Under different circumstances, I might have felt a rush of vindication. The mask had come off; the demon had stopped pretending to be its handsome host, though it was difficult to document all the differences, especially as there was the most glaring one of all, the burning red eyes. This was a terrible, awful, horrible situation...

But at least the pressure was off me? (The pressure that wasn't currently exerted by the exposed demon.) Finally, I could stop worrying that I was doing too little, too slowly. I was quite helpless, relegated to the position of observer only... which probably best suited my abilities or lack thereof.

And as I was observing, the astonishment of the host's teammates was complete.

"A-a d-d-demon?" Bronzemage was clutching onto his staff as though it were a life raft. "B-but, impossible! This town, it's still standing!"

"But we were together the whole time!" To her credit, Silverlady had her mace raised in a defensive posture despite her denials. "We would have known!"

"But he was out of sight for no more than twenty minutes!" Even Blackrogue radiated shocked disbelief over dawning horror. "He would never deal with a demon willingly!"

I could hear the smile in the demon's voice when it again spoke. "Now let's not fight," it said, and I had the sudden dreadful thought it would try to charm them, even now. "Rinaldo here offered to let me do with him as I wished... if only I would not harm anyone else."

I had no time to process that revelation before I felt a surge of horror... coming from the hidden townsperson?

"Such a noble soul. So you see," the demon said, "I will most probably lose if we should fight, but my efforts will drain poor Rinaldo dry."

Then all at once the implications hit me. It couldn't harm us? At least if it was to be believed...

But that would explain its surprisingly soft touch... for a demon.

Didn't that mean we could -- should -- have called the guild all along?

"You!" Silverlady's voice sounded strangled, though her mace hands remained steady. "Get out of him!"

Blackrogue felt furious and grieving, but his voice was cold. "What do you want?"

"Ah, there might be something." The demon seemed to enjoy raising their desperate hopes, dragging out the moment. "Perhaps another deal."

With a sinking heart, I realized how easy we must seem for any demon to manipulate. For the ancient monster, threatening our lives and loved ones was probably as routine as filing paperwork (thank the deities our souls couldn't be so coerced).

"Are you perchance plotting to evict me? From this body, from this realm? To call your guild for aid? I assure you, I might consent to end my possession... but if forced, I will not leave him alive."

Any hope Team Thornado might hold out, as Hannah and I hadn't, died as Blackrogue gritted out: "I... I will take his place."

Silverlady's head snapped around. "No, I will!"

Bronzemage did not volunteer and actually felt guilty for refraining.

"Such generous offers," the demon purred. "...That my deal precludes me from taking."

"Then what do you want?" Silverlady demanded.

"No ideas? Perhaps they will have more to offer me." So saying, the demon gestured in our direction... No, gestured at us.

I thought we had been all but forgotten by Team Thornado before this point. In fact, I'd nearly forgotten about us too, absorbed in the unfolding scene.

But then the helmeted faces turned to stare at our own shocked faces. "Team Multi-Movers?" Silverlady said. "What do you want from them?"

...This was probably not good.

----------------------------------------

The demon directed everybody to relocate to the local Watch station, exactly as it had originally.

Just as we had done, Team Thornado hesitated, they offered feeble protests... but with their leader effectively held hostage, they did as they were told. They were also clearly used to taking prisoners; we were released from Bronzemage's spell singly and in stages, so that we were in power-suppressing handcuffs before our feet were freed. They even uncovered the hidden townsperson, who turned out to be a rather miserable-seeming girl, her hair a mess and eyes blank with shock, and clapped her into cuffs.

Then we were all led together to the local Watch headquarters. Apparently the guards were incapacitated and still recovering from the earlier nettler swarm, leaving the building empty save for one desk worker and one trainee, both of whom soon joined us in the holding cells. As there were six cells total, we were unfortunately separated; I was placed with the unhappy girl, who instantly went to sit on the only bed, besides which was a toilet, and... that was it for the interior decorating.

At least the place was clean. And standing up against the bars, I could see all my friends, other than Tom in the neighboring cell.

Also, after a short delay the demon came around for our handcuffs, making us stretch our arms outside before it unlocked them.

I was eager to have mine off, as were they; but the girl in my cell at first hesitated, then consented with visible reluctance, and finally kept her face averted from the demon the whole time, her hands trembling slightly. I would've thought she was terrified of it, except I could feel she was actually livid.

As soon as the cuffs were off, she went sulking back to the bed. It was just such a peculiar reaction I stared after her for a long moment.

What really captured and held my attention, though, was the Watch's warding. Each of our cells was warded against the use of Skills or magic, secondarily reinforced against damage, and offered a number of other functions, currently inactive, such as blocking off sound, shocking the occupants, or sending them... us... to sleep.

