They were close together, too close for Jack's comfort apparently. They stared at each other for a moment before he moved to sit down.

"William Crane," derision was audible in his voice, "was born to a line of powerful fire witches who can trace their heritage back to the 1200s. They were a noble magickal house until Crane joined the Duskoff. He had it all, wealth and the respect and social standing that a good magickal pedigree affords you." He glanced at her. "Like you, Mira. Hoskins is a very well-respected name.”

She smiled. "Really?”

"Yes. Both your mother and your father came from strong lines. That's likely one reason they kept your birth a secret. Everyone wanted them to have offspring because the children of two witches of the same element always bear that element. They were both a rare breed and powerful." A brief smile curled his lips. "You would've been famous.”

She let that sit a moment in her mind. Had that been why they'd kept all this knowledge from her? Were they trying to spare her the expectations of the magickal community? The danger of being a rare kind of witch? Had they simply been trying to protect her from the Duskoff?

This was information she needed to digest at her leisure, although she'd probably never divine the reasons behind her parents' actions.

"If Crane had everything he needed, why did he join the Duskoff?" she asked.

He said nothing.

"Well?" she pressed.

"Crane was on the straight and narrow, a part of the Coven, until he hit about twenty-three. At the time he turned warlock, he was married to a woman who was a positive influence in his life. Once Crane had a taste of the dark, that influence ended. Crane took the betrayer's path because of greed. He was a very strong witch, seduced into the Duskoff by the promise of the immense wealth and power not offered by his family name alone.”

"I guess he moved quickly into the upper echelons.”

Jack grimaced. "Crane had a knack for thinking deviously. He arranged many of their demon circles and controlled the creatures once they came through.”

Mira shivered. "I still can't believe demons are real.”

"Demons are entities who live in, well, I guess you'd call them alternate realities, but that's not really right. They're different planes of existence, with different vibrational frequencies. The magick in a demon circle—all four elements drawn together—creates equilibrium in the differences of the vibrations and makes an opening that calls a demon through.”

"Okay, I have a headache now. What does the Duskoff use them for?”

"The demons are under their control for a negotiated period of time, but the creatures require favors in return as payment, along with the gift of the magick that is provided by the sacrifice of the four witches.”

"I don't even want to know what they ask for as favors.”