We can’t ever tell who will say if they’ve seen us.

Elise pulls me quickly through the back and the dishwasher man lets us out into an alley. The back of Edinburgh Castle looms way above. Hope sleeps, her feet splayed. We take an end of the stroller each and lift her up the steps. Elise’s pretty mouth offers words – proclamations – spells, incantations. She is speaking in tongues, ranting at all that is wrong, her soul focused only on escape. In the apartment she unwraps the binds around my horns, then settles Hope into her bed, returning.

Brandy.

Pipe.

She tastes of alcohol and smoke, pulls me in toward her, slows all of time. Her fingers trace the fine points of my horns. I slip down onto my knees between her thighs. We do it quick and hot like this. I feel that same complete exhilaration as Elise moans out.

He pushes the door open.

Stands.

I look up at him.

Unsheathed.

The way he least likes me.

I haven’t seen him since last night and he doesn’t even look guilty. Elise is up fixing her dress and saying she is going to get Hope who is awake again and screaming like all of hell has opened and every spirit is rushing out toward us.

I see the knife then.

It is silver.

Mr Udnam turns it one way, then the other: a practised move.

– You can’t kill us.

He points the blade toward me.

– I’m not going to kill them. I’m going to kill you!

– Why?

– You are an abomination, I knew I would have to do this ever since I first saw those!

He points to my horns.

– Don’t come near me.

– Hope is old enough now, she doesn’t need a nursemaid any more and neither does Elise!

He gestures toward the top of my head again and I wish I had bound them this morning, I was stupid to think he was getting used to it. Every time they are exposed or commented on by him, I fear for the nubs on Hope’s head. I can’t believe my daughter shares blood with this man and for a minute I know exactly how my mother must have felt.

He steps forward.

All the spirits in the building and the underworld flood across the city.

They flow up the stairwell.

Into this room!

All to see the devil’s daughter fight a mortal man.

It is not in my want to kill any more, though. Elise’s love has dissipated that in me. If I kill him even if he is a bad man then I am no better than my father. If I act from anger or entitlement or bitterness then I am no better than him. I chose to kill because of what he did to my mother and brother, to the people in our community, for those exact reasons.