Chapter 266: Sassafras Goes Home
This time the crossing seemed easier, whether because Sassy was with me or due to the fact I was ready for it and knew it was coming I didn't know. I was just grateful to step through instead of falling, my nausea not affecting me to the point of barfing this time.
I glanced to my right, at Sassafras. He looked the same, aside from the red-tinted skin and cute horns tucked into his shaggy hair. He pulled his hand free of mine in a jerk, shoving it into the back pocket of his jeans like my touch offended him somehow.
There was no time to ask him what his problem was. Theridialis stood there before me, beaming a huge smile, arms outstretched.
When did I become such a hugger? I usually avoided hugs. But I couldn't resist his cherub smile, the gentleness in his face.
"Welcome back, Sydlynn." His amber eyes fell on Sassafras. "Hello, son."
"Dad." Sass's voice was a growl. Neither moved to hug, I noticed. Happy moment over.
"It brings me joy to see you return." Theridialis didn't move, but I could feel his affection as if it were real. Demon emotions seemed so much more tangible, the strength of his feelings almost making me giddy.
I could only guess Sassafras was immune. "Thank Harry's power for breaking my banishment."
His father nodded. "I expected you to figure it out someday."
Anger flashed over Sassy's face. "Just like that." His voice was a growl, more animal than demon. "And how exactly did you think I'd manage it?"
Theridialis raised one hand, extended it, the lighter red of his palm showing deep lines. "Because," he said. "You are my son."
Sass jerked like someone cut his puppet strings.
"Now," Theridialis grabbed my hand and pulled me through the lab, seating me on the same stool as before, pressing a mug of the delicious drink on me. "I've been considering the problem and I have a few things I'd like to try."
I took the mug eagerly, downing a huge mouthful with a groan of pleasure. The stuff was horribly addictive.
"Nectar?" Sarcasm dripped in ropey coils of fury from Sassy's voice. "Really, Dad? You're feeding her nectar?"
Theridialis didn't blink or show anger at the interruption. "You're welcome to it, if you'd like some."
I'd never seen anyone so tense. Sassy's shoulders scrunched up almost high enough to touch his ears, face pulled tight in disapproval and distaste. It was like he was trying to crawl out of his own skin and leave the shell behind as a decoy so he wouldn't have to be there anymore.
"Forget it." He turned his back on us, striding toward the only door in the room. "Have fun."
I half rose, mug of deliciousness forgotten in my hand, mouth open to call after him, but I was too late. The heavy metal portal slammed shut behind him, the sound echoing through the still air of the lab.
"Sydlynn." I turned, met Theridialis's eyes. He was still smiling, though it was sad now. "We have much to do and only limited windows."
"Sunset." I set the mug aside, not wanting the distraction even though my demon begged me for one more sip. Maybe the whole addiction thing was something I should worry about after all. "Right?"
The portly demon shrugged. "I'm sure your father has informed you we're not positive what will happen if you stay past darkness. But we have hours before that happens yet."
I tried to put Sassafras out of my mind while Theridialis went to work.
I'd be lying if I said I knew what he was up to, what half of what he did to me meant. There were moments he had me bent into odd shapes like a pretzel, humming while I let my demon power swirl around me. He made me hold odd gadgets and stand on a small circle of black rock that made every single hair on my body stand straight up on end. Through it all, he muttered and mumbled, making notations in the air written in amber fire he would then erase in a swipe of power.
It was the oddest experience of my life and through it all I held my breath, praying he would find an answer.
Finally he sighed and stepped away, prodding at a series of symbols he'd written that now followed him around like a string of happy, sparkling puppies. "There's just too much interference." His wide shoulders slumped for a moment, round belly seeming to deflate as he shook his head. "The witch and Sidhe magic inside you are just too strong to cut out of the equation. I can't calculate what I need without access to pure demon power already tied to your plane."
"That's it, then?" I couldn't believe that. There had to be something we could do.
"I'm not giving up just yet, young lady." His determination made me perk up again. "We only need a different approach."
He had just finished speaking when the door opened and Sassafras returned.
"Time's up." Being on Demonicon hadn't seemed to improve his mood any. In fact, he was even crankier. If that was possible.
I glanced at Theridialis who was staring at his son. "He's right, I'm afraid." He gestured for me to join Sassafras. "But we're not finished, not by a long mark. We have, as yet, to test your magic, my son. Since it is Harry's power that turned you back to your mortal form, I can only imagine it is what resides inside you that will revert him to his natural state."
I stared at Theridialis in shock. "Why did you waste time with me, then?" A whole day lost! What was he thinking?
The demon's eyes never left his son though Sassafras refused to look at him and the simple love in his face was enough to tell me why. How could Sass be so wrong about his father? He'd been willing to use my magic to fix Dad on the off chance it would work.
