Page 30 of Sealed By Fire (The Nature Hunters Academy 2)

Saphora took the chair at the table and pulled the book closer as she continued to read quietly, all the while still speaking to them.

“Demons are classified in power by their domain. It isn’t their wickedness that makes them particularly powerful. It’s their ability to corrupt. Demi-lords have proven their worth by influencing many or corrupting great men or women.” Saphora stopped speaking as she flipped through several pages and then continued. “One of the things that denotes a demi-lord is that they have been given an entire level of the underworld to control. Though there are only seven levels of hell, there are more than seven demi-lords.”

“What sets them apart if they don’t rule a level?” Aviur asked.

“Whatever it is that Osiris allows them,” she answered without looking up from her book. “The lord of the underworld determines, ultimately, what power the demi-lords have.”

“And what type of a demon is below a demi-lord?” Kairi asked.

“A conjurer. They are the only other kind of demon that can take a physical form in the topworld,” she explained. “Any other demon is invisible to humans and can only influence the human realm by possessing a body.”

“Am I correct in assuming Blackhorn coven has summoned conjurers but not demi-lords?” Aviur asked.

“You are. And the conjurers we summoned were not done so to invoke a spell that was used to hurt others.”

Kairi guffawed and Nasima scoffed. “Not to hurt others? What do you expect will happen when you summon demons to the mortal realm?” Kairi asked. “That they just want to frolic in the open air? Take a little break from all the sulfur? Demons care for nothing and no one other than themselves. You aren’t dumb enough to believe the lie you just tried to feed us.”

Saphora closed the book and laid her folded hands on top of it. She let out a slow breath. “We have summoned conjurer demons because it takes less sacrifice on the part of the coven since they can already take a physical form. But I can assure you, every time a conjurer has been summoned, the spells didn’t go beyond the circle in which they were cast. I can give you a blood oath if you’d like.”

Nasima shook her head and held up her hand. “We do not deal in the blood of mortals,” she said. “We will take you at your word. Thank you for being so forthcoming with us.” They stood as one. Instead of heading for the door, Aviur opened a portal.

“Before you go,” Saphora said, “you should know about something I found in the grimoire that might be of interest. Blackhorn was approached by a small coven in Europe a century or so ago, asking for help in summoning the lord of the underworld.”

Aviur didn’t miss the way Nasima’s jaw clenched as she gave a nod of thanks and then stepped through the fire portal he’d opened. He gave a slight bow of his head as he followed Kairi through. They appeared in the same place as before on the street down from the manor.

“Well, that was interesting,” he said as he dusted off his clothes, feeling as though the stink of the coven magic was still clinging to him.

“She changed her tune once she realized we weren’t just picking on her coven,” Nasima said.

Kairi added, “She seemed genuinely scared when we mentioned summoning a demi-lord.”

Nasima nodded. “I noticed that, too. I get the feeling such a thing is taboo in a coven, or at least in one as old as Blackhorn.”

“Do you know of this small European coven she is talking about?” Aviur asked.

“They should be in the World Coven Directory,” Nasima said. “The wonder of the modern age and the internet.” She pulled a cell phone from her dress, which caused him to smile. The irony that they could control the elements and yet still had to use modern things was not lost on him.

The air queen did some tapping on the phone’s screen, and a few minutes later she slipped it back into her pocket.

“We’re headed to London.” She waved her hand in the air and opened a portal.

“After you,” Aviur said. He motioned for the ladies to go through first. As he stepped into the portal, he glanced over his shoulder and saw that Saphora was standing on the porch of the Blackhorn Manor watching them. Her eyes weren’t full of the disdain they had been when they’d arrived at her door. Now, they held the unmistakable edge of dread.

7

Nasima called the wind to her and wiped away the dark magic that had surrounded her while she’d been in the Blackhorn Manor. She had never liked being near witches, but being in their place of magic, where they conjured and summoned, was even worse. Having to enter two such places in one day was really pushing her patience. For a moment, she allowed herself to think of Beval. Her mate would have teased her mercilessly as her irritation grew because he loved to poke at her. There was no doubt in her mind he adored her, but that didn’t stop him from provoking her as often as he could.

They were standing on the steps of a home that looked as though it could be in a Norman Rockwell painting, so picturesque and perfect. It was in complete contrast to the feeling of darkness that washed over her when she pushed the doorbell. Nothing so evil should cling to something so pretty.

“This is definitely the place,” she murmured to her two companions.

“Did Mary Poppins become a wicked witch?” Aviur asked, his deep voice an amused purr even as his shrewd eyes took in their surroundings like the predator he was.

“This is more like Hansel and Gretel than Mary Poppins,” Kairi said. “Looks perfect, but the kids are going to get eaten if they go inside.”

The door opened, and an elderly lady smiled from the threshold. It should have been a warm, inviting smile on a kind face, but the eyes were filled with too much darkness for any warmth to fit.

Nasima had to force herself not to take a step back. If she’d thought Saphora had been submerged in dark magic, she’d been wrong. With the amount of dark power practically dripping from the woman’s pores, she was either possessed by a demon or she had just left the presence of a very strong one.

---