Ceri shook her head, and I dropped the pad of paper onto the table. I remembered the time I had stood in Trent’s office, one foot in the here and now, and one in the ever-after. I had been entirely safe, unless Al had got a grip on me and pulled me through. “Not unless there’s a demon to pull you through,” I said, rubbing the goose bumps from my arms. “And I’m the only one going in. Not you, not you, and not you.”

I looked at them in turn, reading Ceri’s relief, Jenks’s ire, and Ivy’s annoyance.

“I don’t mind a little demon smut,” Ivy said defensively.

“Me either,” Jenks chimed in, and Ceri shook her head with a soft no. That Jenks had popped back to reality when the sun had come up didn’t bode well. “I’m going with you, Rache,” he said loudly. “Even if I have to ride in your armpit!”

Ooh, that’s a pretty picture. “You don’t get it,” I said, trying to burn the image from my consciousness. “There is no reason for you to go!”

Jenks rose up, his wings clattering. “Like hell there isn’t!” he yelled, shooting nervous glances at Ivy. “You need backup.”

Frustrated, I slammed my hand down on the table, and two pixies shot out of my charm cupboard, shrieking. I hesitated as they flew down the hall and into the night. Great, now Matalina would know Jenks was trying to come with me. The woman wouldn’t stop him, but I’d be damned before I took him away from her again.

“I’m not going in there to kick some demon ass,” I said softly, trying to be reasonable. “Even with your help, I can’t beat off more than one demon at a time with magic, and as soon as they realize I’m there, it’s going to be a bunch of demons.” I glanced at Ceri, and the pale woman nodded. “I’ve thought it over, and I can’t do it with muscle or magic. I have to do it with trickery, and I’m sorry, but much as I’d like one or both of you there, you can’t help me.” I looked at Ivy by the fridge, feeling the frustration coming off her in a wave. “You can do more good by staying here and summoning me home.” My face burned with shame that I had a demon name, and fear made my voice soft. “Once I’ve got him.”

“This is crap!” Jenks shouted. “Green fairy crap.”

Ivy rubbed her temples. “I have a headache,” she breathed, one of the few times she had ever admitted to me that she hurt. “Can you at least take Ceri?”