A soft tingle grew at my old demon scar, and I stayed still, simply tasting the feeling that warmed me from my skin inward and trying to decide if it had been born from my thoughts and Ivy’s pheromones—or my desire for her to be happy. Did it matter?

Jenks flew up from the sill and moved to the mantel, his wings clearing the dust from where he landed. “How about something in Latin?” he said as he walked to my list and stared down at it. “Like ‘kick-ass witch,’ or ‘royally screwed.’”

“Raptus regaliter?” I said, thinking it sounded too much like Rumpel stiltskin. “They all know Latin. I think that comes under using words in the dictionary.”

His expression sly, Jenks glanced at Ivy as she put the drill away. “How about Iaasw,” he said. “Which means ‘I am a stupid witch’—or here’s one.” Grinning, he stood on my list with his hands on his hips. “Nuacsiepasn? That’s a great name.”

Ivy shook the thick contractor garbage bag down and dropped her paper hat in it. “What’s that stand for?”

“‘Never under any circumstances should I ever pick a summoning name.’”

I pressed my lips together and hammered a nail.

Ivy snickered and took a sip of bottled water she had on the sill. “I think we should call her Spam, because her ass is going to be in a tin if she’s not careful.”

Ticked, I turned, hammer in hand. “You know what?” I said, waving it in a weak threat. “You can all just shut up. You can all shut up right now.”

Capping her water, Ivy frowned. “I don’t even know why you’re doing this.”

“Ivy—” I started, tired of it.

“It’s asking for trouble,” she said, setting the empty bottle back on the sill.

Jenks stood on my list, staring down at it with his hands on his hips. “She’s doing it for the thrill,” he said distantly.

“I am not!” I protested.

They both looked at me in disbelief. “Yes you are,” Jenks said as if it didn’t bother him. “It’s textbook Rachel. Coming close to something lethal, but not quite there.” He smiled. “And we lo-o-o-o-ove you for it,” he crooned.

“Shut up,” I muttered, turning my back on him and hammering. “I’m doing this so Minias doesn’t have to pop over here to get that mark resolved.” Leaning into the sun, I grabbed another handful of nails. “You liked Minias showing up that way?” I said.

His eyes on his kids clustered on the windowsill, Jenks shrugged. “I agree with what you’re doing, but not why.”

“I just told you why.” Nervous, I tucked a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. “Look, if you don’t want to help me pick out a password, that’s fine. I can do it myself.”