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Grinning, I clambered to my feet. “She’s very lucky to have you taking care of her, but I bet she’s ready to get home.” Even though Earth was a mess, I doubted the demon realm held fond memories for her.
Jekki cocked his head. “Is home here!”
“And a lovely home it is,” I said with a serious nod. “Can you take us to her?”
Chittering happily, Jekki sped down the broad spiral staircase, while Pellini and I followed at a more reasonable pace. I expected Jekki to stop on the next floor, since that’s where the guest rooms were, but to my surprise the faas descended one more level.
“That’s odd,” I said as Jekki darted down the corridor. “The practice summoning chamber is on this floor.”
Pellini gave me a sharp look. “Why would Mzatal have her here? Unless she’s a summoner?”
“That’s what I’m wondering.” I cleared my throat. “Hey, Jekki?” I waited for the faas to race back to us. “Is Janice a summoner?”
His sinuous tail thrashed. “No summon!”
“Okay, can she use the arcane?”
“Dahn, no sigils! No arcane! Other skills!” With that he turned on his tail and dashed to the broad doors of the practice chamber.
Pellini snorted. “Yeah, I’ll bet she has other skills.”
I elbowed him in the side. “Hush.”
He chuckled under his breath. “You were thinking it, too.”
“Shut up.” For good measure, I elbowed him again. Didn’t help that he was right.
Bouncing eagerly, Jekki pulled the door open. Beyond him, a dark-haired woman crouched near the center of the room, head bent in obvious concentration as she tightened a screw on a contraption of wood and wires.
As I stepped in, she straightened and turned to face me with narrowed eyes. Her ethnicity seemed to be a mix of middle-eastern and African, but where I’d been expecting a stunning young beauty of some variety—or at least a lush body—this woman was nothing of the sort. Not only was she easily in her late forties, she looked, well, ordinary. Normal. She wasn’t unattractive, yet she didn’t quite make it to pretty. And her figure was average as well. Not particularly buxom or slender or even curvy. She was the kind of woman I saw a hundred times a day. Not at all the physical type I imagined would be hand-picked for sex trafficking to the demon realm.
“Janice?” I asked, just to be sure.
“Yes, I’m Janice Massi.” Her wary gaze flicked to Pellini then returned to me.
“I’m Kara Gillian, and this is—”
“I know who you are.” Her tone held zero friendliness.
I kept the smile on my face. I completely understood donning prickly armor as a means to cope with trauma. She’d probably heard of me through Rhyzkahl or Mzatal. “Then that saves us from a boring round of introductions. Anyway, we’re here to take you back to Earth.” I winced. “If you want, that is. Things are pretty hairy back there.”
Janice glanced at her contraption then turned that penetrating gaze on me again. “Rhyzkahl.” She lifted her chin, expression fierce. “He’s with you on Earth?”
“Yes, but don’t worry. You won’t have to see him.”
“I will see him,” she said, voice intense.
“Fair enough.” At least he hadn’t broken her spirit. She deserved the chance to give him a piece of her mind if she wanted—and I’d sure as hell grab any chance to eavesdrop on that particular exchange. “We’ll be leaving soon,” I said. “Hopefully, no longer than an hour.”
“I’ll be ready,” she snapped then stalked to the door, bumping my shoulder with hers on the way out.
Pellini and I watched her go.
“She’s going to need a lot of therapy,” I said with a sigh.
“With any luck it’ll be right after she rips Rhyzkahl’s balls off,” Pellini muttered.
“Can’t say I’d blame her if she did.” I crouched before Jekki and did my best imitation of a faas chitter-click to get his full attention. “Jekki, this is really important. Do you know where Mzatal keeps the master gimkrah?”
