Why You Should Never Rescue Stray Demons Chapter 126

**KACIA**

Clarence harrumphs like I’ve just asked him to personally re-ink every scroll in the library. 

“Nightmare magic, honestly. Do you children think I am some kind of all-hours help desk?” His cane thumps against the floor with every step as he turns away, muttering about wasted resources.

“Kind of?” I answer with a sweet smile. Clarence narrows his eyes at me. He glances between Oz and I.

“Please Clarence?” I ask. He looks me right in the eye for half a second then relents. 

“Fine, fine, I’ll fetch them. But if anyone asks, I’m blaming you.” He complains, then he vanishes between the shelves, his grumbling echoing after him. When I glance back, Oz is staring at me like I’ve just upended his entire world. His expression is stripped bare, eyes wide, pupils blown silver in the magical lighting of the library, his lips parted like he wants to speak but can’t. He looks… Shaken. Not just surprised, but gutted, undone, as though the ground has been yanked out from under him.

“You…” His voice is hoarse, cracking on the word. 

“You came here for that? Not your magic, not strategy, not survival… You came here to… Fix me?” He asks. The ache in his tone punches straight through my chest.

“There’s nothing wrong with you, Oz,” I say firmly. The words spill out before I can overthink them. 

“I’m not trying to fix you. I just want to find a way to… to make what you are… work with what I am. That’s all.” I explain. And I mean it. Oz’s nightmare magic is a part of him. Maybe it’s a part that I’m finding inconvenient right now, but it’s still him. And I love him. Plus it doesn’t hurt that he’s used it to save my life multiple times now. His throat works as he swallows. He stares at me like I’ve just spoken a language he doesn’t understand. Shock is etched across every line of his face, raw, unguarded and unfiltered. Before I can say more, footsteps echo. Tracey strolls towards us. He looks as dramatic as ever. His sleeves are rolled up, eyebrows raised. 

“Never fear, I am here to save the day. Or night… Or something. But Kaci, if you keep asking me for favours, you’re going to end up owing me your firstborn or something, which would be inconvenient all around because I don’t even really LIKE kids. You still owe me for signing me up to adopt a moody, bratty dhampire kid with no self control.” He points out teasingly. I roll my eyes. 

“I’m sure we can think of something better than my firstborn child. Besides, if all goes to plan then I think Oz already gets to claim that that.” I joke. Tracey blinks and bursts out laughing while slapping Oz on the shoulder. Oz has gone a veeeery interesting shade of red which just makes Tracey laugh harder. Once he gets ahold of himself he asks what we called him for.

I’ll explain once everyone is here.” I tell him, voice firm. Mostly I don’t want to have to repeat myself a dozen times. 

Vidar arrives not long after, brushing dust from his flannel shirt. His face lights up when he sees us, though he tries, poorly, to school it into neutrality. 

“Ah. Kacia. Oz. Good to see you again. Did you just get here?” He asks, clearing his throat and picking at his sleeve. His eyes slide towards the general direction of Taryn’s garden. I smile at his complete lack of subtly.

“Yeah, we did just arrive. We didn’t run into Taryn on the way in today. Although if you have a new book for her or something we can take it to her on the way out.” I offer. Colour creeps up his neck, and he waves a hand vaguely. 

“Yes, well, uh… Maybe.” He coughs into his fist, failing spectacularly at subtlety. I bite back a smile. So much for discretion. Vidar glances curiously at Oz who still looks like he’s having some kind of existential crisis. Oops, I think I broke him. 

“Hello.” Izzy suddenly remarks from behind me. I jump and whirl around to see the little ghost child. She looks the same as ever, ringlet curls bouncing around her head as she waves at me. 

“Oh, hey Izzy.” I say, my heart still racing. Ghosts don’t have footsteps, it makes it… Incredibly easy for her to sneak up on us. She moves closer to me, stopping close, too close, hovering at my side until the edges of her presence brush against my skin like static. It’s… Vaguely uncomfortably. 

“Izzy… What are you-” I start, startled.  

“Watching.” She interrupts cheerfully, her lips curling in the faintest smile. Normally her presence is a little unsettling, but tonight… It feels different. They all do actually. Tracey, with his spark of mischief. Vidar, with that rooted heaviness beneath his nerves. Even Clarence’s distant muttering seems sharper, heavier in the air. It’s like my awareness has shifted, tuned to the frequency of their magic more than it was before now that I have some of my own. It prickles along my skin, hums faintly at the edges of my senses. Interestingly, Oz feels the same to me. I don’t know if it’s because I’m so used to him, or if he would feel different without his glamour. It’s strange and a little disorienting. Which is probably why I don’t notice Clarence approaching us or talking to me until he whacks my shin with his cane. Not enough to hurt…. Badly. But he certainly got my attention.

“OW!” I yelp. 

“Well? Go on. We’re getting older here.” Clarence grumbles. 

“I’m not!” Tracey chimes in, flashing his fangs. Clarence whacks him with his cane. 

“Technically… I don’t age either…” Vidar says. Izzy giggles.

“I’ll never get old.” She announces. Clarence glares at them both. Oz opens his mouth, probably to point out that, as a demon, he is pretty much immortal too. But he closes his mouth at Clarence’s stare. And I’m…. Actually I’m not sure about myself. I know fae are immortal… But humans obviously aren't. I have no idea what my actual life span is… I’ll have to ask Tarish sometime if he has any idea. 

“How come I’M the only one who got assaulted?” Tracey whines. 

“Because you’re the most irritating?” Vidar suggests. Tracey bares his fangs and Vidar rolls his eyes. 

“I’m made of stone. I don’t have any blood. You don’t scare me vampire!” He teases. Tracey narrows his eyes.

“Fine, next time I’m coming back with a sledgehammer.” Tracey threatens. 

“Try it.” Vidar smirks. Clarence looks ready to strike so I intervene before he gets a chance and clear my throat loudly. 

“So… I have a favour to ask everyone.” I start. 

“...We have a favour to ask.” Oz adds quietly and I beam a smile at him. Hell yes! He’s on board and trying to help. That’s more like it!

“As you probably all figured out after the incident with the wraith, Oz here is a kakos demon. Which means in his natural form, his eyes have a… Nightmare effect magic. Which is… A little inconvenient because I can’t look him in the eye without feeling like I’m going to pass out or something. Because Oz is all inconveniently upstanding and moral and stuff, he has made it very clear that unless we can find some way to negate it, so I can safely look him in the eye without having a mental breakdown, that he will be going home and never coming back as soon as stuff with my grandfather is settled. Since I don’t particularly think that’s a good reason to dump me, I am hoping to recruit you all to help me research and look for a solution.” I explain. Everyone is quiet for a moment. 

“I don’t think I can picture you having a mental breakdown.” Tracey comments. 

“Trust me, it’s not fun.” I tell him. He grins. 

“Maybe you should show us. Re-enact it for us. Did you swoon? Or squeal? That would be hilarious!” He teases. This time, Vidar is the one who whacks him on the back of the head. 

“Of course we’ll help.” he says sincerely. Tracey rolls his eyes. 

“Obviously.” He grumbles, rubbing at the back of his head. Clarence gives a tight nod, then starts herding everyone deeper into the library, directing and organising everyone. Already I can tell that this is a far more efficient way to research than what Oz and I tried before. This was definitely the right decision.