“You’ve gotten wise in your death, Cecile.” Althacazur exhaled like he was defeated. “After what she endured in the White Forest, Lucifer won’t let me touch her. He blames me, rightfully so, for banishing her in what was a rather harsh punishment, but he’s putting me in an awkward position. The daemons are clamoring to destroy her because she’s a cambion. They think she’s cocky and too powerful. I don’t want to see my daughter destroyed, but I can’t help her directly.”

“I don’t want to help her,” Lara snorted.

“No, you just want to live your life free of her. I want her here again, so in essence we want the same things. Even if I could lift a hand, there’s pride in the daemon community. She struck Cecile first by killing Émile. It needs to be Cecile—or her proxy—that strikes back. I’ve helped as much as I can to build the perfect proxy. More than you know.”

“It sounds a bit like the mafia,” quipped Lara, wiping some dust or chalk off her hands and onto her thighs. “Well, I’m done chanting protection spells and hiding in Kerrigan Falls. If you need me to bring her here, I’ll do it. I’ve got nothing to lose.”

“That’s my girl!” Althacazur clapped his hands. “Only problem is that you can’t tangle with Esmé alone. Oh, granted you’re a clever little thing turning the lights on and off—and that marvelous little bit of business you did with the trapeze artist at Rivoli was inspiring, not to mention what you did just now. I’ve built you well and I bet you’re feeling quite powerful about now, but you’re no match for a hundred-year-old child of a major daemon. So let me propose a little deal for you. Take Great-Grandmother with you, so you have a fighting chance.”

At this suggestion, Lara could see Cecile shift, disturbed. Althacazur had not consulted her on this strategy. “This is not why I wanted Lara to come here.”

Althacazur laughed. “So what did you think? You just tell her all about Esmé and she’d go back to her little town and vanquish your sister? Surely you see that is a fool’s errand, Cecile. She can’t do that. Only you can do that.”

“But I can’t leave here, Father. I’m dead.”