Page 21 of Chaos
Chapter 19
Ripley
W
hat the actual fuck was going on? Reyson put some sort of magic into the world to get anyone who might have been involved in his summoning to my library. I was expecting Dorian or Bram to show up. When I went to unlock the door the next morning, an entire line was wrapped around the building. I would admit to camping out and waiting in huge lines for the next Harry Potter book, but we didn’t really get that at my library.
“Uh, Reyson?” I called, peeking out the door. I hadn’t opened it because I didn’t need that many people without library cards in here at once. Felix and Reyson were at my side at once. Gabriel was on book duty to see if he could find out more about our shared tarot reading.
“We are properly fucked if that many people are responsible for the god being here. Look at their auras. It’s a mixed bag. It’s not just hedge witches out there. There are witches and warlocks capable of dark magic. There are some vampires and shifters out there, too,” Felix said.
“You see auras, but I can see deeper than that,” Reyson said. “They’ve all gotten into some dark shit. If I’m reading them correctly, every single being out there has been touched by a demon. I know you witches think you have the market on making deals with demons, but back in my day, every culture had a way to do it. I doubt that knowledge has been lost.
“Even back then, that kind of thing was frowned upon. Some of my family preferred the aether to walking the Earth, but the ones with vessels had rules about the gifts we’d give out. We only meddled when it restored the balance. I will admit we went out of control sometimes and let things go to our heads.
“Some of the things people petitioned us to grant were totally within our scope to give, but we can all see all probable outcomes. We saw what would happen if we agreed. Some of us did anyway. I sometimes did too. People always want more than they have and will do anything to get it. I’m fairly certain it was demons who went around teaching the various summoning rituals, but they are out there, as evident by all those people outside the library.”
“Well, the two men in here looking up primordial gods were a human that made a deal and a Hellhound. This all ties back to demons, and I don’t know why. I don’t exactly want to let all those people in here. If they’ve been demon touched, then there’s no way in fuck they’ve been approved for a library card. I don’t like their auras either.”
“I’ll question them outside,” Reyson said.
“No way,” I said. “I get you’re a god and everything, but all those people made deals with demons, and we know they wanted you here.”
Reyson put his hand over his heart and fluttered his eyelashes at me.
“It’s touching you’re concerned for my safety, my witch.”
Reyson flicked his wrist, and the entire crowd disappeared except one very confused vampire with an aura that didn’t set my teeth on edge.
“That one is here for books. I wish you were less particular about your library because I could have saved one and tortured the information out of them.”
Felix looked a little sick. He refused to catch mice when he was a cat, and I think he had a massive problem with torture. I did too, but I knew some potions that would have loosened their tongue.
“If more show up, save one. Don’t torture them but bring them to the waiting area. There’s a room I can sneak them in. Felix, can you brew a truth potion?”
“Bitch, I taught you how.”
Reyson just growled.
“Watch how you talk to my witch.”
“Calm your tits. That’s just how we talk to each other. I didn’t mean were you capable. I meant could you go up to my potions room and start making one?”
“I know, but I had to deal with your difficult arse when I was stuck as the cat, and now it’s time for a little payback.”
I rolled my eyes as Felix sauntered off upstairs. He even flicked his dreadlocks over his shoulder on the way out. Ass. I turned to Reyson.
“More are coming, correct? We’ll get one to question?
“It’ll take them a while. Those were just the ones in driving distance.”
That wasa lotof people out there. More people than I ever thought had outstanding deals with demons and that was just those in driving distance.
We were so fucked.
Chapter 20
Balthazar
