Arcane Solutions (Discord Jones) Page 22

  It grunted, a particularly unhelpful response. You can’t argue with something that’s not going to argue back. I pretended to trip, but the demon just tightened its grip and we both stayed upright.

  “Ow. Let go, your claws are sticking me.” It was holding most of my weight, so I kicked backwards and landed a blow on its shin. The demon growled, released one shoulder, and hit me in the back of the head.

  Dazed, knees giving out, I dangled from his other hand. With a huffing sound, it transferred its grip to my arm and dragged me along behind it. Moments later, it opened a door and tossed me on a pile of blankets. The door clanged shut almost immediately.

  Blinking in the near darkness, I resisted the urge to gasp when a pale face swam into view. “Are you all right?”

  “Zoe?”

  She backed away, eyes narrowing. “How do you know my name?”

  Sitting up, I checked the back of my skull and found a small lump. “My name’s Cordi. Your mom hired me to find you, and hey, I found you.”

  “Well, great job there. Now we’re both trapped in this stinking cell.” Zoe crossed her arms, attempting to sneer, but her lips were trembling too much. Pressing them firmly together, she asked, “Now what?”

  “Well, that’s a really good question. The good news is that you’re no longer choice numero uno for the sacrifice.” I managed to stand up, and stood wavering until she jumped up to grab my arm. “Thanks.”

  “What’s the bad news?”

  “I can’t use my abilities here. I’m a psychic.” Pointing to where I thought the door was, I said, “I need to check out the door.”

  The girl led me over. “A psychic? Mom hired a psychic?”

  “I’m also a private investigator.” The door was solid metal, no handle, no opening whatsoever. “Crap.”

  “That man she married did this. Did you find that out?” Zoe helped me back over to the pile of blankets.

  “Yeah.” I didn’t bother mentioning that I’d just figured that part out. “Let me think for a minute.”

  “Sure.” She sat down next to me, pulling her legs up to hug her knees to her chest.

  I didn’t want to be the one to break the news her mother was dead. There had to be something I could do to at least get her out. “Wait.”

  What had the boss told me the day Thorandryll brought the hound to me? Something important. “There’s…oh. I remember.”

  “Remember what?” Head turning, the girl looked at me with eyebrows raised.

  “I’m going to get you out of here. Promise. But I need you to do something for me. Tell the people who’ll be there when you arrive that I can’t use my abilities because I’m in the demon realm.”

  “If you know a way out, why aren’t you coming with me?”

  The smile I offered felt crooked. “Believe me, I’d rather do that, but I have to destroy the book first, and we don’t know how to get here. Where here actually is. So I have to stay.”

  Zoe slowly nodded, brows drawing together. “Is that all you want me to tell them?”

  “No. These are the really important parts, okay? Tell them to ask the elf when the spell has to be done, and to have him bring some of his hounds so that they can all come when I need them. They need to load up for demon killing.”

  She nodded. “I can remember that, but I know when they’re planning to do the spell.”

  “You do? When?”

  My heart dropped to stomach level when she answered. “Tonight.”

  Not much time for preparing. “Okay, tell them that and then the rest of what I said. Repeat it back to me.”

  Zoe did so without forgetting anything. Giving in to a sudden impulse, I hugged her. “Great. Now I’m going to call a friend who will take you to my other friends. Don’t be afraid of him.”

  “Are you kidding me? If he’s taking me out of here, I don’t care if he’s a snake.” The girl grinned, and I felt about two inches tall for not having broken the news about her mother. After being a prisoner, surely she needed a little bit before that newsflash whacked her over the head.

  “He’s a dog. A big dog.” About to call the hound, I added, “And do me another favor: make sure someone feeds him some steak.”

  “Okay.”

  Closing my eyes and breathing a silent prayer, I called the hound. “Leglin.”

  Zoe’s “Holy shit” was followed by a wet tongue dragging across my face. “Oh, you are a good boy.” I hugged the hound’s neck, and then grabbed his muzzle with both hands. “I need you to take her to Mr. Whitehaven.”

