Right.Check on him.”
Grevin grabbed Quentin’s wrist.“Be careful.”He squeezed Quentin’s arm before he had a chance to say anything.“I know you’re a strong mage and have a lot of tricks up your sleeves, but this isn’t something we’re prepared for.If Hafrey is somehow involved, we won’t be expecting whatever he has planned.”
Quentin swallowed back his instinctive snarky response at Grevin’s panicked expression.“You’re right.I’ll be careful.”
He wasn’t in a hurry to be torn apart by a demon or a retired wizard.Hafrey never said much about his past, but Quentin always suspected there was more than one reason the old wizard changed phone numbers often and hid out in his house rather than practicing his magic openly.
“I mean it, Quentin, be very careful and take someone with you.You need someone watching your back.I know you don’t want to hurt Hafrey, but if he’s the one who hit me, he’s not afraid to harm us.”
Quentin nodded.“I’ll haul my sexy vamp around with me.”
“You do that.”Grevin squeezed Quentin’s wrist once more before letting go.
“Do you think they’ll yank your license over this?”It wasn’t a subtle change of subject, but then Quentin wasn’t known for his subtlety.
Ritual rooms had to be licensed by the state.If they pulled Grevin’s licensing, it would hurt his wallet and reputation.A significant part of Grevin’s income came from helping others communicate with their deceased loved ones.He’d confessed to Quentin once that half his money came from family summoning jobs.
“They’ll probably try even though it was my first offense.”Grevin didn’t bother hiding his disdain.
Quentin ran a hand through his hair.“Remember, Carson?They decided his room didn’t meet standards after they changed the rules.They could do the same to you, couldn’t they?If they can’t get you on the summoning.”Carson had been eaten by a revenant in the end, so maybe they had been right about his safety measures.
“No, luckily, I have insurance against summoning damages.No matter how bad, a first offense only gets a mark on my record.If I get more than three, I’ll have to go for retraining, but because of the discrimination against us, the Necromantic Guild is the only one that can assign marks.”
Quentin itched to see that policy.“Good to know they can’t discriminate.I didn’t know summoning insurance was a thing?”
“Only through the Guild and only for licensed professional necromancers.”
That made more sense.He couldn’t see a regular insurance agency covering demonic injuries.“What about your ritual room?Can they invent a new guideline and say you didn’t pass?”
Grevin shook his head.“It was grandfathered in before all the new requirements.They can fine me for lack of protection or poor planning, but they can’t stop me from earning a living.”
Quentin let out a deep sigh.“Great, I was worried.I’m glad you won’t be in too much trouble.”As much as necromancy sometimes gave him the creeps, he didn’t want Grevin to lose his livelihood.
Grevin grimaced.“The fines can be outrageous, and it will be a mark against my reputation unless it can be proven that I wasn’t responsible for the issue.”
“Can you prove it?”They only had his word about the attack, a strange rune, and a smudged circle.The authorities were more likely to think he was covering his ass by inventing an assailant.
“Not yet.”He fidgeted with the blanket at his waist.“Do you think you can get your bounty hunter friends on this?”
Grevin had the best —or was it the worst —puppy eyes.
He sighed, caving in immediately.“Not on Hafrey but on tracking a demon, possibly.”
