Page 190 of Bedeviled

“Do you want me to kill him?” he finally says.

Him?

“Eislyn is a woman,” I say.

“I’m not talking about Eislyn. I’ll deal with her later.” There’s ice in the Bargainer’s voice.

The hand on Nero’s head grows possessive. “If you lay one finger on my cat⁠—”

“Minor demon,” Memnon corrects. “And I’m not talking about him either. I’m talking about Memnon.”

My breath catches as I stare at the fairy. Of its own accord, my hand drifts to my heart.

“What about him?” I finally say. I’m sure my voice sounds funny.

The Bargainer gives me a pitying look. “Last I heard, young witches don’t just happen to have their hearts spontaneously stop.”

Bile rises up my throat.

How does he know that?

“I’m fine.” It’s a whisper.

The fairy shakes his head as he slowly prowls toward me. “You died by his hand.”

I really am feeling downright nauseous.

“I can make him disappear,” the Bargainer says.

His eyes dip to my hips, where my two daggers are sheathed.

“Or,” he continues, “I can let you have that honor.”

What is it with men encouraging me to murder tonight?

I scoff. “I’m not going to kill him,” I say. I stare off into the dark forest, my resolve hardening. “I’m going to save him—and hopefully the Flora Kingdom along with it.” My eyes return to the Bargainer. “But I do still need your help.”

“Cannot believe I’m doing this,” the Bargainer mutters while we tromp through the Everwoods. “Coming out of retirement to take a witch and her overgrown, furred demon to save her shitty husband. Gods, I’ve grown old—and weak. And soft.”

“Do you always complain this much?” I ask, leading him toward Last Rites Cemetery.

“When the situation warrants it, I do. And, sugar, the situation warrants it.”

It’s quiet for a moment, and I use that time to reach down my connection with Memnon. His thoughts are distant, but I feel waves of bloodcurdling wrath, and I can only assume they’re directed at Eislyn.

His turbulent magic presses right up against my end of the bond. It has the same chaotic feel to it that usually accompanies those moments where his magic has consumed him. I realize then that during our last encounter, his magic had not taken over for more than a split second at a time before seeming to extinguish itself. Considering how heightened his emotions were, it should’ve overwhelmed him as it had in the past.

I cannot decide whether that’s a very good thing, or a very bad thing, but I am certain Eislyn must’ve commanded it away. And somehow, the command held, even against Memnon’s endless power.

“What happened to your soul mate?” the Bargainer asks, dragging me from my thoughts.

“Hmmm?” I say distractedly.

“I assume Memnon didn’t murder you of his own volition,” he says.

I feel my spine stiffen and my lower lip tremble a little. The horror and hopelessness of that encounter washes over me all over again.

I clear my throat. “Don’t you know these things?” I say. The Bargainer seems to have the answers to everything else in the world.