However, the effectiveness diminished considerably when the door wasn't closed, or in other words when it wasn't perfectly aligned with the rest of the formation... not that this would help me or any escape attempts, since if we could keep the door open we could already escape. Additionally, I'd noticed the warding was significantly weaker on the outside... which again, wouldn't help me or anyone else trapped inside. Finally, the warding wasn't strong enough to completely nullify anything but basic Skills, thus my continued access to [Advanced Empathy] and [Advanced Appraisal]... If only my Skills were relevant toward escaping, or if anyone else on the team had an Advanced one.

There, I'd counted at least three weaknesses to my prison. And I couldn't make use of any of them!

Though, should we even want or need to escape? If the demon could do no harm?

Suddenly, the external soundproofing was activated. My reaction didn't go unnoticed from Bessie in the opposite cell, whose mouth moved; when I looked at her, she said something like, "What is it? Are you all right?"

Huh. Before this point I hadn't realized I could lip-read... another perk of [Intermediate Universal Translation], it seemed, though the wards added an untranslatable layer of difficulty.

I asked to be sure: "Can you hear me? Or understand me?"

She evidently could not, though she soon realized the same wasn't true in reverse, at least if she exaggerated her lip-speak and repeated herself when prompted. As she turned her head to speak to the trainee in her cell, my own cellmate asked abruptly: "What Skill is that?"

She was staring at me intently. Before I could answer, I felt the demon return... its steps kept coming closer... it stopped in the hallway outside my door. I held my breath... and it swung open Bessie's.

There was a startled pause. Then the trainee made a brave lunge and ran face first into the demon's fist, sending him sprawling back onto the floor.

I stared. Did that not count as harming him? Was it because he'd arguably done it to himself?

Was the demon lying, or just adept at interpreting deals?

I couldn't help feeling anxious as I watched the door shut and the demon leave with Bessie.

My chest was tight, but... I inhaled, slowly and deeply, and just breathed. Though my mana moved sluggishly, I tried to circulate it, to Meditate... well, at least I could think meditatively. I sat on the floor by the bars, closed my eyes, and thought.

I was so grateful for the chance to stop and think.

In the heat of the moment, it felt like everything could and did go wrong. Now I could see so many ways I could have handled myself differently, starting with staying on the airboat until I'd looked around the whole town... no, starting from refusing this mission... then reporting the demon, or at least readying to do so beforehand... shouting to call the guild sooner. When the battle started, I could have... um...

Actually, I wasn't sure how to improve my combat performance. Considering the whole battle had probably taken less than two or three minutes, I was gratified I had at least cast my three relevant Skills, started a circle, and even attempted to defend it! Sure, I had not been of much help, but I also hadn't gotten in the way.

For my first such chaotic fight, that wasn't too terrible... right?

I was mentally reviewing the battle again when I felt Bessie and the demon's host return and balked. So fast? I had wasted my time thinking of the past, when I should be planning for the future! Still, I was relieved Bessie seemed all right, though she looked slightly flushed and felt strangely bemused and annoyed. As the demon shut her cell door, my heartbeat quickened...

But it passed me by for Hannah.

I released a huge breath of mostly relief.

"What does the demon want with you?" my cellmate asked.

"Um, I'm sorry," I said distractedly. "I need to think."

Actually, I was starting to feel intrigued despite myself. Earlier I had been too shocked, then confused, and finally terrified to fully appreciate this opportunity, but now an imminent bloodbath no longer seemed likely I could relax somewhat and consider how to approach the next demonic conversation. I did feel sorry for Team Thornado -- sorrier the more I thought about their situation -- but fortunately, I was no longer benumbed or paralyzed with dread.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Alas, I should have planned this out beforehand: how I would speak to a demon if I ever happened to meet one. Now I was limited to brooding in this cell, trying to ignore my unhappy cellmate, instead of impartially analyzing the issue in the library.

All too soon, Hannah returned with the demon... though she did at least take longer than Bessie's short visit. Her color was also high, and she felt flustered, agitated, worried, and guilty, shaking her head at us before entering her cell, whatever that meant.

Then it was my turn. With the door open, the demon said pleasantly, "Cooperate unless you prefer handcuffs."

I obediently stepped outside and waited while it relocked the cell without a glance at the remaining occupant. Looking around, I noticed the cell on Tom's other side contained the three non-possessed members of Team Thornado; they stared back at me with a disconcerting amount of hope and doubt.

I trailed it around the corner into a small interrogation room, though the demon left the door open probably against protocol. Also, the desk had various sketches scattered across it, and the demon proceeded to idly doodle on a paper while gesturing for me to sit next to it... all highly irregular if this were an ordinary interview, at least judging from what I'd read.

I thought it would try to stretch the moment out, and I was readying to speak anyway when it said briskly:

"Have you discovered who my summoner is yet?"

