Taming Demons for Beginners (The Guild Codex Demonized #1) - Annette Marie Page 0,93

corridor, the butt ends of the shelving units marching on either side like wooden soldiers. Deeper into the library, I found the sign I was looking for: Demonica.

Was it my imagination, or did a cool shadow fall across me when I stepped into the aisle?

I squinted back the way I’d come. Ah, a privacy wall around a study area blocked the windows at the library’s front end. I had walked into shadow. Had the librarians deliberately picked this dim corner for the section on hellish fiends and soul-binding contracts?

Nudging my glasses up my nose, I skimmed titles. The first shelf held a row of identical, and familiar, copies of Legal Demonica: The Summoner’s Handbook. Useful, but not what I needed. I continued scanning. Contractor Control – Advanced Demon Wielding, The Ultimate Weapon: Demonica Guilds in Modern Society, A History of Summoning, The Casual Contractor’s Guide to Self-Defense.

A book for casual contractors? What person would casually give up their soul to a demon? I slid it off the shelf and examined the glossy, modern cover with bold red typography and a cartoon demon on the front. Eyebrows climbing higher, I flipped the cover open and read the introduction. As promised, it was a how-to book for contractors who wanted to learn the bare basics and nothing more.

I turned the page. Chapter One, “Getting Started.” Large, jaunty text with colorful headings in a sans serif font filled the page beside another cartoon demon, this one making a ghoulish “boo” face.

Congratulations! You’re a contractor!

You now belong to the small community of mythics who command demons. Never fear for your safety again. Never take second place to a flashy mage or cocky combat sorcerer. You’re a member of the most powerful class now!

But first, you need to learn the basics of controlling your demon.

Wondering where to start? Let’s begin with calling out your demon.

All contractors have an “infernus”—the artifact that holds your demon’s power. Don’t lose it! Without it, you can’t control your demon. Wear it around your neck on a chain, keep it in your pocket or purse, or leave it in an easy-to-access spot at home. The farther the infernus is from you, the weaker the connection to your demon.

I blinked bemusedly. The way this book was written, you’d think literally anyone could pick up an infernus at the local Demon Mart. I didn’t know how much demon contracts cost, but I was pretty sure they started at six figures. Most people didn’t drop that kind of cash, then learn control techniques from a gimmicky book.

Now let’s practice the first step in wielding your demon. There are only two magical command words tied to your infernus, and you’ll need to memorize both.

RISE calls your demon out of the infernus

Command: Δαῖμον, ἀναστῆθι

Daimon, anastethi! (DHEH-mon, ah-nah-STEE-thee)

REST returns your demon to the infernus

Command: Δαῖμον, ἡσύχαζε

Daimon, hesychaze! (DHEH-mon, ee-SEE-cha-zeh)

Practice saying both commands. When you’re ready, hold your infernus and concentrate on where you want your demon to manifest—not too close to you! Now speak the Rise command. Did your demon appear? Perfect!

Remember, focus is important. Repeat the Rise and Rest commands as needed. Once you’re comfortable with the process, you can transition to thinking the commands silently.

(Commands not working? Turn to pg. 12 for troubleshooting help.)

I snorted at the thought of a “troubleshooting” page, imagining their suggestions. Demon won’t boot properly? Try turning your infernus off and on again.

Under normal circumstances, a contractor controlled their demon like a puppet, manipulating its every movement through a telepathic connection. I didn’t have to worry about that. In fact, I had zero control over my demon.

Which, all in all, was a terrifying problem to have.

I tapped the page. “‘There are only two magical command words tied to your infernus.’ Hmm.”

Command words tied to the infernus. That could mean they were built into the contract or built into the magic of the infernus. Since I didn’t have a real contract, I suspected the commands wouldn’t work, but only one way to know for sure.

Balancing the book on one hand, I tugged my infernus from under my jacket and tilted it toward the light, the chain jingling. I examined the palm-sized silver pendant. Perfectly round, flat, and thin, with a spiky emblem etched in the center. Arcane runes marked the outer edge.

Focusing on the empty aisle a yard away, I muttered dubiously, “Daimon, anastethi.”

Red light flared across the infernus and I almost dropped it. Arcing out of the pendant, the bright blaze hit the dusty tiles and pooled upward, as though