Page 8 of Strike It Witch

The portal cinched smaller, and my heart beat like a rock-band drum—kick, snare,kick, snare.

Hurry.

“Elaine likely has your wretched feline in her clutches and is just waiting for me to close the portal,” Gnath said. “You’re right to be fearful. She is the most feared punisher in all of Purgatory.”

“That’s another thing.” Ida regarded Gnath with annoyance. “You made it sound like you were dragging me to Hell.”

“Yeah, well, I lied. I’m a demon. It’s in the job description.” He snorted, crossed his arms tight around his middle. “Besides, Limbo ain’t exactly a walk in the park.”

“Please. I can see the trees from here,” Ida said. “It’sliterallya walk in the park.”

“Not true, elder woman. Beyond those tall green oaks, that crystal clear stream, and the bunny rabbit warren, there’s real terror going on.”

Four minutes.Fennel, please hurry.

I cursed myself for not maintaining our mind link, damn the magic drain. But it wouldn’t have worked. I was already close to losing my grip on the mercury fire. The soil here had plenty of power, but it wasn’t my soil, and there were limits to what I could do with it.

“If he doesn’t come out in thirty seconds, I’m going in after him,” Ida whispered.

“No.”

“I can do it, Betty.”

“No.” Gods, if I lost them both…

Come on, Fennel.

I sat up, pulled a bundle of dried rosemary and a lighter from my back pocket, and began chanting the banishment spell. I couldn’t risk the circle falling and Gnath getting loose. A win against an elemental witch would embolden the demon. Innocent people would die.

I chanted beneath my breath, magically preparing myself for the next step—booting Gnath’s ass back through the gateway.

And diving in after him to find my partner.

“I know what you’re thinking, Betty,” Ida said. “Don’t do it. You won’t survive in there. You’re not like Fennel and me. If you won't let me help, then use the favor.”

I pushed to my feet. Soil flecked my hands, and my eyes were undoubtedly glowing as silver as the flames in the salt ring. “Gnath, servant of iniquity?—”

“Wait. Don’t banish me. I can help you.”

“—commander of the second brigade of malfeasance.”

I pulled every ounce of magic at my disposal into my voice as I edged toward the gateway. My throat was on fire and my head pounded. I crouched the way Fennel had before leaping onto Gnath’s head and balanced on my fingers, like a runner at the starting line of a race.

“Demon of Highway?—”

“Betty,no,” Ida yelled.

“Reeeeowww!”

A furry black form launched through the shrinking opening and crash landed in the dirt at Ida’s feet, a burlap-wrapped bundle clamped between his teeth.

Relief flowed through me in a rush.

“You’re late.” Ida patted the purring, bleary-eyed black cat. “What’s wrong with you? What’s that smell?”

“Me-oww.” He rubbed against her hand.

She plucked a bit of greenery from his fur. Sniffed. “Catnip.”

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