My nails dig into my palms. I should have reached out. No–I had no reason to trust him. Not then and not now. But Amber says he’s safe, and I do trust her, not to mention being the next Supreme, she has even less reason to trust a le Fay.
“I don’t want closure,” I choke. “I want revenge.”
“For what?”
“He wasn’t around, Amber!”
“le Fay?” She shakes her head. “Yeah, he was too busy playing Scarface. Too busy using magic for selfish needs that putallwitches in danger. All he wants is immortality. It’s not about the money or instilling fear–well, that’s gotta help his insane ego, but the point is, the guy uses blood magic, so he won’t turn into some crusty, Merlin-lookin’-ass witch. Seriously, Minnie, isn’t it best you weren’t raised by him?”
She’s missing the point. Arthur le Fay slept with my Mom,cheatedon the Mother of his children, and left her like she was a rental. It had always bothered me that some man came into my Mom’s life and left. For better or for worse I didn’t care. If anyone deserved to be loved, it was Mom.
Now I find out he’s got magic that could have saved her. Blood magic. I would’ve given up my morals so she could’ve had a few more years. He needs to apologize. He needs to own up to what he did–what he didn’t do.
My reply must not come fast enough because Amber speaks up. “Let's focus on the devil issue. We need to send him back to Hell.”
“I agree.” At least we’re on the same page there. “How do we do that?”
“I… don’t know.”
I frown.
“Hey, you’re the one who cast the spell.”
She’s right. It was such a silly thing to overlook, focusing on summoning without asking the all important question of how to send somethingback.
Amber rubs the back of her neck. “I’ll reach out to the coven and see–”
“Don’t tell them–”
Amber cuts me off, her voice sounding hurt. “I’m not trying to get you in trouble, Minnie. I’m just going to see if anyone knows how to send an entity back to its original plane. Though, it would help if I knew exactly what spell you used.”
“I still remember the circle,” I assure her. “I can draw it.”
Amber scrunches her lips in thought. Leaving any trace of magic craft is a gamble, but so long as the page is destroyed promptly, it should work out fine. I can see in Amber’s eyes she’s thinking the same.
I rip a piece of paper from a notebook and grab a pencil and sketch out the summoning circle. Keeping my wrist steady I turn the paper to start the initial circle.
Amber chuckles, shaking her head a little. “Really gotta make sure that circle is perfect, huh?”
“I can’t take complete credit for this spell, but I won’t have it looking sloppy.” I start drawing the symbols.
“Never sloppy. Always near perfect.” I hand her the paper, and she looks at it, squinting. “Yup. Way too complicated for me.” She folds it up and slips it in her pocket.
“I’ll find him,” I assure her. “He’s not very pleasant, so I won’t subject you to him.”
“Pleasant and devil don’t really seem like they’d go together.” Amber pulls me into a hug. “I’m glad you told me.”
My cheek rests against her shoulder. “I wish I’d told you sooner.”
If I told Amber from the start, there wouldn’t be a devil on the loose right now causing who knows what sort of havoc.
She releases me from the hug and walks to the front door. Her hand is on the doorknob. “I wish you had, too.”
As she leaves, I remember I promised her dinner, but she’s gone before I can remind her.
CHAPTERSEVEN
ROSIER