I stared. When would I have had any opportunity? Not to mention I was currently its captive, unable to leave my small cell! Unless...

The fingers did not stop their hypnotic movements, elegantly tracing abstract patterns. If I didn't know better, I would almost think it was composing magic...

"If you do agree to find and kill them, I will agree to leave this body." My gaze dazedly lifted back to the host's face, which was serene. "Do we have a deal?"

All other thought flew out of my head, faced with this forthright and dreadful proposal. Premeditated murder... but for a good cause. To save a worthy life.

The host roiled with inner turmoil, but the self-suppressed hope, like the glint of buried treasure, was what decided me. It felt like he was shaking his head no, all the while a secret part of him wished yes... He really was a good person; I felt bad for already forgetting his name.

"I will not simply agree to murder anyone," I said with care, "Especially not without due investigation... but that does not preclude making a conditional deal. For instance, you agree if your summoner dies, you will leave your host... no, leave all of us... you will leave this realm without harming anyone."

The demon smiled at me warmly. "If you kill my summoner yourself. Are we agreed?"

I hesitated. What were the exact words, again? "[Scribe]," I said to review now and remember later our deal...

And right away I saw problems with it. A few edits later, I read aloud: "If I kill your summoner, you will leave the realm immediately without harming anyone."

"Deal," it said. Then the demon leaned forward and kissed me.

On the lips.

Electricity coursed through me. I knew that was just the deal forming, a sensation almost like a bond stretching between us... but it was easy to mistake for something else, for far more pleasant feelings.

I just sat in shock even after he'd pulled away.

"To seal the deal," he said.

That snapped me out of it. "I know that's a lie," I said. "A handshake works just as well."

"Does it?" he inquired. "Or did a trickster wish for others to think so?"

I glared at him... it. "Is that what you're claiming?"

Suddenly, I recalled Bessie and Hannah's strange reactions that I'd sensed when they'd returned. "You... Did you kiss them both too? I mean, make a deal?"

The demon raised his... argh, its handsome host's eyebrows. "I don't kiss and tell."

I wanted to shout at him or flee from the room or... I was embarrassed I could be shaken so easily, when at least one man's life was hanging in the balance.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, I said, "As mentioned previously, I am willing to offer a secret if you agree to keep it... which should not yet be construed as an offer. Said secret is necessary for further negotiations."

"You truly believe this secret is worthy of my interest and time?" it asked.

"I do."

"And that I would not discover it independently?"

"No... I don't believe you would."

"Then state your terms in full."

"[Scribe]," I cast, edited another few times, and then read aloud a long, involved, and messy paragraph, ending: "...and to leave this realm without harming anyone."

"No," it said without pausing to think. "You said it yourself, you need to disclose your secret to solicit aid. You must offer more than that to free this body."

"Can't you offer that much as a gesture of goodwill?" I pleaded.

It chuckled, eyes briefly glimmering red. "No."

I kept trying. I offered not to summon or deal with other demons, but it said: "Exclusivity loses value when you are reluctant to make a deal. And easily circumvented when the deal is not even on your own behalf."

I offered it mana, but a willing host was worth more.

As I floundered, my eyes drifted down to those dancing fingers, and despite my best efforts, widened.

Without even looking down once, the demon had traced a beautiful summoning circle unlike any I had seen before, more streamlined and alien... and also containing about a half-dozen traps for the unwary summoner. But I appreciated the craft on display nonetheless, and also that he'd given me the equivalent of a direct summoning line presumably to himself. Most of all, I was glad he'd conveyed this information in secret, out of his host's sight... because it suggested the host had a real chance to live.

"If that is all," the demon said, "I believe I have two more of your teammates to make offers." He flashed a smile that was hard not to see as boyishly mischievous. Like the ancient monster really cared about stealing a few kisses.

Perhaps he just found our reactions childishly amusing. Or liked us to think he did.

Returning to the cell, my mind was consumed with thoughts of the summoning circle, the kiss, the actual deal I had made with the demon... but I still remembered my cellmate, who was watching me intently. "I'm sorry," I said, "I don't remember your name?"

"Oh, so now you want to talk?" she retorted waspishly.

"I, um, was preparing to meet the demon?"

Her surly attitude instantly changed to one of interest. "So what did he want with you?"

I could scarcely believe it, but she actually felt... jealous? My suspicions solidifying, I said, "Um. Who are you?"

Unfortunately, her answer rang no bells. I looked across the way to Bessie, pointed to my cellmate, and exaggeratedly air-wrote a question mark. Smirking, Bessie repeated the girl's name and added: "She was in the briefing. The fourteen-year-old girlfriend!"

I stared for a moment and then wanted to laugh. Could it be so simple?

