The Witch with No Name

“You, ah, think I could come with you?” I said, and Ellasbeth jerked, her attention on Lucy momentarily eclipsed. “I need to persuade them to leave the surface demons in the ever-after and the real demons in reality,” I added, wincing. I wasn’t going to be the demons’ liaison, but someone had to say something, and I did have a reputation for saving large demographics—even if the collateral damage was high.

Ellasbeth finally got hold of Lucy, and she backed up to the door with her as the little girl protested. “You’re joking,” she said, voice distracted. “You want them here?”

“Absolutely,” I said. My feet were freezing, and I wanted to go in.

Trent shrugged. “Sure. I’ll pick you up at eight. You’ll be at the church?”

Ellasbeth was struggling with Lucy. Exasperated, she exclaimed, “Yes, you both go. I can watch the girls.”

My eyes darted to Trent, and then Al.

“You will watch the girls?” Al drawled, popping little blue horses into existence as fast as Lucy could pop them out of existence between her two hands. “I heard it was your idea to kill Trent and Rachel so you’d have the girls as your own.”

It was out, and Ellasbeth’s cheeks reddened. “That was not my idea!” she protested, and Lucy slipped from her.

Frustrated, Trent checked his watch. “Quen and Jon can watch them.”

“I am not trying to steal the girls,” Ellasbeth said hotly, and Trent absently took a horse out of Ray’s mouth.

“I’m sorry, Ellasbeth,” he said frankly. “Rachel seems to think the best of everyone, but I’m not that . . .” He hesitated.

“Naive, I believe is the word you’re looking for,” Al said, and I frowned, almost smacking him with the back of my hand.

“Lucy is my child!” Ellasbeth said, one hand gripping the wildly twisting little girl. “I can watch her.”

Trent lifted his chin and started for the door. “I don’t want you to.”

I needed to get dressed, and I hesitated, wanting to say good-bye to Al before going in, but not wanting to do it in front of everyone.

“I can watch the girls until six,” Al said suddenly, and I blinked. Face red, Al jerked his watch out of its little pocket. “Ah, that’d be six P.M., eastern standard time. I’m busy after that.”

“You?” I said, and his complexion darkened. “You don’t know anything about babies.”

“Absolutely not!” Ellasbeth pushed her way into the courtyard, a mix of terror and anger.

Al seemed unperturbed. “They’re not babies, they’re toddlers. Besides, I’m third on the list, I believe?”

Trent was smiling, small but honest. “No, thank you. Jon can do it.”

Ellasbeth struggled with Lucy, the little girl wailing about the dead horse in her tight grip. “What does he mean, third on the list?”

Trent and I exchanged a look, but Quen poked his head out the door, saving us from having to answer. “Sa’han? Ms. Morgan? Ivy has phoned. She’s fine, but she’s trying to reach Rachel. Felix committed suncide this morning and she’d like Rachel’s help with Nina.”

Fear slid through my soul, and I took a fast breath. The dewar would have to wait. “I have to go.” I hesitated, wanting to touch Al to say good-bye but not daring to.

“Of course he committed suncide,” Al said distantly. “That’s why we had to separate their souls from their bodies to begin with.”

“Go.” Trent jiggled a fussy Ray. “I’ll bring up your concerns to the dewar.”

I looked at Al one last time before I started for the door. “Thank you,” I said, trying to remember where I’d left my boots. “I’ll do what I can.”

“You’re going to need all the voices you can get in the dewar, Kalamack,” Al said loudly. “Poor use of resources to waste Quen and Jon tending your girls, especially when you claim to want this closer tie. Let me watch the little darlings.”

I turned, half in the house, half out. Ellasbeth waited, her lilac perfume strong on the still air. Trent was frowning, but it was in thought, not concern.

“I’m not worried about the girls,” he said, making Ellasbeth gasp. “I’m worried about you rummaging in my things. No. I’ll take them with me. It will be a good reminder to the dewar.”

Al pulled himself up, a hand elegantly behind his back. “I will be the perfect example of correctness.”

Ellasbeth’s hand went to the house for balance. “I swear, Trent, if you give our children to that demon to watch them, I’ll never forgive you.”

Trent looked at me, and I shrugged. “He won’t keep them permanently,” I said, and Al grinned to show his blocky teeth.

Trent set Ray down, and the little girl wobbled to Al, beaming as if he was a new toy.

“Trenton!” Ellasbeth shrieked, and Lucy finally slipped from her. Ellasbeth made a lunge after her, and Quen jerked the woman back, his expression stoic as she slapped his face.

“You get my standard sitting rate,” Trent said, almost shouting over Ellasbeth’s hysterics as Al picked Lucy up. “You stay on the top floor and out of my room. And my spelling hut. And everything else. No phone, no scrying, no showing them off to anyone. I want them here in my apartments at all times.”

“De-e-e-elighted,” the demon said, then vanished with both girls.