Page 107 of My Eternal Light

“When you say with a bow?”

“Trust me, you will love it.”

“Then I agree, because it’s not just me that needs justice.”

“Excellent. Give me a day and everything should be ready. They are panicking right now and ripe for destruction. You made my job so much easier with that stunt at the facility.”

“Did you get what you needed?”

“From them? Yes.”

“Why do any of this? Why kill so many?”

The demon shrugged. “I may have done things differently if I were planning things.”

“What does that mean?”

“You have all the clues. I am confident you can figure it out.”

“Give me another clue.”

“What will you pay?”

“What do you want?”

He hesitated. “Give me a name.”

Meryn stared. “Dude! You don’t have a name?”

“We were not considered worthy of names.”

“That’s fucked up. Okay, you have a deal, let me think.”

He let out a nervous chuckle. “It is just a name.”

Meryn could see a vulnerability in his expression, that wasn’t there when she walked in. This meant a lot to him. She thought back to all the people she had met, all the names she had known over her life. Smiling, she looked at him. “I’m going to give you my favorite boy name from when I was a kid. Xavier.”

The demon seemed to swell, then settle back to his original size. He hugged himself, then looked down at his arms as if he were admiring a new outfit. “Why that one?”

“It was the name of my imaginary friend, it seemed appropriate.”

He laughed, deep and rich. “I love it. Here is your clue. With what you know about me, investigate the first bead.”

“It sounds like you want me to find you.”

“Maybe I do.”

“Goodbye, Xavier.”

His eyes glowed. “Goodbye, Meryn.”

*****

Kincaid watched as the person with the most protection sat alone, communicating with a demon. Two uncles, an athair, a mate and a squire all paced around one another. In any other scenario it would have been comical.

“What do you mean she’s talking to a demon? And again?” Marshall demanded.

Aiden ran his hand through his hair. “He only communicates with her.”

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