The heat scorched her flesh. It burned far worse than the side effects of Professor Lurcher’s attack.
Eva breathed in gasps. The dank musk of burning flesh surrounded her. She tried to slow her breathing and could not.
Flesh curled back from her feet. It moved up her body, slowly stripping her of all her muscles and tendons as they turned to ash. Heat scorched her bones to a charred black.
Only her claws were unaffected.
It all ceased before Eva could think more.
Eva once again went blind.
Blind save for the blood infused wards of her prison. She stepped out of the gateway circle she set up to receive her and collapsed against a wall.
Neither Arachne nor Ylva had been forthcoming on what exactly went on during an infernal walk.
Eva peeled apart her dry lips. They cracked as she took a deep breath of the fresh air.
The gateway room was another of the converted cells in the women’s ward. It was just a few steps out to the main common room.
Arachne popped to her feet the moment Eva walked in. She darted over to Eva and helped her to the couch. “I’ll get you a glass of water,” she said.
Eva didn’t respond. Her throat was too dry.
It was all in her head. Eva knew it. She knew it was all in her head.
That didn’t help. Even though she’d recover in a minute or two, infernal walks were not pleasant.
Water almost splashed in her face as Arachne handed her the glass with overwhelming zeal.
Eva brought the cool liquid to her parched lips. It swished around in her mouth before she drained the glass. “Thanks.”
“What happened? Your arm,” she trailed off as her fingers ran over the stiff cast.
“Nothing, just got it caught under Sister Cross’ boot.”
Arachne’s fingers immediately clenched.
“Anyway, you didn’t do anything since I left, did you?”
“No,” Arachne growled.
Eva nodded. “I didn’t think so.” With a sigh, Eva said, “Sister Cross had one of her people kidnapped by a demon.”
“How does that end up with your arm under her boot?”
“Naturally, her first suspect was me. She attacked straight away.”
Arachne’s hands clenched and unclenched repeatedly as she stood up from her seat next to Eva. She paced around while growling. She came to a sudden stop. “I swear I’ll kill her.”
“As much as I appreciate the sentiment, I’m slightly concerned about a demon running around. Ylva didn’t go anywhere after I left, did she?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Arachne,” Eva said while crossing her arms. Or arm. She put her good arm in her sling. “You’re supposed to be keeping an eye on her.”
“Yeah. I didn’t see her leave.”
Eva sighed. “Let’s go see if she’s in her room then.”
“Am I carrying you?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“I never mind.”
“Then get on with it,” Eva said.
Arachne swooped down and picked up Eva in the usual princess carry. She took extra care not to pinch or even touch Eva’s cast. Unlike earlier in the day, Arachne half sprinted to cell house two.
She all but kicked in the door.
As usual, Eva couldn’t see any of Ylva when she first entered the room. Arachne didn’t say anything which probably meant that the hel was in her usual spot on her throne.
Eva called out to the emptiness in her vision. “A brief question and I will cease bothering you, Ylva.” No response came. Eva assumed that was agreeing to answer. “Were you in the city of Brakket today?”
There was a long pause. Eva wondered if she was talking to an empty room.
“No.”
Ylva’s voice echoed through the spacious hall. And that was it. No elaboration or questions in return.
“Thank you for your time,” Eva said.
Arachne carried her out without being asked. “I don’t know why you keep her around,” she said as soon as the door close.
“She doesn’t hurt anything. It seems like it would be a lot of trouble to evict her as well. Is my master still around?”
“He went to his little penthouse. As far as I know he hasn’t left.” The spider-woman started walking in his direction.
“As far as you know?” Eva shook her head. “You’re not very good at the ‘watch the compound’ order, are you?”
“It is a big place,” Arachne shrugged. Eva’s cast tapped against her chest with the motion. “Maybe you should set up that thing you had at the retirement home. You know? The thing that showed you if people were in the building.”
“Ah,” Eva slumped slightly in Arachne’s arms, “Devon set that up. I’m not sure how charitable he is feeling these days. He seemed upset earlier.”
“Really? Looked like normal Devon to me.”
Not to Eva. He’d always been grumpy, but a jovial kind of grumpy. At least around her.
Now she almost dreaded seeing him. Arachne climbed the stairs to his penthouse slowly, almost with dread.
That did nothing to ease Eva’s anxieties.
Still, Eva knocked on his heavy door with her good hand.
There was a shuffling noise behind the door. Several lines of curses followed before Eva watched as her master’s circulatory system stumbled over to the door.
She couldn’t even guess what he was doing on the other side.
A brief pause as he peered through the peephole preceded the door swinging open.
“What?” His grunt was in full effect. It almost came out as a rasp.
“You didn’t set any demons loose in town, did you? Or get followed by any from wherever you were?”
He stared at Eva. Just stared. “What?”
“It seems there is a demon running rampant around Brakket.” Eva quickly added, “before you ask, I had nothing to do with it. It showed up on its own.”
Her master sighed as his nose scrunched up.
“What is it with this damn school?”
Chapter 009
“Carter.”
“Yes. That’s what the card says.”
The nun glanced back down at the small scrap of paper in her hands. Her eyes flicked back to Devon and narrowed. “Expert demonologist?”
“Yes. The card says that too. I’m glad the Elysium Order doesn’t stifle the budget for reading lessons.”
The white-robed nun didn’t appear to be listening. Her eyes flared white and she started glancing around.
Devon hopped back, worried she might actually attack.
“Where’s your demon,” she growled. It wasn’t a question. Lightning crackled at her fingertips.
“What?” Devon quickly let out a snorting laugh. “Oh no, you have me confused with a diabolist. It’s an easy mistake to make.” He laughed again, slapping his knee. “They both start with ‘d’ and end in ‘ist.’ I see the Elysium Order’s reading budget isn’t as high as I thought.”
“I should strike you down where you stand.”
“I am an officially sanctioned demonologist. Striking me down would be a crime and your order,” he said as she shook his finger at her, “is in hot enough water as it is, young lady.”
The light in her eyes seethed before being extinguished to a pair of light brown eyes. “I don’t care what the card says. I can’t let you in.” She tossed the paper over her shoulder without a second glance.
Devon followed it as it fluttered to the ground. He pressed his fake glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Ahhh,” he added as much nasally tone to his voice as he dared without sounding fake, “I’m afraid that isn’t your decision to make. I was hired as an independent contractor by the administrators of Brakket city to investigate any possible demonic activity. Given that you are squatting in this building rather than owning it properly, you have absolutely no authority.”
From his pocket, Devon pulled a bundle of folded up papers. He thrust the very realistic looking documents in front of the nun’s face. Something told him they would be wasted on the illiterate girl.