Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

T he demon doesn't put me down until we are back inside my house. I'm mildly surprised to see the god sitting there patiently, and I huff, struggling from the demon's arms and slamming the huge tome down on my workbench.

"Okay, one freeing spell, coming right up," I mutter as I glance at the god. "Do you, like, want a drink or something?" There's a sputter, and I point at my demon without looking. "It's called being a good host."

"I once asked for a blanket and you sewed my mouth shut," he retorts.

"You enjoyed that, and what do you call that?" I gesture towards the huge entertainment system bought just for him, and he quiets down. "That's what I thought. Now be a good boy and fetch the god a drink. What's your name? I can't keep calling you god, or does it have power like the demons and you can't tell a lowly mortal like me?"

"She talks when she's nervous," my demon adds helpfully, but he manages to duck to avoid the vase I chuck at him.

"My name is Phrixius," the god says confidently, and I just stare.

"Phrixius?" I repeat, and he nods proudly, as if it should mean something to me. As if I should worship the ground he walks on .

"What kind of name is Phrixius?" I snap.

"A godly one, passed down by the heavens?—"

"It's dumb. They clearly hated you, and I'm not calling you that. How about . . . Bob?" I respond.

The chortling that comes from my demon makes me grin. "You wish to call me Bob?" the god repeats, and I worry I offended him, but honestly, he said he wouldn't smite me, so what do I have to lose? I gamble my life every day picking on the demon.

"Or Fred?" I suggest, and he blinks. "How about Faro? No, wow, you are hard to please. I mean, Phrixius, really."

"It is a name given to me by the universe and fitting of my station as the ruler of all magical beings," he mutters.

"Yeah, it's a mouthful. So, Todd, what were you doing when I summoned you?" I ask as I open the tome, a cloud of dust hitting me in the face as I cough and wave it away. "Let me guess, ruling over existence?—"

"I was watching the horizon." His voice is quiet, and I turn to see him, his eyes far away. "I was debating my existence and what it meant."

"Ah, the casual Tuesday existential dread. Nice to know gods feel that too." I nod before clapping my hands. "Well, Rodger, let's find this spell and free you."

"He looks more like a Richard, you know, because then we can call him Dick," my demon chimes in.

"Demons can be banished, you know," Phrixius offers casually.

I jerk around, but my demon covers my eyes. "Ignore him. He's lying. Free the bastard so he's gone, and we can get back to what we were doing."

I elbow him, ignoring the scent of sulphur wrapping around me as I focus on the book, but my eyes go back to Phrixius. Is he right? Could I banish the demon? I need to get him alone and find out before I free him. Otherwise, he's not likely to help me, but it seems my demon knows my thoughts and is determined to stick by my side at all times and not give us a moment of peace.

I spend the next few hours researching the spell and hoping my demon will get bored and wander away like he usually does, but he sits right next to me, glaring at the god as if he personally offended him. It's distracting, and I sit back, rubbing my head.

"Why are binding spells easier than freeing spells?" I mutter.

"Usually, you bind something you intend to kill or use. Not much use for a freeing spell," Phrixius calls, his voice matter-of-fact.

"Wait, you're the god of magic. Don't you know how to break the spell?"

He watches me for a long moment. "This is your magic. I cannot intervene in another's magic."

I frown, watching him. "But you're a god?—"

"And he's a demon. Your point, witch?"

"My name is Freya," I mutter, and he smiles.

"Freya," he explains, "magic is linked to the user and the intention. You know this, since you intended to trap a powerful being and it worked. You look tired. Maybe you should rest and try again tomorrow. I understand mortals need to sleep more frequently than creatures such as us and hellspawn there."

"Did the god just make a joke?" My demon gapes. "I didn't know they could do that."

"Met many gods, have you?" I ask.

"One or two." He shrugs. "They are quite boring and so into themselves and obsessed with rules—apart from Mors, the god of death. He's pretty fun, if angry."

Phrixius sighs. "He is not angry. He has been given the hardest duty of all time?—"

"Sure, sure." The demon nods. "Anyway, demons and gods don't mix, but since we are immortal, we cross paths every now and again."

I frown. "Wait, how are demons made? I never really even asked. Like, I know you exist and the types, but are you just another supernatural creature or more like Teddy over there?"

"Sticking with the Ts, I see. Well, when two demons love each other very much, their bodies come together—you know, why don't I show you instead?" I narrow my eyes, and my demon sighs. "You can't blame a guy. You never asked before. "

"I guess I didn't think about it," I admit as I sit back. "Well?"

My demon sighs and settles back. "Technically, we are part god." I blink, and he smirks. "A small, corrupted part. There was once a god called Luellen—it's where your people got Lucifer from, though I heard he changed his name when he fell."

"Fell?" I ask, sitting up.

"From grace. If we do not follow the rules and laws set forth by our roles we are destined for, then we fall from our world and into yours," Phrixius adds helpfully.

