“In their beds,” he said, thumbnail running under the nail of his index finger.

“You left them alone?” I blurted out, and Al rolled his eyes.

“Nothing will happen in the time it takes to tell you to find someone else to watch them.”

I stood, setting the ball of light on the bed. “It’s not like you went to the bathroom, Al, you’re across the city. You can’t leave them like that! Even if they are sleeping!”

Al’s face was ugly when he pulled his eyes from the ball of light. “I’m three seconds away from them,” he said with a sneer. “It would take me longer to take a piss than to jump back to them. My God, you’re covered with elf shit. How can you stand yourself?”

I dropped back, ashamed and embarrassed. Trent stood beside me, a protective gleam in his eye. “We’re a little busy. You think you could watch them for a bit longer?”

Al ran his eyes up and down me again in disgust before turning to the sink and the still-running water. “I see how busy you are. No. I have to go to work.”

“Work?” I echoed, surprised. Seriously? Then I pulled my thoughts back from how much damage a working demon could do. “We’re stuck here,” I said, gesturing. “You can’t leave them until we get back. It’s the babysitter’s creed. You have to wait until the parents come home, even if they’re late.”

Al picked up one of the bugs between two careful fingers. “Ellasbeth is there,” he said, as if the bug was a mic. “She’s a parent.”

“Ellasbeth!” Trent’s hand fell from me. “Go back! Stop them! Al, she filed for custody on the basis that leaving them with you is child abuse!”

Al spun, the bug in his fingers crushed to nothing as the sting of that soaked in. “Just. So,” he said succinctly, the pain of betrayal simmering in the back of his goat-slitted eyes.

“Al!” I begged him. “You can’t leave them with her!”

“I don’t fucking care, Rachel!” he shouted, and I stumbled back. “I am a demon!”

I lifted my chin, frustration making me reckless. “Liar.”

Al’s eyes almost glowed in the light from my mystic-powered globe. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” Trent was edging toward me as Al came forward, and I stood firm. “Now either get your butt back there until we can get ourselves out of here, or get us out of here yourself!”

“Ah, Rachel ...” Trent was wincing, and I stiffened.

Al was toe to toe with me, and my knees shook. I stared up at him, not willing to kowtow to him anymore. So I had mystics in me. I didn’t ask for them, and they were coming in handy.