a way to get out of the bargain? Kill the demon perhaps?”
From the gleam in Ian’s eye, Win gathered he thought this was a perfect idea. Poppy, however, braced her arms upon the table, her mouth set in a grim line. “I have not been able to destroy him, only to send him back to hell.”
“How did you do it?” Win asked. He’d never gotten the specifics, and he needed them now more than ever.
“With one of these.” She pulled a small object from her skirt pocket and set it on the table.
“A scarab?” Archer sounded as dubious as Win felt. The basalt carving of the Egyptian dung beetle was flat and roughly the size of his palm.
“It might look innocuous, but this little fellow becomes quite active when in the presence of demons. It is a tool of Ammit, the Eater of Souls.”
Archer shifted uncomfortably. When he’d married Miranda, Archer had been turning into a soul eater, one of Ammit’s children. He eyed the scarab askance. “What does it do?”
“Rest it on the heart of a demon of Egyptian origin, and the scarab will judge it. If the demon is unworthy, the scarab will deliver the demon’s soul to Duat, the underworld, and then on to a place we’d call Hell.”
“I wish we’d had use of one of those before,” Miranda muttered, and Poppy gave her a tired smile.
“Had I known what Archer was becoming,” she said, “I would have given you one. However, it isn’t as easy as it looks. One has to get near enough to the demon to place it against the demon’s chest.” Her expression grew hard and remote. “One is more likely to lose one’s head than succeed.”
But Poppy had done so before. Cold blew through Win’s gut at the thought. His wife rested her thin hand upon her belly, low where no one would likely notice. But he did, and his heart twisted. She would not face Isley again. For he could not face the idea of her being hurt, nor their child. It was all he could do to keep himself together. He would not see his child born or grow. Would it be a boy, as Isley thought? Or a girl? With shining red hair like her mother’s? Clenching his jaw, he looked away from Poppy rather than risk falling to his knees and burrowing his head into her lap.
“It works on Isley,” she was saying. “Trial and error have taught me that. However, while he might be dragged back to Hell, he does not die.” Her long finger touched the back of the scarab.
Archer’s brow drew into a scowl as he looked down at the scarab. “The Egyptians believe that to know a person’s name is to have dominion over them. Were Isley’s true name inscribed on the scarab, it might have the power to hold Isley in Hell forever.”
“It is a good thought,” Poppy said wanly. “Only we’ve just one more day, and I’ve no idea where to begin to search.” With a sigh, she leaned back in her seat. “The real problem is that regardless of whether we kill him, all bargains in play would stand. Any souls belonging to Isley would be his to take with him to hell.”
Perfect. Win ran a hand over the back of his neck and paced. “In short, we are buggered.”
They gaped at him, and he scowled. “I am capable of uttering the word ‘bugger’, you know.”
Ian laughed, shortly but without much vigor. “Do not break my illusions, old boy.”
Win tried to smile but failed. “Look. Poppy and I will have to find a way.”
“Bollocks to that,” Archer said with heat. “Let us help you.”
“You can.” Win moved to the table and braced his fists on top of it. “You take care of Talent,” he said to Ian and Daisy before looking at Miranda and Archer. “We need to protect the boy.”
“Of course,” said Miranda.
Poppy’s gaze turned to her youngest sister. “Lena said he was more his father’s son. Isley, aside from trickery and bargains, shares a similar talent with you, dearest. Fire.”
Miranda blanched. “Hell.” She slipped her hand into Archer’s. “We’ll go to the boy. I don’t know what we’ll say…” She shook her head. “But we’ll go.”
“Simply tell him the truth,” Poppy said.
The transformation of Miranda’s features was chilling. “The truth,” she said faintly. “By all means.” She took a breath and rose. “I’m sorry, Pop, I know this predicament is hard for you, that you’ve had a rough go