Page 28 of Reap & Sow

He was on the ceiling.

“You—!”

He stared down at her, one hand on his hip. His feet were planted firmly on the timber boards. Neither his clothes nor his hair seemed much affected by the concept of gravity, for they did not strain toward the floor. It was as if he stood in his own little bubble, where down was up and up was down. He started pacing around the chandelier. Eda was gobsmacked.

He’s nothing like Mr. Night. Not merely owing to his casual display of power—she was sure Mr. Night simply chose not to reveal the extent of his own—but in how free he was. His languid mannerisms, his debauched clothes and informal speech. While Mr. Night was not unfamiliar with the human world, he could never truly pass for one of them. His stiff gestures and unnerving stillness were too obviously other. But this demon…

He was alarmingly convincing.

Except for the part where he walked on ceilings, obviously.

“Tell me. Why do you seek to make a Pact?”

She swallowed. “My brothers were arrested by the Order of the Blade. When I rescue them, I retrieve the mirror, too. That’s my deal with Lich. But I’ve no hope of doing it alone.”

“My, my. What exactly did your dear brothers do, to get caught by the Order?”

“Does that matter?”

“Since the alternative to answering my questions is having your neck broken, I’d say so. Or would you prefer I rip out your heart?”

Eda dug her nails into her palms. She had to be careful about this. If he learned of her connection to Mr. Night, he’d likely refuse her outright. Or kill her. Mr. Night was actively searching for him and wanted him dead: This demon surely wouldn’t agree to anything that might pull him back into his enemy’s path.

But if Eda had learned anything from brokering Pacts, it was that many agreements had loopholes. Lying by omission was one of them. “We own an antiques shop, and a Gateway found its way to us. The Blades discovered it. That’s what Lich is after.”

In the gloom of the timbers overhead, orange eyes burned like signal fires. It was nightmarish. “And did these brothers of yours use this Gateway? Consort with demons?” He grinned, a fraction too wide. “Did you?”

“I’m consorting with one now.”

This seemed to amuse him. He suddenly dropped from the ceiling—twisting midair and landing lightly into a crouch. He rose just as quickly. Eda reeled in shock.

“Answer the question.”

“I’ve never made a Pact before. Nor my brothers.” Technically true. Eda stood firm as his gaze bore through her skull.

“You’re keeping secrets,” he mused. “I should kill you, if only for breaking into my home.”

“I’m telling the truth. I’ve no interest in tricking you. I need your help to save my family and get that mirror. That’s all I care about.”

“And what will you give me in return?”

She’d thought hard on what would make a fair offer. Asking a demon to risk his neck interfering with the Blades was no small feat.

Eda gritted her teeth. “Twenty years.”

He sneered. “Not interested.”

Eda was aghast. Not interested? Years were the one thing demons couldn’t resist, far more precious than coin or silks or jewels. Mr. Night had said as much. Lich all but confirmed it. Nothing is so desired as the chance to cross into the mortal realm and make Pacts that extend a demon’s life. “What are you interested in?”

“Nothing you can give.”

“Please,” she bit out. “I’ll—You can have thirty.”

Oh, what was she doing? Almost half her life!

But the thought of Ben and Lawrie being led to a hangman’s noose was so visceral, so nauseating, that she dared not take the offer back. What would those thirty years be worth if she had to live them knowing they were secured with her brothers’ deaths?

“I shan’t repeat myself, woman. You will—”