Taming Demons for Beginners (The Guild Codex Demonized #1) - Annette Marie Page 0,87

and the volcanomage carried the unconscious siblings to the road.

“By the way, Robin,” he murmured. “The expression on your demon’s face when you called him your partner was fascinating.”

My mouth dropped open.

He smiled. “I’m looking forward to hearing the whole story.”

With that, he strode after his teammates. Pulling myself together, I wondered whether trusting this man was the right call—or my worst mistake yet.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I stared at the floor between my brand-new running shoes. My old ones had been so stained with blood I’d thrown them away. I’d also bought new jeans, a sweater, and a nice coat. Resisting the pink one had been difficult, but in keeping with my new contractor title, I’d purchased a sleek black one instead.

Breathing deeply to control my nerves, I peeked up through my bangs.

Darius, guild master of the Crow and Hammer, leaned back in his chair, the width of his desk between us. He studied me with somber gray eyes, then turned his gaze to the chair beside mine.

Zylas crouched on the seat, arms braced on his knees, chin resting on one hand as he stared back at the GM. The demon’s tail hung off the chair, its barbed end swishing back and forth. The office’s fluorescent lights washed out his reddish-toffee skin, giving him a bronzy-amber tone instead. His tangled black hair teased his crimson eyes, and small horns poked through the locks.

If his unusual guests had thrown Darius off balance, he didn’t show it as he pondered the story I’d delivered—most of it a jumbled, emotional mess.

I’d told him almost everything. How I’d moved in with my uncle to get my inheritance, how I’d discovered his illegal summoning activities, and how I’d ended up contracted with Zylas. How I’d filed forged paperwork and joined the Grand Grimoire to hide, only for the GM to sell me out to Red Rum. I’d glossed over Amalia’s and Travis’s roles as apprentice summoners, but I didn’t think Darius was buying my suggestion that Amalia knew nothing of her father’s illegal activities.

“Well, Robin,” he finally said, “you’ve certainly had an adventure to rival all others.”

Couldn’t disagree there. I nudged my glasses up my nose.

He laced his fingers together, elbows propped on the desktop. “You’ve broken some of the strictest MPD laws, but by their very nature, laws don’t take individual circumstances into account.”

“If you’re suggesting my actions were lawfully wrong but morally right,” I mumbled, “I disagree. I put people in danger. A lot of mythics died because of me.”

“They died as a result of their own actions,” Darius corrected sharply. “If you knowingly walk in front of an oncoming car, whose fault is it when the vehicle hits you? Those rogues were fully aware of what they were doing.”

I hunched my shoulders. “But Todd from the Grand Grimoire—”

“Intended to kidnap you,” Darius interrupted. “I’m certain he knew that whatever his GM planned, it was nefarious. Like the Red Rum rogues, he knew he was stepping into danger’s path—or rather, your demon’s path.”

He appraised Zylas, then refocused on me. “Instead of putting others in danger, you risked your life to kill the unbound demon. I’m confident in your moral integrity. Your demon, however …”

Zylas snapped his tail in annoyance.

“The MPD,” Darius continued after a beat, “with a little encouragement, has determined the Red Rum squad found dead at the pier was behind the unbound demon. Agents have posted a bounty for information on the men’s deaths, but for better or worse, the case can be considered closed.

“Your involvement, Robin, has gone unnoticed. The only ones who can tie you to Red Rum are your cousin Travis, the Grand Grimoire guild master, and the summoner Claude Mercier. I think your GM will keep silent rather than risk exposing his own transgressions. Travis, you said, has gone into hiding to avoid Red Rum’s retribution.”

I nodded. As soon as a healer had deemed him fit, Travis had fled the city—though he’d promised to keep in touch and, if he found Uncle Jack, to let Amalia know where their father was hiding. He’d chosen greed over his family once, but nearly losing everything had sparked a change of heart. I hoped it would last.

“That leaves Claude,” Darius concluded. “My impression is that he’s a lone wolf. Dangerous, but not one who would report you to the MPD.”

“Actually,” I interjected with hesitant determination, “you forgot someone.”

“Who is that?”

I met his eyes. “You.”

“Ah.” Darius smiled faintly. “I’ll be frank, Robin. I don’t believe you or Zylas deserve execution—not for anything you’ve