  Leglin sat down, tail stilling. Baring his teeth, he sneezed in my face. “Are you telling me no? Don’t tell me no. I have a plan.”

  Lips dropping, he cocked his head to the right with ears perked. “That’s better. If it doesn’t work, I’ll call for you again, to get me out of here. Okay?”

  Gazing into my eyes, the hound thought about it briefly before dipping his muzzle in agreement. I hugged him again. “Thank you.”

  Zoe licked her lips before asking, “What do I do?”

  “Grab hold of his collar. He’ll take you directly to my boss, and that’s who you need to talk to. Do you remember everything I need you to tell him?” She nodded, moving to her knees and setting a hand on Leglin’s collar. “Good. Leglin, get her out of here.”

  “Wait. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

  “Yeah, don’t worry about me.” My reassurance held every bit of confidence I could scrape up. Zoe smiled.

  “Okay.”

  With a final lick across my face, the hound lifted his head. Both he and the girl disappeared. I sighed, and carefully lay down on the blankets. My head was pounding.

  I’d done everything I could for the moment. Eyes closing, I dozed off.

  ***

  “You don’t listen very well.” The old man was back.

  “Excuse me?” I couldn’t tell if I was asleep or awake. My surroundings were the same, and the blankets smelled.

  “I warned you.” He was scowling. “Yet, here you are. From frying pan to fire.”

  “I have a plan.”

  “You’re in the demon realm, girl.”

  Sitting up, I scowled back. “Not news, already knew that. Even know I can’t use my abilities here.”

  The old Indian snorted. “Of course you can.”

  Okay, that was news. “I tried and it set my brain on fire.”

  “Because you aren’t properly shielded. With just a little help, you can use your talents in this realm. However,” he held up a gnarled finger. “This realm will seek to drain you. It hungers for power, specifically, power from other realms.”

  “How do I shield properly?”

  “You’ll need a bit of demon blood.” He shrugged. “Ingested.”

  I tried to think that through. What exactly would drinking demon blood do to me? Assuming nothing horrible, like turn me into a scaly thing with horns, how the hell was I supposed to get my hands on any?

  “Their throats are the softest, most convenient spots,” the old man said.

  “Oh well then, no problem. I’ll just fuss until one comes to check on me, and then try and bite its throat. Yeah, great plan. I think I like mine better.”

  He snorted again, the sound ripe with derision. “The place they’ll take you rests between this realm and the one you’re accustomed to. Your abilities may work there without the demon blood.”

  Because I’d seen human cultists in my visions about the cavern, I’d hoped it was part of my world. “What if I’m surrounded by a pack of elf hounds?”

  He gave a slow blink, mouth working as though he were chewing a tough piece of meat. “Aren’t you the smart one?”

  “So it’ll work? That would be enough of a shield for me to be able to use my abilities?”

  “The hounds are of mixed blood, and their presence should fully lock that chamber into your realm.” His wrinkles moved, revealing white teeth. “Quite impressive thinking for a child.”

  I let him think I’d pl
anned that, even though the thought hadn’t crossed my mind until just a few seconds before. “Who are you? My fairy god-father or something?”

  The old Indian laughed, a surprisingly robust sound. “Something like that. You may call me Sal.”

  Sal seemed like a super dumb name for a fairy god-father, but at least I’d gotten that much from him. “What else can you tell me?”

  He shrugged. “Not much. There are rules.”

  “Rules?”

  “Don’t get too nosy, kiddo. Telling you much more would land you in a field of trouble you’d never escape from.” Hair rustling, he turned his head to survey the rock walls. “What a dump.”

  “Tell me about it.” I was willing to stop asking questions about him, being in quite enough trouble already. “Can you tell me if Zoe passed on everything I asked her to?”

  Sal’s teeth showed again. “Those who care will be ready to answer your call.”

  “Thanks.” I rubbed a hand over the lump on my skull. “Am I going to be seeing you every time I sleep now, or what?”

  “No, just when the rules allow me to contact you.” He raised a hand. “No more questions, Discordia. You should take what rest you can before the time for action arrives. Sleep.”

  Darkness swirled and he faded away.

