Page 18 of Grimoire Omens

“They’re afraid of the sun?”

“Your Earth’s rays hits differently than ours,” Ulseere explained. “They burn demon skin. A lucky reprieve for you. Hopefully, I’ll be able to track them to their lair and eliminate them before sunset, leaving Gryvak defenseless and easier to capture.”

“And what happens once you’d done that?”

“Then I leave this wretched place.”

“Can’t happen soon enough,” I agreed. I’d known the man barely two hours, and I couldn’t wait to ditch him. Especially since his departure meant the demon problem had been handled without me having to become some kind of super-fighting Buffy. Don’t get me wrong. Buffy was awesome. Stylish. Effective. Cute as a button while she kicked ass. But me? I lacked the proper skills or mindset to be a fighter.

It turned out Beatrice lived just past the market in an abandoned train, an antique any museum would have creamed itself to own. The three boxcars had been repurposed into homes. Cedric walked to the last one and sat in front of the step, flanked by flowerpots that somehow bloomed in this gloomy place.

The door swung open, and a woman a touch younger than me peeked out. Her strawberry-blonde hair had been loosely braided, and she wore a forest-green Algonquin College sweatshirt and bright pink, flared yoga pants. “Who is it?” She glanced down. “Oh hello, Cedric. It’s been a while. Where’s the old battleaxe?”

“Dame Miller is dead,” he announced. “I’ve brought her granddaughter, though, as well as two other companions who require sanctuary for the night.”

The woman, who had to be Beatrice, lifted her brows. “I smell a story, seeing as how you’re in the company of a shadow elf. Rather I imagine he got caught by the portal that appeared last night.”

“You know about it?” I couldn’t help but exclaim.

“Anyone with a lick of power felt it open.”

“I passed through voluntarily on the hunt for one who would cause havoc on this plane.”

Beatrice’s lips pinched. “Which would explain why my cards keep predicting doom and gloom today. Come inside. I want to hear everything.”

Unlike Cedric and Ulseere, she didn’t roll her eyes or chastise me as I told my story of using a summoning spell to find true love. She did arch a brow at hearing Flo bashed an imp with a frying pan. Frowned when Ulseere explained Gryvak had entered our world with an unknown number of demons and seemed to be hunting me.

Beatrice’s gaze settled on me before she murmured, “He plans to use Charlie to open another portal so he can bring over reinforcements.”

“What would he need a demon army for?” I blurted out.

“World domination of course.”

6

Nothing like finding out you might have allowed a magic-wielding shadow elf into your world, with a small army of demons, who wanted to kidnap you to rule the world.

I called bullshit.

“I think you’re wrong about this Gryvak wanting me. The demons at the house seemed pretty intent on killing me.”

“They intended to probably injure you severely enough you couldn’t use your powers. It’s hard to wield magic when you’re in extreme pain.”

“It wouldn’t have taken much,” Flo remarked. “You should hear the caterwauling when she gets a paper cut.”

“I’m not that bad,” I huffed indignantly.

“We have to numb your brows before we get them waxed.”

“Because it hurts,” I muttered.

“You’re a wuss when it comes to pain. Which is fine. You know I get dizzy at the sight of blood.”

“But not when it’s from a demon,” I reminded. “You battered that imp without flinching.”

“I did, didn’t I?” Flo beamed.

Ulseere rubbed his face. “I can’t listen to this. I’m going to scout the area. Cedric, ensure the witch doesn’t leave these tunnels. I’ll be back.” Without even trying, he sounded almost like Arnie. Did shadow elves have cinemas in their Infernal Dimension? They apparently lacked cars.