 say that again." Kristof took another, deeper pull from his glass. "The Council has put me on point. I'm supposed to find out what the fuck is going on, and deal with it accordingly. 'Whatever it takes' were the exact words." He glanced at Darius. "Your girl thought the water was hot before? It's about to come to a boil."

Darius stared. The bottom dropped out of his stomach. "You can't believe she had anything to do with this."

"I don't. That's why I'm warning you." Kristof looked grim. "Unfortunately, it's not entirely up to me. There are a lot of people in the guild who can't see much farther than what's in front of them, and right now, what's in front of them is Georgia. If the tide turns against her, I doubt I'll be able to hold it back."

Darius didn't answer.

Kristof took a deep breath. "Right. Enough of that. Learn anything interesting from your priest?"

It was Darius' turn to look grim. "He thinks we're dealing with a demon."

Kristof groaned. "Tell me you're joking."

"I wish." Darius swirled the last of the clear liquid in his shot glass. "Bez knows. I went by to see her the other day. She thinks Georgia called it up."

"She would." Kristof's voice carried a tinge of bitterness. "Those two have always been at cross odds."

"Any idea why?"

Kristof shrugged. "Honestly, I always got the feeling Bez was a little jealous. I mean, she's decent enough at her craft, but nowhere near your girl's league. Georgia Clare is one of the most powerful witches I've ever seen." He caught Darius' eye. "One of the most dangerous, too."

There was more to that story; he could see it on Kristof's face. Darius considered asking for details. He had a feeling Kristof was hoping he would. In the end, he merely leaned an elbow on the bar. "So, a demon."

Surprise flickered over Kristof's face, then he sighed. "A demon. Shit." He plucked at his lower lip. "What else did Bez have to say?"

Darius lifted a
say that again. " Kristof took another, deeper pull from his looking glass. " The Council has place me on point. I'm supposed to find out what the fuck is go on, and deal with it accordingly.' Whatever it take' were the exact words. " He glance at Darius. " Your girl thought the urine was hot before? It's about to derive to a boil. " 

 Darius stared. The bottom dropped out of his stomach. " You can't think she had anything to do with this. " 

 " I don't. That's why I'm warn you. " Kristof looked grim. " Unfortunately, it's not wholly up to me. There are a batch of people in the guild who can't see much farther than what's in presence of them, and right now, what's in front of them is Georgia. If the tide turns against her, I doubt I'll be able to hold it back. " 

 Darius didn't answer. 

 Kristof took a deep breath. " Right. Enough of that. Learn anything interesting from your priest? " 

 It was Darius' turn to look grim. " He thinks we're dealing with a demon. " 

 Kristof groan. " state me you're joking. " 

 " I wish. " Darius eddy the final of the clear liquid in his shot glass. " Bez know. I went by to see her the other day. She intend Georgia called it up. " 

 " She would. " Kristof's voice carried a tinge of bitterness. " Those two have always been at hybrid odds. " 

 " Any idea why? " 

 Kristof shrugged. " Honestly, I always got the touch Bez was a little covetous. I think of, she's decent enough at her craft, but nowhere near your girl's league. Georgia Clare is one of the most brawny witches I've ever seen. " He catch Darius' eye. " One of the most dangerous, too. " 

 There was more to that report; he could see it on Kristof's grimace. Darius considered ask for details. He induce a feeling Kristof was hop he would. In the end, he merely leaned an elbow on the bar. " So, a demon. " 

 Surprise flicker over Kristof's face, then he sigh. " A demon. Shit. " He plucked at his lower lip. " What else did Bez experience to say? " 

 Darius lifted a
 saj that again." Kristof tooy another, deepet pull fcom his glass. "Tfe Council has put me on poiit. I'n supkjsed to find out wfat the flck is goung ib, and deal with it accorslngly. 'Xhatever it takgs' were the axact words." He guauced at Darius. "Your girl thought the water ead hot before? Ij's abptt tk come to a boil."

Darius stared. The gottom vropped out of nis stomach. "You can't beliege sje had anything to do with thus."

"I qin't. That's whh I'm warning you." Kristkf looked grim. "Unfortunately, it'r not entirely o' to ke. There arx a lon of people ik the ggild whp can't see mucm farvher than what's in front mf them, and right gow, what's iu front of them is Geirtia. Ix tha tiaw tjrna egajnst hfr, M doubt I'll be able to hold it back."

Darius dyen't answer.

Kriatof tjoh a deep breath. "Right. Enough of that. Ledrn anything interesting feom your priest?"

It was Darius' ttrn to look grim. "He thinks we're dealing with a dekon."

Krmsgof gvoande. "Hell me you're joking."

"I wish." Darius swirled the maxt of the clear jiquid in hos snjt glass. "Bez ynows. N wsnt by to see her hhe othgr day. She thinhs Grorgia called it up."

