Page 32 of The Misfit Mage and His Darling Demon

“It’s unlikely to happen since chances are the chunks of essence floating about are merely used as fuel to keep this thing moving, but on the off chance a demon appears—gut it.”

“You think that’s necessary?”

“Absolutely. Never mince words with demons. Kill them and save the conversation for their eulogy. That’s my motto.”

“I should’ve tried that when you kicked me down the stairs.” I grimaced.

“You did. And failed spectacularly.” He puckered his lips. “Then I ravished you, which I wish I had some time for now, but alas, work calls.”

I rolled my eyes, mainly because of how he’d repainted our history to suit his banter and his boasting over work. Bez hated work, calling it a classist system to oppress joy, yet he wanted all the fun things which cost money.

“You think I can hold my own against a demon?”

“Not a chance. You’ll be dead in a minute. Less than if they realize you’re screwing a devil. But since you’re insistent on exploring without me at your side, we need proper measures in place.”

I clenched the blade’s hilt.

Tony clacked his claws, startling me.

“Ah, yes, Antoninus,” Bez said the name mockingly. “If you toss him at a Diabolic foe, you might buy yourself a few more seconds.”

“Rude.” I bopped Bez on the chest, to which he merely snapped his teeth like biting the air, then grinned.

Tony hissed. And for good reason. I hadn’t even realized Tony had gotten here when Bez nearly dropped a book on him during ouronelibrary visit since moving into the villa. Bez claimed he must have snuck into his slacks when he went through the portal to rescue me, but I suspected there was more to the story. I just didn’t know the full story…yet.

“Just stay in here, keep the door locked, and be sure to run if something jumps out of the shadows.” With that, Bez walked toward the white glowing seven-sided star sigil and vanished in a cloud of golden, sparkling specks.

The helm had the only exit on or off the villa’s dimensional voyage, back to our plane of reality. Well, the only one we’d found. Bez was right. I needed to remain here. Not that anything had appeared or attacked us since arriving and dealing with the former Baron Novus, but it was doubtful an enemy would strike with a devil nearby.

I gulped. “I’m going to double-check the door.”

Tony skittered toward the operation’s panel, obviously dismissing my fear as paranoia. But it was like double-checking the stove, deadbolt, or light switch in another room—it never hurt to air on the side of caution, whereas it could be deadly to throw caution to the wind.

I reexamined the incantations I’d added as an extra locking mechanism on the entrance. The glow of the symbols held strong, and even a regiment chancellor would have difficulty breaking through. These wards would keep anyone from just walking into the helm. Excluding a Fae, of course, since theycould simply move between dimensions and skirt the laws put into place. Or a Diabolic, who could do the same, and also use their essence to devour and destroy the incantations altogether.

Oh, gods. I was screwed.

Why’d Bez have to put that in my head? I hoped he’d return soon. Mainly because he’d planted horrible doubts about my death without him here, and also, I had nothing to research. I’d scoured the books I’d brought that didn’t remotely assist in comprehending how the navigation system for the villa’s helm worked, which didn’t matter since he’d stolen them to pawn off to Mora.

Tony clicked his claws, directing them to the navigation panel. He was right. Sometimes the best way to learn a system was to explore it with a little hands-on instruction. Plus, it’d distract me at the very least.

I set the dagger down and joined in to investigate the control panel, doing my best to recall Sylvan symbols without a handy guidebook for linguistic references. Each letter of the alphabet acted as a button to push. Tony trailed alongside a set of seven repeatedly, careful not to tap them but pointing his stinger every time he crossed those particular letters.

“You’re clearly better at memorizing the Fae language than I am,” I said. “Alrighty, buddy. I’m gonna trust your judgment.”

I pressed the first, second, and third symbols he’d shuffled past. When I reached for the fourth, Tony hissed.

“Oops.” I followed his very clear order of directions.

Gears whirled. Followed by clanks and thunks and lots of twisting knots sounding below and above this room.

“Shit. Pretty sure we hit a few incorrect buttons.”

A learning curve that hopefully didn’t break anything.

I looked at the door, triple checking the ward held strong, which of course, it did.

“Maybe we shouldn’t play with this,” I said.

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