her rib cage. Her knees felt loose and wavery. “The warlock?” It was a name most witches knew and were careful to avoid. She hadn’t met him, and she was glad for it.
Certainly nodded. “We’ve been rivals for decades. Dancing about one another in a macho display of one-upmanship. If he masters a level of dark magic, then I have to exceed him. If I accomplish lithoboly, then he responds in kind. I don’t know how it all got started, but it’s been a strange fuel to my quest for magical knowledge over the decades.”
“I don’t know how you can associate with that man. Grim practices malefic magic. He’s committed countless crimes against the Light and mortals. He is designated a warlock for a reason.”
A warlock was a witch, male or female, who had committed grave transgressions against the Light. A pariah cast out from the fold.
“Oh, goddess, the warlock.” She touched her mouth, remembering the scattered safflower petals.
“I don’t associate with him as if a friend or colleague. We are each other’s nemesis. I’ve always gone out of my way to show him up and prove I’m the better witch.”
“The cock of the walk?”
“Truth? Yes, it’s like that. I’m a guy, Vika. It’s what we do.”
When he tried to kiss her she inclined her head away. CJ had journeyed to Daemonia merely to obtain something he could use against another witch? And something that had such profound evil memories related to his parents. So not cool with her. This had been what the petals had indicated. Ian Grim was involved in her life in a manner she couldn’t quite figure yet.
“What does this item do beyond summoning demons? What is it, exactly?”
“It’s a whistle made from the bone of Lucifer’s left wing. When blown, it summons all demons who walk the earth, and their only command is to destroy life. Thus, the night march of demons.”
“Sounds apocalyptic.”
“On a small scale, yes.”
He was so callous about it. That he’d brought the thing to this realm was not bold macho posturing but pure idiocy.
“It must have been returned after your parents had used it.”
“Yes.”
“Well then, would you put it back if I asked you to?”
“But then it would be available for Grim to take.” He puffed up his chest. “I can’t risk that. As well, I did make a promise to you never to return to Daemonia. And besides, if I returned the whistle now, I wouldn’t be able to save your life by fulfilling Reichardt’s request.”
“You would consider using it to save my life? That is reprehensible, CJ.”
“I will never use it! I am not like my father.” His jaw tight, his eyes shut just as tightly. “I just...need some time to figure out a plan. Your life is in danger. I don’t want to lose you, Vika. I love you. I— Fuck, this is a fine mess.”
“Never would have happened had you not taken the damned thing out of Daemonia. Damn it!” she cursed her use of the proper name.
But really, if she hadn’t heaped bad luck upon herself by engaging with CJ, then she could hardly expect karmic retaliation by the mere mention of the name of so foul a place.
She paced away from him, hands to her hips, her black skirt sweeping the floor. Touching him right now was the last thing she wanted to do. Stupid man. She understood males’ machismo and their need to one-up each other. Rivalries between witches were not uncommon. But to bring something that could destroy mankind into this realm, even if he never had intention to use it? She couldn’t understand why his parents’ sins hadn’t kept him far away from the place.
On the other hand, keeping the dread thing out of the warlock’s hands was a valiant accomplishment.
“Is it warded? How does Grim not know you have it?”
“I’m sure he felt it the moment I returned to the mortal realm with the Nacht März in hand. But I do have it cloaked. You’ve walked right by it every time you are in my home.”
She gaped at him.
“And I cloak my footsteps constantly,” he continued. “Grim can have no idea where I live.”
“You’ve the thing at your home? You hid it from me?”
He nodded. “Not a safer place to keep it than right in the middle of it all. I’ve hidden it from everyone with wards. Even the demons inside me cannot access it, thank all the gods and goddesses for that one.”
“I should think the demons would see through