Ivy appeared in the archway. “Where did you get those spells?” she said suspiciously.

“Relax,” he said with a distant voice as he inspected each disk carefully. “I bought these months ago. Make yourself useful and boil up a pan of water.”

She snuffed and spun about, storming back into the kitchen. I heard a series of clicks followed by the whoosh of the gas igniting. The taps ran full force as she filled a pan, and a faint yelp of surprise came from my bathroom.

Keasley had bloodied his finger and invoked the spell before I realized it. The amulet settled around my neck, and after looking me square in the eye to gauge its effectiveness, he turned his attention to my neck. “I really appreciate this,” I said as the first fingers of relief eased into my body and my shoulders drooped. Salvation.

“I’d hold off on the thanks till you get my bill,” Keasley murmured. I frowned at the old joke, and he smiled, crinkling the folds around his eyes. Resettling himself, he prodded my skin. The pain broke through the spell, and I took a sharp breath. “Still hurt?” he asked needlessly.

“Why don’t you just put her out?” Ivy asked.

I started. Damn it, I hadn’t even heard her come in. “No,” I said sharply. I didn’t want Ivy convincing him to take me to Emergency.

“It wouldn’t hurt, then,” Ivy said, standing belligerently in her leather and silk. “Why do you have to do things the hard way?”

“I’m not doing things the hard way, I just don’t want to be put out,” I argued. My vision darkened, and I concentrated on breathing before I put myself out.

“Ladies,” Keasley murmured into the tension. “I agree sedating Rachel would be easier, especially on her, but I’m not going to force it.”

“Thanks,” I said listlessly.

“A few more pans of water, perhaps, Ivy?” Keasley asked. “And those towels?”

The microwave dinged, and Ivy spun away. What bee had stung her bonnet? I wondered.

Keasley invoked a second amulet and settled it next to the first. It was another pain charm, and I slumped into the double relief and closed my eyes. They flashed open as Ivy set a mug of hot chocolate on the coffee table, closely followed by a stack of more pink towels. With a misplaced frustration, she returned to the kitchen to slam about under the counter.

From under the blanket, I slowly pulled out the arm the demon had struck. The swelling had gone down, and a small knot of worry loosened. It wasn’t broken. I wiggled my fingers, and Keasley put the hot chocolate into my grip. The mug was comfortingly warm, and the hot chocolate slid down my throat with a protective feeling.

While I sipped my drink, Keasley packed the towels around my right shoulder. Taking a squeeze bottle from his bag, he washed the last of the blood from my neck, soaking the towels. His brown eyes intent, he began to probe the tissue. “Ow!” I yelped, nearly spilling my hot chocolate as I jerked away. “Do you really need to do that?”