“Maybe it’s calling us out. This is incredibly public and brutal. Could it be warning us off?” I ask out loud.
“That’s terrifying. You speak with confidence. You know what we’re dealing with now, don’t you?” Fel asks.
“Demon, a powerful one.”
“I think it’s time for that conversation. We’ve done all we can here for now,” Sacha shakes head.
“Let’s lower the circle and get back to the office.” Fel goes into planner mode, and I take a backseat, relieved we didn’t encounter the demon. We’re not ready.
***
“Holy shit, Lou.” Sacha whistles.
“Insects flew out of her mouth?” Fel repeats slowly.
I nod my head and huff. “I was there, and I’m still having a hard time believing it.”
“How?” Sacha says exasperatedly. “It’s not like Hal was possessed.”
“No, but she was keyed into the thing, channeling and challenging it. Apparently, it’s close enough to the same thing,” I reply.
Sacha holds up a finger like she’s about to make a strong point. “She’s also got one foot in the darkness. Her resistance isn’t the same.” I fight the urge to roll my eyes. As if that’s the answer to everything. Haven’t we learned by now there are never any easy answers?
“Still. What the hell level of demon can do that?” Fel scoffs.
“I might be more concerned about who could control it. Hal is no lightweight, and it owned her,” I counter.
“Maybe they’re not. The demon is pulling strings and letting them think they’re running it,” Sacha suggests.
“That’s the most likely scenario. A group of beginners stumbled on to a spell or a book and got in too deep. Now they’re stuck,” Fel agrees.
“All I know about demons is the bare basics. We need to change that immediately,” I say.
“So, research,” Fel mumbles.
“Seems like a legit place to start.” Sacha nods.
“I think the court’s library might be the most viable. We have a section dedicated to the subject.”
“Shocker,” Sacha drawls sarcastically.
“I saw that! I haven’t gotten a chance to explore it yet,” Fel says.
“Oh, have we been spending time there for reasons other than visiting our dear friend, Lou?” Sacha leans forward. “Please explain.”
“Percival’s been tutoring me, if you will, on how to deal with the different courts. It’s nothing toward.” The sparkle in her eyes and the slight upturn of her lips suggests the opposite of her words.
“Wait. How did this come about?”
Fel points to me. “She suggested it.”
“Way to throw me under the bus. I did. I thought it’d be beneficial for everyone. They have to get used to more witches, and you needed a crash course in vampire politics. I’m still learning, so I can’t teach you.”
“See,” Fel says.
“Oh ho. You like him, don’t you?” Sacha questions.
“He’s a likable man, so yes.” Fel’s dancing around the issue like a tap dancer at a competition.