Keasley pulled my wrist to him and started winding a roll of gauze bandage around it. Blood soaked it almost as quickly as it went about my wrist. “Don’t let it tell you that you don’t have a say in the matter,” he said as he used the entire roll, fastening the end with a bit of white medical tape. “You can dicker about how to pay for your passage until you both agree on something. Years, even. Demons always give you choices. And they’re patient.”

“Some choice!” I barked. “Agree to owe him a favor or walk around like I’ve got stigmata the rest of my life?”

He shrugged as he gathered his needles, thread, and scissors on his newspaper and folded it up. “I think you did pretty well for your first run-in with a demon.”

“First run-in!” I exclaimed, then lay back panting. First? Like there was ever going to be a second. “How do you know all this?” I whispered.

He stuffed the newspaper in the bag and rolled the top down. “You live long enough, you hear things.”

“Great.” I looked up as Keasley pulled the heavy-duty pain amulet from around my neck. “Hey,” I objected as all my pains started back in with a dull throbbing. “I need that.”

“You’ll do fine with just two.” He stood up and dropped my salvation into a pocket. “That way, you won’t hurt yourself by trying to do anything. Leave those stitches in for about a week. Matalina can tell you when to take them out. No shape shifting, meantime.” He pulled out a sling and set it on the coffee table. “Wear it,” he said simply. “Your arm is bruised, not broken.” He arched his white eyebrows. “Lucky you.”

“Keasley, wait.” I took a quick breath, trying to gather my thoughts. “What can I do for you? An hour ago I thought I was dying.”

“An hour ago, you were dying.” He chuckled, then shifted from foot to foot. “It’s important you don’t owe anyone anything, isn’t it?” He hesitated. “I envy you for your friends. I’m old enough not to be afraid to say that. Friends are a luxury I haven’t indulged in for a long time. If you let me trust you, consider us even.”

“But that’s nothing,” I protested. “Do you want more plants from the garden? Or a mink potion? They’re good for a few days more, and I won’t be using them again.”

“I wouldn’t count on that,” he said, glancing into the hall at the sound of my bathroom door creaking open. “And being someone I trust might be expensive. I might call in my marker someday. Are you willing to risk it?”

“Of course,” I said, wondering what an old man like Keasley could be running from. It couldn’t be worse than what I was facing. The door to the sanctuary boomed shut, and I straightened. Ivy was done sulking and Nick was out of the shower. They were going to be at each other again in a moment, and I was too tired to play referee. Jenks buzzed in through the window, and I closed my eyes to gather my strength. All three of them at once might kill me.