“You’re a mess,” Al said, almost his old self as he smacked the man so hard he stumbled.

The smack had been a curse of some sort, because Pierce stiffened, shuddering as a sheet of red ever-after coated him, changing his outdated clothes into something more modern. He was still wearing creased black pants and a long-sleeved shirt, but now there was a colorful patterned vest and a sharp-looking, trendy hat in his hand. He looked good, even with his hair disheveled, and I squashed the thought.

“You’re going on a field trip, runt,” Al said as he looped the amulet he’d taken from the chest over Pierce’s head. “You will keep my student alive or die trying.”

“Hands off,” Pierce all but growled, and Al smacked his face, taking the hat out of Pierce’s hand and smashing it smartly on the witch’s head. I tensed, but clearly Pierce was used to the manhandling, and he only frowned more deeply.

“You will make sure that nasty demon Ku’Sox doesn’t kill her,” Al said conversationally. “Understand? You’re angry, but you still like her, yes? Want to have wild demon sex with her even if she ruined your attempt to kill me? Keep her alive, and you might get some. Eh? Eh? You’d like that, mmmm?”

“Al…,” I protested, and Pierce looked at me like I was trash.

“I’d sooner lie with a whore,” Pierce said, and I gasped, affronted.

I half-expected Al to smack him again, but all the demon did was brush off the amulet and say, “Well, she’s been called that, so where’s the problem?”

“Al!” I exclaimed, but no one cared.

“Better,” Al said, nodding once sharply as he took a step back and looked Pierce over. “All nice and pretty for itchy witch.”

Pierce took his new hat off and dropped it to the dusty floor, even though I saw that he liked it. “You’re doing this because I can kill you. I could kill you right this moment.”

I gasped as Al reached out and slapped him, the sound of hand meeting flesh giving the fast movement away. Pierce reeled, catching himself against the broken chair that had once belonged to Ceri. “I’m getting rid of you,” Al said calmly, “because you’re a clever witch who won’t stay in his box.”

Glaring, Pierce straightened from his half fall, looking at me as if I was the source of his woes. Hey, dude, I wasn’t the one trying to kill Al.

“Al. No. This is not a good idea,” I said, seeing Pierce’s anger as I backed up a step.

“It’s a capital idea!” Al took three steps to close the distance between him and Pierce. The shorter man tensed, but Al only put an arm over his shoulder. He looked like a dad threatening a date, and I half-expected him to tell Pierce to have me home by ten, but what he said was “Keep her alive. Keep her alive, or I will know about it.”