Page 97 of Wicked Deeds

Callum nodded. “I agree. Jack is the target we need to deal with. Damon’s men have been tasked with finding whoever Jack brought with him. There do not seem to have been many of them.”

“Well, it’s hard to find a bunch of nutjobs who all think playing with demons is fun,” I said, trying to sound as though a large part of me wasn’t screaming inside at the thought of facing another demon. “How do you want to do this?”

“You should make your way outside, find Damon’s men,” Callum said. “Get to safety.”

“That’s not what you’ve been training me for.”

“No, but this is more than you are ready for.”

I scowled at him. “I fought a demon before.”

“You cannot call lightning inside a building. Not without killing everyone else in the room. Usuriel and I have a better chance of stopping Jack. You should leave.” Callum folded his arms across his leather-clad chest.

“I’m not leaving Gwen.”

Usuriel raised a brow at this.

Callum looked resigned. “You are going to be stubborn about this, aren’t you? Like you were in the realm?”

“She still needs help.” He could say whatever he wanted, but I wasn’t changing my mind. I had to change his, so we wouldn’t waste time arguing. “It’s her Jack wants, not me. He needs her somehow. We can’t let him have her.”

“What use does he have for an untrained tanai?” Callum asked.

Right. They didn’t know Gwen was Jack’s daughter. “Untrained makes her more vulnerable,” I said. “Perhaps he thinks he can use her magic somehow to bring the demon through? Bind her, maybe?”

“He would need power over her for that,” Usuriel said sharply. “A bond of magic…or blood.” He stepped toward me. “What hold does he have over her? Did he do something in the game?”

Callum looked at him sharply. I cut him off before he could ask about the game.

“Not as far as I know. She admitted to talking to him. Or someone. I didn’t have time to confirm who it was.” God, had that only been this morning? “But they’ve never met. He couldn’t have bound her without meeting her, could he? She didn’t act like she was under a compulsion. And besides, he’s a witch, not Fae. I don’t even know if witches can do that.”

“Witches can do many things,” Callum muttered. “But we are wasting time.” He turned to Usuriel. “Maggie is right. If Jack wants the tanai, freeing her might be the quickest way to thwart his plans.”

“If he completes the summoning while we try, we will all pay the price,” Usuriel objected.

“You two go after Jack, I’ll find Gwen,” I said.

“You will get yourself killed,” Callum growled.

“Are you saying I’d be safer going with you to face a demon?”

He bared his teeth at me. “You should leave.”

I opened my mouth to argue but a wave of slimy magic pulsed across the room, cutting off my words.

Usuriel and Callum both pivoted toward the magic, like hunting hounds sighting prey.

“Go,” I said. “I’ll find Gwen.”

Callum turned back to me, mouth twisting.

“Go. Stop Jack. I’ll be fine.” That was probably a big fat lie but maybe, being Fae, he wouldn’t realize.

“She is right, s’ealg oiche,” Usuriel said. “We should hurry.”

For once he was on my side. I started to move back to the door, wanting to get out of there before he changed his mind.

Callum caught my wrist. “Wait.”

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