Page 31 of Demon's Prey
Her father stopped with wide eyes, pointing at Kurse from down the hall.
“That? That thing is your friend? He tried to kill me!”
“Actually,” Kurse said, maintaining his distance. “The spell was only meant to freeze you up. Usually, I rip the person’s head off while they are still. That’s when they die.”
Her father’s lip trembled, screeching at Kurse, “Did you think that was going to make me feel better?”
Faith couldn’t help but to laugh. Her father turned his head to his daughter in shock. Faith waved her hand in front of his face, apologizing.
“Sorry, dad. He was trying to reassure you. He isn’t going to hurt you, is what he meant.”
Her father continued breathing roughly. He was an older man, so it was normal to be concerned about his heart. Faith made her way to the floor and rubbed his back.
“It’s okay, dad. He cast the spell to protect me. He didn’t know that you and mom were coming…”
“Linda! Your mother, where is she?”
Faith could feel his heart racing through his back. Kurse stepped closer cautiously.
“I have an idea where she may be. If you want to stay here, I need to use the bathroom.”
Kurse stepped over Faith’s father and into the bathroom. He cowered slightly, but Faith made sure she remained at his side.
Kurse raised a hand in the air, holding it still. He then began to move the other in a circle. Yellow and orange colored fire began to spark in the air as Kurse spoke Latin.
“Ostende mini domum!” He bellowed, the linoleum shaking. He continued uttering the words until smoke burst forth from the mirror. Faith helped her father off the floor and held him as they stood next to the mirror.
Faith could not believe her eyes, but there it was, the landscape of hell in front of her. Embers flashed ruby red and deep sunrise orange. Initially, it looked like a massive fire-pit, but soon Faith heard her mother’s voice screaming from beyond the frame of the mirror.
“Linda!” Her father yelled.
“She can’t hear you,” Kurse said casually.
Her father yanked at Kurse’s loincloth, almost completely ripping it off.
“What did you do? Where is my wife!”
Kurse raised his hands in fright. Faith grabbed at her dad, pulling him away from Kurse’s groin. Kurse tried his best to speak plainly.
“This is a scrying window—it's how I can see where I’m from without having to go there. It looks like my spell backfired slightly.” Kurse reached behind his head and scratched his skull in shame.
Faith’s father pointed to the mirror. Faith looked at what he was motioning toward. Together, they watched as her mother, still wearing the dress she assumed she had arrived in, hurtling toward a giant mosquito-type creature with what looked like a makeshift sword.
“What is going on! “Her father screamed.
Faith watched as her mother battled the creature, looking more and more heroic by the second.
“That’s a piece of stalagmite, she’s using to try to—”
“I DON’T GIVE A SHIT WHAT SHE’S DOING! YOU NEED TO GO AND GET MY WIFE!”
Kurse jumped backward into the wall of the bathroom. The linoleum behind his head shattered, casting an outline of his horns like a permanent shadow. Faith huffed. She was going to need a renovation after all of this was over.
“Kurse,” Faith touched his hand. “Do you think you can save my mom?”
Kurse nodded, “Definitely. Just give me a second.”
Kurse closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. Faith recommended that they take a step back into the hallway. Her father complied reluctantly.
