Trsiel rolled his eyes, as if this didn’t come as a surprise.
“It may not be your way, but we use whatever—and whoever—proves useful.”
“If you’ve done it before, then you can do it. No need to bring in anyone else.”
“I said I’ve dealt with them. I’ve never negotiated with them. For that, I hired professionals. If you do it right, it’s an honest transaction. If you do it wrong, well, then you’re screwed, because there isn’t a demon alive who won’t take advantage of stupidity or naivety. Kris can do it right.”
Trsiel leaned against the wall, arms crossed. After a few minutes, he shook his head. “Go and find him, then.”
34
I FOUND KRISTOF IN HIS OFFICE AGAIN, THIS TIME alone and hard at work, which seemed the perfect excuse to slip off and find another demon mediator. But, as always, the moment I arrived, he knew I was there, and when I tried to retreat, he called me back. His welcome cooled when he realized I was there on business.
Of course, I had to tell him everything, and this confession was ten times tougher than it had been with Trsiel. As much as it hurt to admit to Kristof that, after everything he’d said, I’d turned around and gone back in to ask about the amulet, what hurt worse was the look on his face: raw pain, but not a trace of surprise.
When I finished, I stood there, mouth still half-open, wanting to say so much, but unable to form the thoughts into words. Instead, all that came out was “I fucked up, Kris.”
For a minute, he just looked at me, eyes searching mine. Then he gave a tiny nod.
“Let’s see what we can do to fix it, then,” he murmured.
Dantalian was somewhat put out that we’d engaged professional negotiation services. It’s so much more fun dealing with amateurs.
“So you want to know what the Nix was after,” he said, his tone bordering on bored.
“We know that,” I said. “The amulet you made for Lord Glamis.”
A moment’s pause, then he continued, sounding a bit more interested now. “Clever whelp. You did your homework. Then you know who I am?”
“Dantalian, Master of Transmigration, Duke of Baal.”
A warm breeze encircled my legs, wound up my body, around my neck, then slithered away. I knew he was still there, probably hovering right in front of my face.
“Say it again,” he murmured.
“Dantalian, Master of Transmigration, Duke of Baal.”
“Hmmm, yes, I suppose that will do. Lacking the proper degree of respect, yet not disrespectful. At least it’s better than fawning. That’s what she tried when she returned.”
“The Nix? She came back?”
“Of course she did. After she amended her attitude.”
“Uh-huh.”
He laughed, blasting me with heat. “My reaction, precisely, whelp. The only thing worse than fawning is fake fawning. As if I were some vain fool of a potentate, willing to grant any wish in return for a few strokes of my ego.”
“So you sent her away again? She’ll be back, then. All we have to do is wait—”
“Oh, I didn’t send her away. What would be the fun in that? Far better for me to set her on the trail…and then set you on it after her.”
“Great,” I muttered. “How long of a head start does she have?”
“A half-day. Which would be a problem…had I sent her to the right place. A little lesson in humility for an imp in sore need of it.”
“And now you’ll tell us where to find her.”
“Certainly…but I believe there was mention of a bargain?”
“Not now,” Trsiel said, stepping forward. “You just admitted you intended to set us on the trail, so we certainly aren’t about to bargain for—”
I lifted a hand to cut him off, then looked at him. “I’d rather bargain. Otherwise, I owe him a favor.”
Kristof then went through the formal rituals that tested a demon’s sincerity, to ensure Dantalian wouldn’t do to us what he’d done to the Nix. Dantalian suffered through this with the exasperated patience of someone having a grocery clerk examine his cash to see if it’s real.
“I want two things,” Dantalian said when Kristof was finished. “First, you will ensure that your Nix knows I intentionally set her on the wrong path. If she doesn’t, then the lesson is incomplete.”
“Done,” I said. “And part two?”
“Hmmm, part two…I’m still working on that one. Give me a few moments.”
I sighed.
“Impatient…or eager to get back on the trail?”
Dantalian’s voice seemed to come from all sides. I looked around,