Page 26 of Hexes From Exes

“Poppy,” Cass corrected.

“Whatever,” Rick countered.

By now they’d made a loop through the slums and were heading back toward the main offices, back toward where Rick was heading when he’d run into Cass. “Just be careful,” Cass said, pausing at the street that led to her apartment.

“You, too,” Rick offered before turning away from Cass to head to the office.

* * *

“Why do you smell so funny?” Zed asked when Rick finally made it into the office and plopped down in his cubicle. He was leaning over Rick and inhaling sharply, his nose wrinkling in the process.

“What do I smell like?” Rick asked, lifting his arm to smell himself. He didn’t smell anything strange.

“It’s like…sweet,” Zed said. “I’ve no idea, it’s just different and it’s potent. Where were you last night? Did you shower? Were you out at the bars and didn’t invite me?”

“Yeah, that must be it,” Rick replied. He had a suspicion Zed could smell the sweet vanilla scent that Stephanie sprayed in her house and on her clothes. Rick noticed it after her second date, and some of it transferred off on him after they got ice cream. He’d been hesitant to shower, waiting until the scent faded before finally doing so.

“Ugh, and not even an invite,” Zed lamented. “Tell me about your latest case, I’m dying. The pipeline has been silent for the last week.”

Rick’s eyes flickered to Hershel’s desk, which was noticeably empty. “Where’s Herschel?” he asked.

Zed shrugged. “Dunno, he’s been out a few days. I heard someone say he’s sick, but I don’t know. He’s a pillar, he’s been around forever. Can you imagine him sick?” Zed asked.

Rick could. Rick saw how quickly his parents deteriorated once they stopped working and their magic was rationed further. Herschel shouldn’t be rationed that much already, but he was older, and he was probably used to higher levels of magic than Rick or the others were.

“You think that’s why the pipeline is silent?” Rick asked.

Zed shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve heard the Department of Magical Investigations is cracking down on the distribution of magical items in the human realm. There’s a rumor they’ve been raiding various witches and mages, taking anything that may deal with magic. Apparently, they’ve caught a few mages that have been siphoning from the stores and selling it above ground.”

“Selling it?” Rick asked, taken aback. Was this part of Sunflower or whatever and her papers? Did this mean that Rick would no longer be summoned personally, instead have to wait in line with the other demons for scraps of small cases? The thought chilled him.

“Yeah, I guess they’re going to trial in the next few weeks. The council takes theft really seriously, especially when they’re taking from Anathamea,” Zed said with a shake of his head.

“But…sell it for what?” Rick asked.

“Huh?” Zed asked.

“Sell the magic for what? What would the mages want that’s more powerful and important than magic?” Rick pressed. He may have disliked almost every mage demon he met, but even he had to admit they weren’t that stupid.

Zed stared at him, blinking slowly. “I guess…I didn’t really think of that. I don’t know. Scary, though, right? To think there’s something more valuable than magic out there.”

“Yeah, absolutely,” Rick added, unconvinced.

To Rick’s immense relief Zed left him alone after that. Rick felt his headache returning, compounded by the new knowledge he’d acquired. He was left thankfully alone to scroll his computer for a few hours until it was acceptable to leave and head back to the human realm. His electronic device buzzed in his pocket and his heart leapt, knowing exactly who it was.

Stephanie

Date with Cooper tonight. Next week Diego. Am I getting warmer?

Rick felt his stomach drop. A date with Cooper? They just met! And already he was calling on her…the next day? He shook his head and was about to type his reply when he read the second half of the sentence.

Diego.

She’d finally landed on one of the exes.

He was a week away from being done with this case, from going back to his normal life. No more sitting in bars and restaurants watching Stephanie struggle not to strangle some idiot. No more mojitos and seltzers after the date fell apart.

No one to talk to, again.