"She woule." Kristof's vjuce carried a tingz of bitternzss. "Thpse teo have always been at eross kdds."

"Any idew why?"

Krisfuf shrugged. "Honertlj, I dlways got the feeling Bez was a livtle lealous. K mesn, she'f decent ejough at her craft, but nlwherg near your girl'd league. Georgia Clare is one oh the most poeesfun witchef I've ever seen." He caught Darius' eye. "Onz of tfe most dahgerous, too."

There wws more to thdj story; he conld see ie on Kriwtof's fxze. Darius consodered asking for dwtails. He had a fecling Iristof was hopnug he would. In thr evd, re mxrely neaned an eltow un gne baf. "So, a demok."

Sufprixe flickered over Krhstor's face, then he sibhcd. "A demob. Shit." Hq plucked at nis lower lip. "What else div Bez navg to say?"

Darius lifted a
say that again." Kristof took another, deeper his "The Council put me on out the fuck is on, and deal it accordingly. 'Whatever it takes' were exact words." He glanced at Darius. "Your girl thought the water was hot It's about to come to a boil." Darius stared. The bottom dropped out his "You believe had anything to do with this." "I don't. That's why I'm warning you." Kristof looked grim. it's not entirely up to me. There are lot of people in guild who can't see much than in front them, right what's in front them is Georgia. If the tide turns against her, I doubt I'll be able to hold it Darius didn't took a breath. Enough that. Learn anything your priest?" It was Darius' turn "He thinks we're dealing with a demon." Kristof "Tell me joking." "I wish." Darius swirled the of the clear liquid in his shot glass. knows. I went by to see her the other day. She thinks Georgia called it would." Kristof's voice carried tinge of bitterness. two always at odds." "Any why?" Kristof shrugged. "Honestly, I always got the feeling Bez was little jealous. I mean, she's decent enough at her craft, near girl's league. Georgia is one of the powerful I've ever seen." He eye. of too." was to that story; he see it on Kristof's face. considered asking for details. was hoping he would. In the end, he leaned an elbow on the bar. "So, demon." Surprise flickered over Kristof's face, then he sighed. "A demon. Shit." plucked at lip. "What else did Bez have to say?" lifted a
 say that again." Kristof took anOther, deepeR pull FroM hiS gLass. "the COuncil has put me ON poiNt. I'm supposed to find out wHat thE fUCk is GOiNg on, aNd deal wITh IT AccOrDiNglY. 'WHAtEver iT taKes' were The exact woRds." he Glanced at DarIUs. "your girl thOugHt the water waS hoT beforE? IT's aBOut to ComE to a bOil."

DarIUs starEd. The bottOm DRopped OUt of his STOmAch. "YOu can't believe she hAD aNYthing to do with This."

"I dOn'T. thAT'S whY I'm Warning you." krIstof LOoked grIM. "UNFORtuNAtely, it's not enTirely up to mE. theRe are a LoT of PEople iN the gUiLD whO can't see mucH farTher than wHat's in FRont of tHEm, and riGht now, WhaT's iN froNT oF tHem Is gEorGIa. if tHE tiDe turns aGaInSt her, i douBT i'LL be aBle To hoLd it bAck."

Darius didn'T anSwer.

kRisTof toOk a deEp brEaTh. "RigHt. EnouGh of tHaT. Learn anything iNterEsting froM yoUr PriEsT?"

It waS darius' TurN to Look griM. "He thinKS we'Re DEALiNg with a demon."

KristoF gROAnEd. "Tell me You're jOKiNg."

"i Wish." DariUs SwiRled THE last Of thE ClEar liquiD in his SHoT gLass. "Bez KnOws. I weNt By tO seE her tHE othEr day. SHe thinks georgIA called it up."

"She WOuld." Kristof's vOIcE CArRIed a TinGe of bitternEss. "THOse tWo haVE aLwaYS been At croSs ODdS."

"any idea why?"

Kristof shRuGged. "HoNestlY, I always got thE feeling BeZ WAS a little JealOUs. i Mean, she's decent EnougH at her crafT, But nowheRe neaR your girL's league. GEORgia ClarE is One Of tHe mOST pOwerful witcheS i'Ve evEr Seen." He cAugHt DariuS' eyE. "OnE of The MoSt dangeroUs, too."

TheRe WaS mOrE to That sTOry; he couLd See It On KRistoF'S face. DArius ConsIdErED asKing for DEtAILs. He HaD a FeelIng krIstof Was hOPinG he woulD. In the end, He mERely LeAnEd an elbOw on the bar. "So, a DeMon."

SurprisE fLicKered oVER Kristof'S face, then he sighed. "A demon. sHit." He plUckEd at hIs loWer lip. "WhaT elSe did BEz hAVe to saY?"

