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Hattie poured a vial of liquid into the cauldron, then opened the velvet bag and sprinkled a gray powder on top. It looked like ashes. “Tears shed out of love, mixed with these leshane ashes should do the trick.”
I furrowed my brow. “Leshane… that’s a monster, isn’t it? A forest demon from fae lore? Where did you get its ashes?”
Leshane ashes had to be insanely rare. The only portals monsters could slip through to Earth were located in Malovia, and the fae hunted monsters before they could escape beyond their borders. I didn’t even know how a witch could get their hands on such a thing. The fae certainly weren’t trading something as valuable as forest demon ashes with a witch—
The fae. It hit me then that Hattie had dealt with the fae before. Last semester, when Nadine and I were at Perry’s Point, we ran into a group of fae our age. They’d been dragging a man into town, claiming he was possessed by a forest demon. They’d come to Octavia Falls to perform an exorcism. We’d told them where to find Hattie, and we let them through the protection spell.
“Those fae we helped last year…” I realized before she could answer. “You exorcized their demon and kept the ashes.”
Hattie had to be the only person in the world in possession of leshane ashes. That meant this spell was extremely advanced.
Hattie smirked. “As you helped the fae sorceress save her mate, now she is helping you to save yours. The leshane was a much older, much stronger demon than the one you currently face. The dark magic within these ashes will help to push out the spirit that has overcome your love. Now, come. Let us pray.”
Hattie reached over the cauldron, and I took her hands. “Deities of the Miriamic Coven, we ask for your help. One of your children is sick, afflicted with magic we cannot conquer. We pray that should it be your will, you heal her. So shall it be.”
For a moment, nothing happened.
Please, I begged the Goddess. Please help her.
The ingredients in the potion began to swirl together, and the liquid rose upward like a tornado. The leshane ashes shimmered all different colors, so brightly they reflected off the walls. I watched on in wonder as the magic swirled upward, forming into the shape of a person.
A flash of lightning lit up the adjoining room the same moment a crack of thunder sounded so loud my ears rang. I jumped, and my eyes landed on a terrifying creature standing over Nadine. He had to be over eight feet tall, because he hunched over so his head didn’t hit the ceiling. He had the body of a human and the head of a ram, with curved horns larger than any demon’s I’d ever seen. Hair covered his entire body, and long, sharp claws grew out of the ends of his fingers.
We hadn’t summoned a god. We’d summoned a demon!
I leapt to my feet, magic ready in my hand. “Where’s Mother Miriam?”
“Keep calm, Lucas,” the demon said gently. It was very strange.
“We summoned Mother Miriam,” I growled. “Who are you to show your face?”
“Perhaps you will feel more confident in my human form,” the demon said. He shifted, becoming a man with dark hair and symmetrical features. He wore a long black robe, and I noticed a tattoo circling his wrist. All the Miriamic Cast symbols wove together and disappeared beneath the sleeve of his robe. I should’ve been terrified of him like I was scared of Professor Leto, but something about this man seemed familiar in a reassuring way. I was certain I’d never seen him before in my life, though.
I wasn’t convinced. Magic crackled in my palm. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t fry your demon ass.”
“I am no longer a demon,” he told me. “Forgive me for my initial appearance. All natural-born gods have an animal form. The demons you speak of were created by damned souls in my image, to mimic the appearance of a god. I assure you I am here to help.”
“You can’t be a god,” I accused. It had to be some sort of manipulation tactic. Demons were known for their sleazy tricks, which was why we no longer associated with them.
Hattie tugged on my hand. “Lucas, I summoned a god of the Miriamic coven. There is more than one.”
My jaw dropped as I took in the man, and it hit me. “Santos?”
He nodded kindly. “You’ve summoned me to break the spell inside of Nadine. This, I can do. However, possessions are a type of contract, and all demon contracts include a consent withdrawal clause.”
“This is true,” Hattie said. “Even in a normal exorcism, the possessed must cast the demon out themselves. The exorcism spell just helps the process along.”
“You have our consent,” I said desperately. “Do whatever you have to do.”
“I need her consent,” Santos clarified. He knelt beside Nadine and checked her pulse. His features fell, and I knew something must be terribly wrong. “I fear she may be too far gone to give it.”
“She would give it if she could!” I cried. “Take my word. I know her better than anyone.”
“I’m afraid even a god's magic can’t override this spell without her word,” Santos said.
“Then what are you doing here!?” I raged. “You’re a god. You must be able to help her. Consider me her power of attorney. We’ve been through everything together—nearly to hell and back. I know she wouldn’t want to die like this. Hell, she just got her kidney. She just got her chance at—”
I cut off when it hit me. Nadine had my kidney… which meant the spell in her body was infecting my body, too.
