Page 24 of Bent Out of Shade
Tatiana shrugged. “Branding is everything. And no, I’ve never seen anything like this. Do you think whoever summoned you also took Sabrina?”
“I doubt it. Her name didn’t spark any recognition and they were pretty focused on me.” I flipped the amulet over, hoping for some clarification, but the back was unmarked. “The last person who showed this much interest was James Learsdon, hoping to blackmail me into finding the Ascendant for him. Could this amulet be related to it? You think these engravings are demons?” I paused. “Or the three angels who damn Banim Shovavim?”
Either instance was terrifying, but neither felt right. Two of the figures resembled cartoonish birds, while one was sort of a headless upside-down hockey stick shape stuck on a rectangle with legs.
Plus, the pair at the wedding venue hadn’t attempted to kill us. Demons trafficked in pain while the three angels harbored no love for my kind. I sighed. The only way to know for sure was to stay vigilant while investigating further.
Tatiana traced the figures with her finger. “There are three of them, but the figures are so crude, it’s hard to say.”
“Can I show it to Naveen? See if it ties to any demon complicit in my parents’ or McMurtry’s murders?”
She jabbed her bony finger into my chest, and I winced. “If any mention of my involvement with the Ascendant gets out,” she said, “I’m burning your precious business cards and using you as fuel. But do as you must.”
Nothing like a clear directive.
