Lee’s attention flicked to the nearby patrons. None seemed to have heard. “It’s okay,” he said softly, his brown eyes pinched. “I got it by accident.”

I put my back against the railing, understanding now why my demon-tainted aura hadn’t scared him off. “Don’t we all?” I said, surprised when he shook his head. My thoughts went to Nick, and I bit my lower lip.

“How did you get yours?” he asked, and it was my turn to be nervous.

“I was dying. He saved me. I owe him for safe passage through the lines.” I didn’t think it necessary to tell Lee that I was the demon’s familiar. “How about you?”

“Curiosity.” Eyes squinting, he frowned at a past memory.

Curious myself, I gave him another once-over. I wouldn’t say Al’s real name and break the contract we had come to when I had bought a summoning name from him, but I wanted to know if it was the same demon. “Hey, uh, does yours wear crushed green velvet?” I asked.

Lee jerked. His brown eyes went wide under his sharply cut bangs, and then a smile born of shared trouble came over him. “Yes. He talks in a British accent—”

“And has a thing for frosting and french fries?” I interrupted.

Lee ducked his head and chuckled. “Yes, when he isn’t morphing into my father.”

“How about that?” I said, feeling an odd kinship. “It’s the same one.”

Tugging his sleeve down to cover the mark, Lee rested his side against the craps table. “You seem to have a knack for ley lines,” he said. “Are you taking instruction from him?”

“No,” I said forcefully. “I’m an earth witch.” I twiddled my finger with my ring amulet and touched the cord of the one around my neck that was supposed to defrizz my hair.

His attention went from the scar on my wrist to the ceiling. “But you …” he drawled.

I shook my head and sipped my drink, my back to the game. “I told you it was an accident. I’m not a ley line witch. I took a class is all. Well, half of one. The instructor died before the class was finished.”

He blinked in disbelief. “Dr. Anders?” he blurted. “You had a class with Dr. Anders?”

“You knew her?” I pulled myself straighter.

“I’ve heard of her.” He leaned close. “She was the best ley line witch east of the Mississippi. I came out here to take classes from her. She was supposed to be the best.”

“She was,” I said, depressed. She was going to help get Nick unbound as my familiar. Now, not only was the spell book gone, but she was dead and all her knowledge with her. I jerked upright as I realized I had been wool gathering. “So, you’re a student?” I asked.

Lee rested his elbows on the rail, watching the dice skitter and roll behind me. “Road scholar,” he said shortly. “I got my degree years ago from Berkeley.”