Because it meant Sass could stay in human form.
Sassafras roughly grabbed my hand. "We'll see," he said before reaching for the veil. I tried to pull away, to make him talk to Theridialis, but we were already falling, the demon power flowing from him, through the crystal in my pocket and into me, tearing the veil between planes and dumping us back into our mortal bodies.
I was a little wobbly this time too, but I had enough self-control I refused to let go of Sassy's hand when he tried to pull away.
"What was that?" I jerked him around to face me. He glared back, so much anger and hurt in him I could feel it in the air between us.
"Let me go." How could he live for a century and a half, longer if I took in his demon existence before he was a cat, and still be such a child?
"Listen," I snapped, lashing at him with demon magic as she rumbled her displeasure. "If he's right, if Dad's power can be restored, you can be damned sure you're going through with whatever Theridialis tells you."
Sassafras actually paled. And fell very, very still. "Do you mean that?" He stopped trying to pull free of me. "You want me to do whatever it takes to save you father?"
"Are you freaking kidding me?" I let him go at last, my anger raging now, fear and worry wrapped up in my need to break something. "Of course I do!"
Sass held still another moment before jerking his head in a nod, the motion sending a twitch through his whole body. He left me there without another word, storming off up the stairs and out past the family wards into the wide world outside.
Oh no he did not. I stormed after him, racing out the kitchen door, reaching for his magic.
Nothing. Only emptiness. A jab of panic was chased off by a further surge of fury. How dare he block me? This was too important for him to just go off on his own and cut me out.
No way was I telling Mom I'd lost him, either. I ended up dodging her mental queries and spent the next hour or so stomping all over Wilding Springs, my mood worsening with each passing block, my temper increasing with time instead of decreasing.
I was in the middle of inventing swearwords when I felt a mind touch mine. I latched on in a rush of rage only to feel soft Sidhe magic soothe me to a calmer state.
It's okay, Liam sent. He's safe with me.
Of course. The cavern. Damn him.
I was only two blocks from town hall when Liam reached me and covered the remaining ground at a dead run, partly to get there as fast as I could and partly to expel some of the anger I'd been nursing for over an hour.
Sass didn't even look up when I stormed into the archive and stood facing him, arms crossed over my chest, foot tapping unhappily against the rough stone floor.
"Well?" I kept my fists tightly clenched, overriding the need I felt to jerk the book from his hands and pull him to his feet to face me.
Barely.
"Well what?" That whiny tone did nothing to win him brownie points. He stood abruptly, tossing the book he'd been reading onto the velvet upholstery before shoving past me and leaving.
If he walked away from me one more time I was going to wring his neck. Didn't he care Dad's life was at stake? Could he not shake off his crap for two seconds and think of someone else? He had ages over the last century and a half to come to terms with his feelings for his father. I didn't have that kind of time.
I was about to go after him when Liam gently caught my arm and held me back. "Syd."
"What?" I didn't mean to snap at him, it wasn't Liam's fault. His soft smile told me he didn't take it personally, bless him.
"Just give him a little time."
"I don't have time," I said. "Dad doesn't. This is it, Liam. I can't help." It struck me like a blow, the full understanding, what Theridialis had said. I couldn't fix it. I'd promised Mom and I couldn't. Fix. It.
The sobs came out of nowhere, but Liam's arms were open and ready. I cried even as I raged inside, making fists around the fabric of his T-shirt while my demon howled and Shaylee softly wept.
So. Not. Fair.
When I pulled away at last, snuffling, I accepted the wad of tissues Liam shoved into my hands. I blew my nose noisily before dropping into the seat Sassy vacated. I scooted sideways and retrieved the book he'd been reading, not wanting to damage it, especially after how kind Liam was being. Wouldn't do to ruin one of his prized books.
The red cover of the demon raising tome felt odd in my hands. It was only then, staring down at the fine pores in the texture of the material I really knew what I was holding.
Skin. Human skin. Still infused with blood.
I dropped it with a cry of disgust, kicking it away even as Liam bent and retrieved it.
"He asked for this," Liam said. "Specifically. Any idea why?"
I shook my head, unable to even look at it anymore. "None."
Liam set it aside. "It's just a book, Syd." His hazel eyes shone with empathy. "I'll see what I can find in it."
"You can read demon?" Why didn't that really surprise me?
Liam shrugged, a small smile tugging the corner of his mouth. "Turns out there's a lot of things I can do I didn't know about."
Good for him. I felt the family magic flutter slightly, even through the Sidhe wards. Mom. Had to be. Damn, now I had to face the music and tell her I'd failed despite my promise.
It was a very, very long walk home.
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