  Thirty

  A creak woke me, and opening my eyes, I found the demon wearing Mitchell and the green gargoyle walking into the cell. “Morning already?”

  “Get up. You need to be prepared.” Demon Mitchell was wearing the hooded robe I’d seen in my getting sacrificed vision. “Where’s the girl?”

  “Your buddy whacked me over the head. I didn’t see any girl.” I did sit up, but made no move to stand. “Prepared?”

  He gestured, and Green Boy pounced, hauling me to my feet. “Bring her.”

  Turning, Demon Mitchell swept out with an impressive swing of his robes. Walking alongside the other, I glanced at its throat. Tiny scales covered it, and they did look softer than the larger ones everywhere else. For a minute, an attack seemed like a really good idea. But then I wondered if they’d just knock me out. Being unconscious would ruin the plan I’d come up with.

  I’d just be dead. Maybe a better opportunity would come along.

  We arrived at another rocky opening, but the room beyond it looked as though it had been lifted from a palace. There was a bathing pool in the middle of it, surrounded by marble floor and walls. “Nice place.”

  “Shut up, witch. Remove your clothing and bathe.”

  No way in hell I was getting naked while they watched. “Sure, as long as you both turn your backs. I don’t do audience participation when nude.”

  Demon Mitchell sneered. “I can have him undress and bathe you.”

  Modesty was elbowed out of the way by panicky disgust. “Guess there’s a first time for everything.”

  He laughed. Trudging toward the pool, I began undressing with my back to them. The water was pleasantly warm, but smelled of rotten eggs. High sulfur content. How appropriate.

  I scrubbed, washed my hair with stuff from a bottle Demon Mitchell tossed at me, and then rinsed. “Need a towel.”

  He pointed, and a stack of thick, blood-red towels appeared on the pool’s wide ledge. Wading over, I grabbed one to wrap around me while climbing out.

  By the time I’d finished drying, he’d conjured up a long, sleeveless crimson gown and a black, hooded robe. “These aren’t really my best colors.”

  “Put them on.”

  Grumbling under my breath about demonic lack of fashion sense and color palettes, I obeyed. A woman entered the room, carrying a tray with a brush and some other things on it. She was possessed, so no hope of help there.

  “Sit.”

  “You are one bossy son of a bitch, you know that? Most people use a little courtesy. You should try it. More flies with honey than vinegar.”

  Demon Mitchell snarled, his teeth showing points. “I am not most people. I am a prince of the demonic realm. Now sit.”

  I sat, wondering if that meant he would be more difficult to kill than the demons we’d fought so far. The possessed woman began messing with my hair. She even trimmed the ends and my bangs. After that, she rubbed some sort of oil around my wrists and ankles. It seemed no time at all had passed before she was finished, and was placing a pair of red slippers on the floor for me to wear. Sliding my feet into them, I stood up and turned around. “So how do I look?”

  “Like the perfect sacrifice.”

  I pretended dizziness, leaning back against the table where the tray sat. “That’s not very gentlemanly.”

  Another sneer appeared on the demon’s face, and my hand closed around the scissors. “Shut up, witch, and come.”

  “I’m not a witch. I’m a psychic. Now, I do know some witches, and I’ll tell you, I can’t do the things they can. There’s this spell they can do that makes a net drop around demons, and squishes them out of existence. It goes like this…”

  Green Boy lunged, evidently convinced I knew the spell. Arm swinging, I slashed at his throat. Blood sprayed, but not a damn bit of it landed on me because Demon Mitchell shoved him aside.

  He knocked the scissors out of my hand and caught hold of both my wrists. Before I could yank myself free, I was cuffed with manacles that had a short length of silver chain between them.

  “Enough from you. Forward to your destiny, witch,” he ordered, yanking on the chain. Green Boy’s throat sealed shut, and I shuddered at the nasty glare it gave me.

  Forward we went, toward what I sincerely hoped was the destiny I wanted, and not the one they were imagining for me.

  Just like in my vision, I fought while being led into the cavern and toward the altar. I didn’t see the book anywhere. The cultists who’d taken over leading me lifted me onto it. That’s when my nerve broke. Ready or not, I needed the cavalry. “Leglin!”

