Swell.

“Salax,” he said as he lit the first candle from the pencil-thick red taper that had appeared in his gloved hand. “Aemulatio,” he said as he lit the second. “Adfictatio, cupidus, and my favorite, inscitia,” he said as he lit the last one. Smiling, the still-glowing taper vanished. I felt him tap a line, and with a translucent swirl of red and black, his circle rose to arch closed over our heads. My skin prickled from its strength, and I clasped my arms about myself.

These are a few of my favorite things, I heard patter through my mind, and I stifled a hysterical giggle. I was going to be a demon’s familiar. There was no way out of it now.

Al’s head jerked up at the ugly choking sound, and Ceri’s face went still. “Algaliarept,” she pleaded. “You’re pushing her too hard. Her will is too strong to bend easily.”

“I’ll break my familiars the way I see fit,” he said calmly. “A little grounding, and she’ll be as right as rain in the desert.” One hand on his hip and the other cupping his chin, he eyed me speculatively. “Time for your bath, love.”

Algaliarept snapped his fingers with a showman’s flair. His hand opened, and a cedar-slatted bucket appeared hanging from it. My eyes widened as he threw its contents at me.

Cold water smacked into me. My breath whooshed out in an affronted yelp. It was saltwater, stinging my eyes and dribbling into my mouth. Reality washed through me, clearing my head. He was making sure I didn’t have any potions in me to contaminate the coming spell. “I don’t use potions, you big green turd!” I shouted, shaking my arms in my sodden sleeves.

“See?” Al was clearly pleased. “All better.”

The slight ache of my ribs intruded as my pain charm broke. Most of the water was soaking my spell book library. If I survived this, I’d have to air them all out. What a jerk.

“Ooooh, your eye is doing nicely,” he said as he reached forward to touch it. “Eating your roommate’s Brimstone, are we? Wait until you try the real stuff. It will knock your socks off.”

I jerked back when his gloved hand brushed my skin with the scent of lavender, but Al’s hand dropped lower to grasp my hair. Shrieking, I swung my foot up. He caught it, moving faster than I could follow. Ceri watched in pity as I fought, helpless. Holding my foot high, he forced me against the counter. His glasses had been knocked aside, and he smiled at me with a domineering delight. “The hard way,” he whispered. “Marvelous.”

“No!” I exclaimed as a pair of sheers suddenly glinted in his hand.

“Hold still,” he said, dropping my foot and pinning me against the counter.

I wiggled and spat at him, but he had me against the counter and I could do nothing. I panicked as I heard metal sheering. He let go by turning misty, and I fell to the floor.