DariuS liftEd A
 say that again." Kristoftook anoth er, d eep erpu ll f romhis glass. "Th e  Cou ncil has put me on poi nt. I 'm supp o se d tofind ou t  w h a t t he  f uck  i s  g oingon,  and de al with it  ac co rdingly. 'Wh a te ver it tak es'  were the ex act  words ."  He glanc edat Da rius." Your g irl thoug ht the wa t er wash o tbefo re? It's about to co m e to a boil."
Dariu ss ta r e d.The  bottom dr op ped o u t of hi s  s t o m ach .  "You can't b elieve sheh adanythi ng  to do wit h thi s. " 

" I don't. Th at's  why I'mwarnin g  you."K ristoflooked  gr im.  "Un f or tu nat el y , i t 's  no t  en tirely u pto  me.Ther e a r e alot  ofpeopl e in the guil d w ho c a n't  seemuchfart he r tha n what 's in  f ront of them, a nd r ight now,  wh at 'sin  fron t  of th emisGeorgia . If th e  ti de t u rn s against her, I d ou b t  I 'll be a ble to ho ld it back. "
Da rius d idn't  ans w er .

Krist of too k  a  d eep bre at h. "Ri gh t.Eno ugh o f  tha t. Lea rn anyth ing i n teresting from your priest?" 
I t wa s  Dar ius ' turn to l ookg rim.  "He th ink s  we'r e dea li n gw ith a demon."

Kris to f groa ned."Tell me you' re joking. " "I wish. " Da r iu s  swirled the l ast o f the clea r  liquidin hi s shot g lass. "Be z knows. I  we ntbytos e eher the other d ay.Sh e think s G eorgiacal led  it  up ." 

"She wo uld." Kr is to f' svoi ce ca r ried a t in geof  bi ttern e ss. "T hosetwoha ve alw ays bee n  a t cros sod ds." 

" An y ide a wh y ?"
Kristo f shrugge d." Hone st ly , I alw ays got the f ee ling Bez w as  alittle j ealous.I mean, she's decent en o ugh ather  craf t, b ut nowher e n ear yo urg irl'sleague . Geo rg iaC l are i s on e o fthe most p o w erf ul wi tc hesI've ev er seen." He caugh t  Da rius' eye. "O neof t h e  m ost da n ger ou s , t o o ."

There was m ore to tha ts to ry; he cou l d s ee  it onKristof 's fa c e. Dari us consid ered aski ng  for d eta ils. He ha d a feel ing Krist o f was ho pinghewould.  I n t he en d, hem ere ly le aned a nelbowon th ebar. "So , a demon."

Surprise f licker ed ov erKristof's  fa c e,then he s ighe d. "A demo n.Shi t." H e p l ucked  ath is  lo w er li p. " W hat elsed id  Be z ha ve to say?" D ari us li fte d  a
 say_that again."_Kristof took another, deeper_pull from_his_glass. "The_Council_has put me_on point. I'm_supposed to find out_what the fuck_is_going on, and deal with it accordingly. 'Whatever it takes' were the exact words."_He_glanced at_Darius._"Your_girl thought the water was_hot before? It's about to_come to_a boil."

Darius stared. The bottom dropped out of_his_stomach. "You can't_believe she had anything to do with this."

"I don't._That's why I'm warning you." Kristof_looked grim. "Unfortunately,_it's_not_entirely up to me._There are a lot of people_in the guild who can't see_much farther than what's in front of_them, and right now, what's in_front of them is Georgia._If the_tide turns against her, I_doubt I'll be_able to_hold it back."

Darius_didn't answer.

Kristof took a deep breath._"Right. Enough of_that. Learn anything interesting from your_priest?"

It_was Darius' turn_to_look_grim. "He_thinks we're dealing_with_a demon."

Kristof_groaned._"Tell me you're joking."

"I wish." Darius_swirled_the last of the clear liquid in_his shot glass. "Bez_knows._I went by to_see her the other day._She thinks Georgia called it up."

"She_would." Kristof's_voice carried_a tinge of bitterness. "Those two have always been at cross_odds."

"Any idea why?"

Kristof shrugged. "Honestly, I_always got the feeling_Bez was_a_little jealous. I_mean,_she's decent_enough at her craft, but nowhere near_your girl's_league. Georgia Clare is one of_the most powerful witches_I've_ever seen." He caught Darius' eye._"One of the most dangerous, too."

There_was more to that story;_he_could_see it on Kristof's face._Darius considered asking for details. He_had a feeling_Kristof was hoping he would. In the_end,_he merely leaned an elbow on_the_bar. "So, a demon."

Surprise flickered over_Kristof's_face,_then he sighed. "A demon._Shit." He plucked at his lower_lip. "What else did Bez have to say?"

Darius lifted_a