"Exactly. Well, he fell, and he was pissed. He'd fallen in love with a mortal, you see, and as a master of reincarnation as well as many other things, he brought her back when she died. It broke his rules, and he fell. His mortal was taken away, her soul imprisoned to stop her from reincarnating again as part of his punishment. It drove him a little mad, and all that power corrupted. We were born from his hatred and his need to settle the score and defy the universe."

"You were quite literally made to be a nuisance." I grin, and he chuckles.

"Pretty much."

"What happened to him?" I murmur.

"No one knows. There are rumours even amongst our kind that he is hidden, trying to free his mortal's soul. Even now, thousands of years later, he still loves her."

"How sad," I say. "All because of love."

"Love is the most dangerous thing in this universe," my demon says, sounding serious for once, his eyes on me. "It makes even the strongest creatures do things they ordinarily would not. It is unpredictable and wild, like magic. Love is the most dangerous thing this universe has ever created. Even more than hatred."

"Good thing you'll never have that issue." I chuckle, looking at the book, but he's quiet. When I glance at him, he's staring at me, his face devoid of any amusement.

"Indeed," he murmurs before he blinks, and then he evaporates, leaving me alone, but I have a horrible feeling in my chest that I have upset the demon .

"Demons are capable of love." I jerk back to see Phrixius. "Just in case you were curious. Most think they are creatures born from hatred, but hate is close to love. They are capable of feeling the same emotions as their creator—a man who loved someone so deeply he scours this Earth looking for her, even now."

I feel like I'm being reprimanded or am not quite in on the joke in the room, but then he smiles. "Rest, witch. Tomorrow will be a new day for you to find the freeing spell."

"And you?"

"Gods do not need as much rest as mortals."

With nothing else to do, I slump into my bed, and despite having his eyes on me, I fall fast asleep.

"Gods don't need as much rest my ass," I mutter, staring at the god. He's sprawled across the circle, his mouth open as he snores loudly. He almost looks normal. He sighs and rolls over, and I swear he's drooling as the snores start back up.

I grab a blanket and throw it over him as I look around.

My demon is nowhere in sight, which is strange in itself. He never leaves me alone this long. Did I hurt him? I should take the time to grill Phrixius for information, but I find myself heading out into the village to find him, leaving the god to his dreams.

I avoid Agatha's shop and house in case she realises I broke in last night. Technically, all knowledge within the coven is to be shared, but that doesn't mean I want anyone to know why I was looking for a freeing spell. I'm already in enough trouble, and I cannot afford another mistake.

My dress swishes over the cobbled steps as I walk through the village. It is early, the sun barely up, so most are still asleep, meaning the streets are empty. I wander aimlessly up and down winding paths, past Victorian mansions and the cute cottages, but my demon is nowhere in sight.

There are a lot of places for him to go, but as I step into the village square and turn, I wonder if he left for good. All my worries would be over. I could be a normal witch with a normal life, so then why aren't I happier with the idea?

Why do I feel almost hollow? Like I'm missing something?

Sitting heavily on the edge of the pentagram-shaped fountain, I look around, wondering where he could be, when there's a pop and his grinning face appears before me.

"Looking for me?"

I scream and fall back, all while flinging my magic. I splash into the red water, sinking under with a sputter. When I break the surface, his eyes are narrowed, and he has a cage around him.

"Really?" he sighs.

"You scared me!" I yell as I look down at myself and groan. My hair and dress are soaked. I point at him. "Look what you did."

"I like you all wet." He smirks, and my eyes narrow. My hand moves quickly, and he laughs as he disappears from the cage just as I fling my magic at him again. I search around, looking for him.

"Get out here, demon," I warn, magic waiting in my hand.

"I'm right here," he whispers in my ear, and then I'm plunged under the water again.

I come up sputtering to find him laughing, and then he's gone once more. Suddenly, a tidal wave of water hits me, and he laughs. I kick water back at him, and he howls as it hits him.

I race around the fountain with him hot on my heels, both of us flinging water at each other with hands and magic until we are drenched and laughing loudly.

Panting and grinning, I lift my head and find two coven members there, their mouths agape as they watch me have a water fight with myself and talk to thin air.

"Morning." I wear a guilty grin, water dripping down my face.

"She's getting crazier," one murmurs before waving, and then they hurry away.

I kick out the demon's legs, and he yelps as he hits the water and goes under as I climb from the fountain. Waving my hand, I dry myself off .

When he leaps from it, he pouts at me. "Do me."

"You have your own demon magic," I snap.

"Not what I meant." He winks.

"Demon," I warn, but he reappears dry, blinking innocently at me.

"Yes, little witch?" He backs me up. "Did you miss me?"

"Nope."

"No, you weren't looking all over for me?" he replies as I hit the edge of the cage I made. Swallowing, I meet his eyes. "I think you were. I think you were worried I left you, little witch. Keep denying it all you want, but we both know you like having me around."

"Keep telling yourself that," I mutter as I push past him. "I better get back and carry on with the spell."

He follows me, and I hide my smile at the rightness of him being at my side just as a yell comes from the square. "Why in the heavens is there a cage here?"

Oops.