Page 20 of Obsession

“Nice try, but I think I’ll stay put,” I say.

He turns his attention to Damion and Gabe. “Where’s my tribute?”

“We are trying to release the demon Phenex from an incantation bowl with your image drawn in the center. Shall we call for a Reckoning, or are you in a cooperative mood?” Damion asks casually.

“Tsk, tsk, there’s no need for threats. What do you want to know?”

“You are the demon known as Abracas?”

“Yes, at your service.” He bows, winking at me. “And you are?”

“Damion, offspring of Zazel.”

“Why didn’t you say so? How may I help?” Abracas asks eagerly, much more inclined to cooperate all of a sudden.

“Did you help bind Phenex in this incantation bowl?” The bowl materializes in Damion’s hands, and he holds it up for Abracas to see.

“Of course not.” He sighs. “A few fools in Babylon worshipped me for a time, but being the fickle creatures that humans are, they found another god to replace me. I would never help enslave a fellow demon.”

“Do you know how to break the binding spell of an incantation bowl?” Damion tries.

“I don’t.” He pauses to think for a moment. “You might get your angel friend to ask Metratron if he knows,” he suggests, nodding in Gabe’s direction. “If that is all, please allow me to take my leave.”

“Very well,” Damion says. “Thank you for your cooperation.” Damion and Gabe chant and Abracas soon vanishes. Gabe waves his hand; the drawings likewise disappear.

I light a sage bundle and smudge the area, just to be safe. Damion waves the smoke out of his face. “That stinks.”

“Of course you’d think so, demon. So how can you be sure he was telling the truth?” I ask.

“Entrapment of a fellow demon is a serious offense. I don’t think he was lying,” Damion explains.

“And from what I’ve been told, drinking holy water at a Reckoning can be an excruciatingly painful experience. He has every incentive to be truthful with us on the front end to avoid a trip to the summoning chamber,” Gabe adds. Understandable. I can think of about a million places I’d rather be than back in that demonic courtroom.

“When he asked for his tribute, what did he mean?” I ask.

“Demons pay to play,” Damion says, not answering my question.

I sigh in exasperation. “But what is his currency?”

“Candy,” Gabe tells me.

“Are you joking?”

“Aubry, I’m quite serious. The demon is a sugar fiend.” Aunt Callie always says sugar is the devil. I’m not going to tell her this little tidbit, lest I have to start hiding my candy contraband under my bed. Unless that would lure Abracas under my bed? Wow, that’s a terrifying thought.

“Hey, Mystery Gang, sorry I’m late. What did I miss?” Charlotte asks, joining us.

“Not our nickname,” Damion says emphatically.

“You missed an abracadabra magic trick.” I provide her a brief summary of our encounter with Abracas. “Do we really want to involve Metratron? Having met the angel, my vote is a big hell no.” I got called to the angelic principal’s office, so to speak, after the whole Eiael saga.

“But Aubry, he is the angelic scribe who documents all human earthly events, so he would know if a human has successfully unbound a demon trapped in an incantation bowl,” Gabe makes the case.

“How do we even contact him?” Charlotte asks.

“I’ll have to ask a messenger angel to deliver him the question. It could take some time. You and Damion owe me a big favor,” Gabe says.

Charlotte looks at her watch. “I’ve got to get back to class,” she says.

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