Milo reverted. “So who decided it should be the souls of children, Mr Mayor?”

There was some part of Amber that was aware of how horrible that was, and yet it failed to rouse her anger. She didn’t mind. With her horns on, she was enjoying the look on Jesper’s face too much to bother with feeling outraged.

“I’m assuming it was a practical necessity,” Milo continued. “A man of your age couldn’t be expected to target people who might be able to fight back. Let’s face it, kids are easier to kill.”

“Is that true?” Amber asked. “You agreed to murder one child every year for a hundred years? Wow. That takes commitment, Mr Mayor. Your depravity is impressive.”

“Do not mock me,” Jesper responded.

“Hey, listen, from one monster to another, good going.”

Novak was suddenly at her side, cracking his gun into her skull. The world tilted and Amber fell to one knee.

“I’m not a monster!” Jesper shouted down at her. “I was scared! I didn’t want to die and I was scared, so yes, I agreed to it. But I’m not that person anymore.”

“If you say so,” Amber said, glaring at Novak. She looked back at Jesper. “But if the contract was for a hundred years, and that was two hundred years ago, what happened?”

Jesper calmed himself before answering. “Naberius returned to me five years before my contract expired – alone this time. He offered to extend the deal to twice its length if I would help him trap his brother.”

“Family back-stabbing,” Amber said, getting to her feet. She could relate.

“He instructed me to build a cell in the caves beneath the town, and in the middle of that cell I was to carve a circle inscribed with ancient symbols. Then I was to collapse all tunnels that led to it. He provided the keys that would form a bridge of sorts between the cell door and any other door.”

“I’ve seen one of those,” said Amber. “A brass key, right? Dacre Shanks used one.”

“Perhaps,” Jesper said. “Naberius made three such keys. I only know for certain where one of them is, the one that had been given to me. I constructed the cell. He constructed the keys. All we had to do was fool Astaroth into stepping into the circle, which would trap him for eternity.”

“But Astaroth found out,” said Milo.

“Yes,” Jesper said ruefully. “He appeared, told me he had known all along, and then explained the new plan. When the day came, he played along until the final moment, when he pushed his brother into the circle instead.”

Amber smiled. “This is all so treacherous. I love it.”