Page 87 of Death Wish

“So, when I opened the window to let the steam out from the shower…” Kay began.

“It weakened the spell,” Laurence said, but then smiled at her. “But that’s okay. He’s gone now. You’re safe.”

“Not without some blood spilled.” She tossed me my leather glove, and I slipped it back on. “Are you okay, Jade? That was quite a landing.”

Rubbing at a stiff muscle in my shoulder, I replied, “Eh, I haven’t spilled blood in a long time. I have a lot to catch up on.”

“Well, just to be safe…” Kay reached for the window to close it.

A gray-skinned hand reached through the opening and seized Kay by the arm.

“Kay! No!”

But it was too late. Xaver yanked her out of the window, leaving us only with the echo of his laughter.

I rushed over and peered outside. “Kay! Kay!” But she was gone. Vanished.

Not knowing what else to do, I ran out of the apartment, my heart pounding harder than it ever had before. Laurence was right behind me as I circled the building, but there were no signs of Kay or the demon.

“What do we do now?” Laurence cried out, searching the surrounding area.

“I’m thinking. I’m thinking.” I paced in front of the boarded-up store. My head was still throbbing from the fight with Xaver in the bathroom and now from the new panic of losing Kay to the monster.

Come on, Jade. Think.

We needed to rescue Kay. That was a given. But how to find her…

Something resurfaced from my memory—something Kay had said a long time ago about Laurence and doing a spell to find out who I really was in life.

“Laurence!”

He jumped. His nerves were obviously shot.

“Do you know how to do a location spell?” I asked.

“Uh, I’ve been practicing. It’s the highest form of level one magic there is, so I haven’t perfected it yet.”

“Didn’t you say the fire ball was level two magic? Shouldn’t that mean you’re level two now?”

“That fireball was extremely lucky. And it was small compared to what it should have been. I’ve been tinkering with the spell, but I’m not there yet,” he said. “As for moving levels, that’s not how it works for witches and sorcerers. You move to the next level after passing a test held by the Magic Council.”

What the hell did I know? These weren’t the types of questions you asked people. Especially ones you just helped die to cross over.

“Level one is mostly defensive magic. Protection spells, concealing and levitation spells. Counter curses. Stuff like that. Level two is more offensive, and they don’t really tell you what’s in level three. Not many of us get that far.”

“Do you think you can perform a location spell to find Kay?” I asked. “Or even Xaver?”

She was bound to be wherever he was. After everything, it was doubtful he would let her out of his sight again. Even more so since he knew I was involved in this.

“Maybe,” Laurence said, “but I would need a piece of her…”

“Er—what?”

“Like a lock of her hair or a clipped fingernail. Something for the magic to know who it’s looking for.”

There had to be something in her apartment. “Go back upstairs and snag her hairbrush or something.”

“Good idea.” He was gone in the next second.

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