Shivaun, I would very much like to have a friendly chat with your demon. What’s his name, again?”
“Lyric. He’s a music demon.”
“Yes, well, perhaps if you ask nicely he’ll agree to a little tea with me.”
“Is he in trouble?” Shy asked.
Rosie barked out a laugh. “I’ll take it as a compliment that you think I’m powerful enough to make trouble for very old and wily demons.”
“Wily?” Shy asked.
Rosie shook her head. “Wily is every demon’s middle name, Shy.”
“You mean every natural-born demon.”
“Yes. That’s what I meant. I guess I need to start making that distinction for precision’s sake.” Pause. “You look good in that skirt. Better than the actress who wore it in the movie.”
“Thank you kindly. ‘Tis no’ the same skirt, you know. Just a lookalike.”
“A magical knockoff. Imagine the possibilities.”
“So what are we to do about this?” Sher asked. Rosie and Shy looked at her blankly. “Look. I’m worried about my sister. Is there a danger in datin’ this creature? You said somethin’ about a trap.”
“I’m not overly alarmed,” Rosie said. “But I do want a chat with Lyric as soon as possible.”
“It may be a few days. He’s in the middle of a project,” Shy said.
“What kind of project?”
“Well, there’s a very talented lad from Texas who’s somehow ended up in the wrong time. He and Lyric believe he belongs in 1967. So he’s relocatin’.”
“Relocatin’!?!” Sheridan asked. “What in Paddy’s name are you mixed up in?”
“’Tis a good thing, Sher. Lyric is the expert on such things. ‘Tis what music demons do.”
Sher wheeled on Rosie. “’Tis the truth? That’s what music demons do?”
“Well… It may very well be part of the gig.” She chuckled at the musical reference. “I’m not an expert on the particulars of what every sort of demon does. I just know they all have a part to play in the grand scheme. So, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to it. But please get Lyric to make an appearance. Just a friendly meeting. Okay?”
She nodded. “I’ll ask. O’course.”
The girls hugged tightly just before Shivaun swept out the front entrance of the Abbey.
“You must take care,” Sheridan said. “I just have the one sister.”
“Do no’ be such a worry wart. ‘Tis a grand adventure this.”
CHAPTER EIGHT Gimme Three Steps
The second the girls were gone Rosie summoned Kellareal by calling, “Lally. Lally.”
Kellareal appeared almost instantly, but instead of his usual white robes with gold braid cinch – sometimes with wings, sometimes not – he was in black leather head to toe.
Rosie took one look and pointed at his clothes, “What’s that about?”
He looked down like he’d forgotten what he was wearing. “The duds?”
“Yeeeees,” she said slowly, implying that he was already trying her patience.
“Black and white party. Everybody expects me to be in white. So…”
Rosie nodded absently, but fully understood what would motivate someone to do the opposite of what people would expect.
“What’s up?” he said. With a big smile, “Miss me?”
“We’ll discuss that some other time. Right now I want some straight answers.”
“Straight answers? Am I being overly sensitive or do you sound mad?”
“I don’t know how I sound, but I can assure you I’m irritated and it wouldn’t take much to send me into a full-blown snit.”
“I call bait and switch.”
“What?”
“Bait and switch. It means…”
“I know what it means.”
“It means you lured me here with your sweet voice then took off the Rosie mask. And you know what’s always under the Rosie mask? Medusa.”
“You are exaggerating. As usual.”
“Am not.”
“Of all the angels in the universe, how did I end up with you for a guardian?”
“Lucky?”
Rosie waved her hand in front of her face. “Sit down right there. I have questions.” Kellareal looked at the leather armchair and began shaking his head. “Why are you saying no? You don’t like that chair?”
“I’m not sitting.” He looked at Rosie defiantly. “I’m not sure I’m staying.”
“You are.”
“You’re not the boss of me.”
She cocked her head to the side, thinking. “Who is?”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Classified.”
“That brings me to what I want to talk about. Sit or stand. I don’t care. But you’re going to tell me what all I can do.”
A flash of apprehension crossed his face before he shut it down, but not before she saw it. “What do you mean what you can do?” He’d chosen to feign innocence and she knew it.
“Want to play dumb? Okay. Let’s start with basics. One of the transformed hunters can detect lies. She can change her clothes with a thought, conjure