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Rhun pulled him in for a hug, and Tallak reciprocated, slapping the other demon on the back.
“All right,” Tallak said when they pulled apart. “I’m going back.”
He swallowed hard at the thought of facing Hazel again, but determination settled in his gut. He’d fix this. He had to. And if it took him forever, he’d prove to her that he was worthy of her forgiveness.
Rhun lifted his chin. “Let me know how it goes.”
Tallak nodded just as Rhun’s phone rang. The bluotezzer picked up, and thanks to Tallak’s demon hearing, he got the full force of Merle’s frantic voice as if he’d answered the call himself.
“Rhun! We need to get out of Portland, right now!”
Tallak paused on his way out the door, looking back at his friend.
Rhun held the phone a bit away from his ear, grimacing. “Calm down, witch volcano. It’s a bit late for a babymoon, don’t you think?”
“This is not a joke.” Merle’s voice sounded genuinely distressed. “Hazel just called me. She figured out what spell the witch is attempting to do with the whole murder sigil shit.”
Tallak came to attention the same moment all nonchalant amusement left Rhun’s face and posture.
“Rhun, listen,” Merle said, speaking quickly, “it’s a banishment spell. It’s a huge pentacle all over Portland, and when the witch lays the fifth point, the ward will go live and kill all demons and shifters within the circle. And it’s happening tonight! We need to get out of the metro area as fast as possible.”
Tallak stepped closer, his heart racing. “Where is Hazel now?”
Rhun repeated the question for Merle.
“She called me from home, but she was just about to leave. She’ll be heading out to where she thinks the fifth ward point is going to be, somewhere to the west, she said. Wait, is Tallak with you?”
“Yeah, I’m here at his place.”
“And he knows what’s happening? Hazel asked me to get word to him. He needs to leave the area, too.”
Tallak’s heart made a hopeful little flip at knowing that despite the fact Hazel had kicked him out, she’d thought to make sure he knew about the spell and to save himself.
“Who’s going with her?” Tallak asked Merle.
Rhun repeated the question again for Merle’s benefit.
“She’s going alone,” Merle said in a small voice. “Everybody else is busy fighting demons because apparently there’s something like the apocalypse happening out there? It’s completely FUBAR. Rhun, we need to leave.”
Rhun’s eyes met Tallak’s, and something passed between them. A moment later, they were both out of the apartment and moving down the stairs at a fast clip.
“Little witch,” Rhun said as they rushed down the steps, his voice solemn. “Grab what you need, get in your dad’s car, and drive.”
“Rhun?”
“Hazel will need backup,” Rhun said quietly.
“No,” Merle whispered. “Rhun, don’t. Please co—” Her sentence ended in a pained grunt.
“Merle?” Rhun stopped in front of the apartment complex, clutching the phone tighter to his ear.
A beat of silence from the other line. “You really, really do need to come home,” Merle said in a hollow voice.
“Merle. What’s wrong?”
“My water just broke. The baby’s coming.”
Rhun’s eyes widened, and he dropped his phone. Scrambling to pick it back up, he dropped it again, his hands shaking, his energy a mess.
