Said demon cleared his throat. “It would be unwise to antagonize the hel, Martina.”
Martina’s calm expression shifted into a frown. “Explain.”
“As the little embryo said, her mother is dear old Hel. One-sixth of Death’s deities. Not the strongest of the bunch, but Hel has the others’ ears at the very least. I’m sure the Baron would be happy to wipe this town off the map for her.”
“And you can’t simply snap your fingers and turn them nonexistent?”
“I could try, but those six have been touched by Death Himself. They break several rules. They’re able to kill the unkillable, for instance.”
“And you’re afraid.” Despite being told that her current course of action would lead to ruin, Martina grew a wide smile with that statement.
“Nonsense. Nothing to be afraid of so long as I don’t do anything to anger them, yeah? Something that hurting one of Hel’s daughters would surely do.”
“I see.” Martina turned back to Ylva with a genuine smile. “Well, Ylva, I do apologize.
Ylva simply stared, though some of the anger seemed to have fled. Her eyes returned to their base, unnarrowed state.
“I see now that I can’t order you around. Though I do ask that you attempt to keep a low profile. As a side note, I wonder if you wouldn’t consider a contract of mine when your task is complete.”
“We are unable to accept further contracts. Our current contract may continue for some time.”
“You are already contracted? I was under the impression that you weren’t.”
Eva blinked.
Devon? No. Not likely. He didn’t trust demons enough to do anything other than use them, and they didn’t get along very well in the first place. Perhaps Nel? Eva shook her head. Nel was property. If she was contracted, their relationship was far more complicated than Eva could work out in her mind.
Eva dismissed Zoe almost immediately. She hadn’t been as afraid of her since the whole demon attack thing, but not enough to want a contract. Juliana spent time around the demon, but she would have mentioned something as big as contracting with Ylva, right?
Someone else then. Yet another thing for Eva to add to her plate.
“Well,” Martina said after Ylva failed to respond, “when you complete your current contract, I may have use for you.”
“We shall keep your offer in mind.”
Ylva spoke in her usual commanding tone. There was something more to it–a certain flatness. Eva had never heard the demon do anything resembling sarcasm. At least not before now.
“That’s all I ask. I’d ask Zagan to see you out, but I find myself needing to have a few words with him.”
“She’s going to be with Zoe for the day before heading home with her,” Eva said. “I’ll show her where to go.”
“Is that wise? I mean, the students…”
“Ylva will be disguising herself. The cover is that Zoe will be caring for a friend’s daughter, Ylva being that friend. She came in today to clear it with you. Zoe asked me to show her around because she was too busy.”
A pillar of fog erupted in the office. It dispersed into tiny-Ylva.
“I see,” Martina said. She leaned over the top of her desk with a frown. “Is she going to be wearing that dress?”
— — —
Devon snapped his tome shut. With a flick of his rings, the enchanted bindings activated. He placed it in his desk drawer and turned on similar enchantments.
And he waited.
It might have just been his imagination. Eva wouldn’t knock. Neither would Arachne. The eyeball girl couldn’t leave Ylva’s domain and Ylva wasn’t here at all. That meant it was one of their ‘guests’ or he was finally losing his mind.
He was hoping for the latter.
For a long moment, nothing happened.
Three rapid knocks broke the silence.
Devon sighed. Maybe if he pretended not to be–
“I know you’re in there.”
With a groan, Devon stood up. The voice belonged Janice’s mother. Julie? Maybe Jean. Whatever.
Best not to keep her waiting. She had been fighting with Arachne every day. And, while not winning, she was not losing either.
“What do you want?” Devon asked before the door had fully opened.
Jean stood there with a smirk on her face like she had won something. “I’ve spoken at length with everyone else here. Except you. I’d actually forgotten you existed until Eva offhandedly mentioned you.”
“I’ve got just the thing.” Devon turned to the potion cabinet just next to the door–always keep potions easily accessible–and rummaged through the drawers until he found the foggy gray vial. “Here. That will fix your issue.”
Jean accepted the vial. She turned it around in her fingers, letting the foggy goop slide around inside. “I don’t want to forget,” she said as she offered the vial back. “Especially not with that poorly brewed drivel. It shouldn’t be clumping and sticking to the glass like that.”
“Brewing isn’t the problem. Age is.”