  All hell broke loose. Cultists screamed as hounds appeared and began attacking everyone in reach. I kicked Demon Mitchell in the stomach, and to my relief, my TK worked. The lock on the manacles clicked. Yanking them away and rolling off the altar, I crouched down. Where was that damn book?

  “Cordi! Behind you!” It sounded like David. Turning, I peeked over the altar, and yes, there it was. The book lay open on a short stone pillar on the other side of the altar.

  It seemed close, but a red glow of magic lay thick around it, Demon Mitchell was waiting, and the witches were too busy to try breaking it out.

  Flames, lightning and bodies flew around the cavern. Dropping back down, I took in the situation as well as possible in the crush. Leglin and four other hounds were keeping demons away from me.

  Nick and Thorandryll stood back-to-back thirty feet away, each swinging demon-blood-hungry blades that keened in delight. Percy was screaming obscenities in French as he buzzed demons to distract them so that Kate could cast spells.

  Trixie yowled, and I glimpsed Jo throwing a potion bomb and the demon it shattered against disappearing in an explosion of smoke. To her left, David had found some high ground. He was grinning like a mad man, throwing bottles and loading Copernicus each time the raven returned from dive bombing demons like a fighter jet.

  Surrounded by blue-green lightning, Damian netted demons too stupid to avoid him. Illusion stood pressed tightly against his leg, barking rapidly. I spotted Ronnie, safe within a circle. Saki, her ferret familiar, sat upon her shoulder, apparently pointing out targets as the blonde witch threw potion bombs.

  Whitehaven had made it close to the middle of the cavern, but stalled out, swords flashing as he whirled in a circle. He was wearing a leather outfit that left his arms bare, and didn’t look nearly as gaunt as usual.

  A black tiger burst through the demons nearby, and then Logan snarled at my left, huge paws slapping away one demon, claws raking through the flesh of another like scythes. On my right, Leglin echoed the sound, his fangs dripping fiery blood as he dropped an arm he'd ripped off another demon.

  I got busy using
my TK to toss demons away, but it became obvious that no matter how many we downed, more were steadily arriving to replace them. We weren't gaining any ground and in truth, were barely holding our own against the horde.

  Something had to be done before we ran out of steam. Before someone was killed.

  I didn't have a friggin' clue what, though. Just realized how incredibly stupid it was to have thought we were enough to take on a whole realm of demons.

  Spotting two demons trying to take advantage of Thorandryll and Nick's intense concentration on others, I used my cryo kinetic ability to freeze them. Thorandryll's blade leapt sideways, striking one, and frost-rimmed black fragments flew everywhere.

  The sight encouraged me. Concentrating, I began freezing all those within view until David yelled my name. “Cordi!”

  He was waving frantically toward a spot I couldn't see. “The tunnel! Cordi, the tunnel!”

  Oh. I moved closer to Leglin, desperately trying to spot the tunnel. The stream of demons arriving through it helped. Focusing, I pushed my CK to its limits and froze a huge chunk of the demonic reinforcements, effectively plugging the tunnel up.

  “Thatta girl!” Jo yelled, still throwing bottles.

  There were hundreds of demons trapped in the cavern with us. I blasted a few more to frozen stillness, but Mitchell called out something in a sibilant language that made my skin want to crawl away and hide. Flames sparked and spilled like liquid over mottled skin, instantly thawing out frozen demons. My CK had just become useless.

  Panting, I felt panic strike.

  Damian and Kate were both retreating to Ronnie's circle, pale faces creased in concentration and their magic barely crackling about them.

  A yell from Nick jerked my head around in time to see a demon drawing a clawed hand back and blood spurting from his neck and chest. A curse from Kate had me looking back, just as a clawed hand batted Percy out of the air. The parrot struck her back, sending the witch stumbling forward. Damian turned to confront the demon responsible.

  Whitehaven roared something that sounded like a challenge to the demons surrounding him. I saw Thorandryll grab the second sword before shoving Nick toward me. Spinning to put his back to us, the elf had both blades dancing to keep the demons at bay.