Page 11 of Forbidden! Exorcist Roommate
When I didn’t see the temple, I dug out Sagitta’s crumpled note from my pocket. Two blocks behind the donut place, he’d said. I kept walking until I saw a bunch of fancy red spires erupting into the grey sky. Nothing else in the city looked like that, so I assumed I’d come to the right place.
Finally I emerged on a clean, quiet side street. I sucked in a breath. Past the iron gate and ginkgo trees stood a low, sprawling temple. It looked calm and noble compared to the rest of the city. Accents of black, purple, and gold adorned the temple’s roof. It didn’t resemble any particular religious building I’d ever seen; it was more like an architectural mishmash.
The tall front gate was unlocked, so I cautiously slipped inside. The temple grounds seemed unnaturally quiet for a place tucked into a city block. The trees and surrounding buildings must’ve dampened the noise.
There wasn’t a front door, or a greeting area, or anything. The entrance led directly into an outdoor hallway, half covered by an angled roof. The floors were shiny dark wood, like they were polished daily. I felt bad stomping on them with my dirty sneakers.
Beneath the roof, the hall was lined with closed doors. On the opposite side, the walkway opened to an outdoor courtyard. It featured a manicured garden with topiaries and a spacious pond with a mini-waterfall.
Admittedly, the pond piqued my interest, but that wasn’t why I was here.
Sagitta had summoned me. So, how was I supposed to find him?
As I explored the halls, I passed a few people. They all seemed too busy to talk, but none spared me a second glance, so it must not have been unusual to have visitors. The people were of various ages, and all dressed differently. I guessed the temple had no strict dress code. It reminded me more of a university campus than a religious institution.
Finally, I gave up and decided to ask for help from the next person I saw.
Ahead of me, a tall man with thick-framed glasses exited a door. His sweater vest and tie reminded me of a professor. A few other folks walking by gave him a respectful nod, so I assumed he was important around here.
“What do you think? Is Sexy Prof your type?” Faust teased.
I gritted my teeth and bit back a reply. I had to concentrate.
“Hey,” I greeted the professor. “I’m kinda lost. Could you help me out?”
The man with glasses appeared to be in a rush, but he stopped and straightened anyway. “Oh, hello, yes. What can I do for you?”
“I’m looking for someone named Sagitta?”
The professor nodded. “Ah, are you a client? Yes, he’s most likely in the back courtyard. Just follow this hall and swing a left.” He pointed in its direction. “He’s excellent at what he does. You won’t be disappointed.” With a sheepish chuckle, he pushed up his glasses. “Actually, I trained him myself.”
“Oh?” I asked. “Are you, like, a teacher around here?”
“Yes!” He thrust out his hand, and I shook it. His bony knuckles stuck out like speed bumps. “I’m Dr. Luminis Fairfax, senior professor of demonology.”
If he’d said that to me yesterday, I would’ve laughed. But now that a demon was literally inside my head, it didn’t seem as funny.
“Huh. I didn’t know that was a thing,” I said.
Fairfax’s eyes lit up. He popped open his briefcase, pulled out a pamphlet, and eagerly handed it to me. Normally, I politely declined papers shoved at me by strangers, but I accepted his offering.
“Demons can be frightening, but with the right skills and mindset, they’re nothing to be afraid of.” Fairfax beamed. He looked like he was holding himself back from giving me a personal lecture. Then he checked his watch and jolted. “Oops, I’m running late for my flight—demonology conference in Alberta. Good luck!”
Fairfax stumbled, nearly tripped on his half-tied shoelaces, then ran down the hall on his lanky legs.
I watched him go, then mumbled, “Luminis Fairfax, Sagitta... why does everyone have such a weird name around here?”
I continued in the direction the prof instructed me to go, but I was curious, so I pulled out the pamphlet. I could walk and read at the same time.
DEMONS & YOU!
Professor Fairfax’s Brief Guide to Demon Interaction [Client Edition]
Rule 1. Names have power. Named demons are stronger than unnamed ones. Never let a demon know your real name!
Well, shit. Step one failed. Still, that explained the weird names. They were like stage names, or pen names.
Rule 2. Words have power. Never converse with a demon. If a demon speaks to you, ignore it. NEVER make deals with a demon!