No... On second thought, the coincidence wasn't really one. The plaza had cleared out so swiftly and efficiently, leaving not one gawker... except this girl... Thinking about it, the most likely explanation was obvious.

The demon had used its persuasive powers. Then, the one best able to shake off that influence, especially if provisions had been made in their deal... was its summoner.

No wonder the demon had bothered making our deal. If I killed this girl right now... I could finish it.

But how, by strangling her with my bare hands? If the demon really wanted her dead, shouldn't it have put her with anybody else?

In truth, she might be a petite little girl, but if it came down to a fight right here in this cell... I wouldn't bet money on me winning. She looked vicious enough to claw my eyes out, whereas I had difficulty imagining raising my hands against her... if only there wasn't a life at stake.

Of course, the demon could just want me to think so. Maybe she wasn't the summoner at all. Her boyfriend might be, and he'd protected her as part of his deal.

After all, hadn't she been genuinely shocked and disturbed by recent events? So shocked, betrayed even, her reaction had surpassed Team Thornado's. How could she even be the summoner?

Well, we were locked in a cell together. I decided to plunge ahead with my own interrogation: "Um, excuse me. Do you know what your boyfriend's been up to recently?"

Her eyes narrowed. "You mean who? Those trashy tarts don't really matter."

But underneath her scowl, her unease had spiked, along with guilt, worry... anger again. She was clearly holding back a lot, though I didn't know what.

Unfortunately, I had neither the time nor the experience to gently ease into this. "Did he summon the demon?" I asked bluntly.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about." Her expression closed off; her arms crossed over her chest. She felt guilt, panic, concern, a lot of unhappiness... but what did that mean?

I sighed. I was terrible at this improvisation business; I decided to try a different approach, one that I'd thought out. As in, would think out now. Looking across at Bessie gave me no ideas.

As I pondered, I sensed my apparently wandering attention left my cellmate relieved... but also disappointed, irritated, miserably depressed...

"You didn't answer my question," she said. "The demon?"

Why was she so interested? How could she think a demon's interest was ever a good... no, a safe thing?

Looking back at her, I had a sudden idea. "It's doing what all demons do. Trying to get a good deal, to win at this world's expense. Whoever summoned it must be a real idiot."

She bristled, but she also felt sick. "You don't know that that's my boyfriend."

"I think he was just too imbecilic and shortsighted to know any better. He gave up his soul, he hurt so many people... all for the chance to become popular with girls or something."

I felt a burst of indignation from her, but also fear. Regret. Rage. "But no one has been harmed, right?" she said. "That doesn't sound like the summoner didn't know anything."

"Two girls were drained."

"Maybe they deserved it. And they're still alive."

She paused and glanced sideways at me, clearly wondering if she'd said too much.

"What about the guard who reported a demon?" I pressed. "How is he?"

"I'm sure he's fine. Just... there were nettlers."

"Did he deserve it?"

She looked away. Her arms were still crossed, but now her shoulders were hunched, guilt prickling.

"And most of all... the adventurer." Didn't his name start with an R? "The leader of Team Thornado. He just came here to help--"

"I didn't know he got himself possessed! If he hadn't agreed to it, the idiot--"

She broke off, eyes widening in horrified realization. She looked at me again, braced against judgment... and I didn't know what my expression looked like. It didn't seem to reassure her, but she also didn't turn away.

"I think," I said gently, "It might be best if you tell your side of the story."

Tears filled her eyes. She brushed them away on her own before they fell... and then she began to speak.

The account that followed was rambling and impassioned; I thought she'd wanted to unburden herself for a long time, only she'd had no real confidante.

According to her, she'd summoned the demon on her thirteenth birthday for a lark... though her miserable feeling of shame suggested it hadn't been just that. But lo, the demon had been so charming and sympathetic, hearing her out about the terrible trio (regarding whom she also devoted many unsolicited, extraneous details). He'd started to offer a minor magical trick for revenge... but she'd had to banish him back before running out of mana.

She had resisted summoning him again. She had! But...

Around here was when Tom returned, wearing handcuffs and a mutinous expression. Seeing this, I tried to hurry her story along, past the sliding slope of more summonings... to the deal.

"Why did you do it?" I asked, the question burning on my tongue. Her soul!

"I wasn't afraid of dying," she said, "But of never getting to live. I wanted to be somebody. I wanted more." Her face fell. "But now I'm afraid. He was just so convincing! They... they'll all think of me as an idiot or a monster. He promised he wouldn't hurt anyone!"

Though the demon had apparently talked her into a number of exceptions: if she consented, or to protect her life... and she maybe didn't realize it, but her death would free it as well. Unless its deal with Thornado's host prevented it.

"How did it start possessing people?"

"That was the second deal," she admitted. "I don't have that much mana, so he barely had any time to talk or teach me. And then I took forever to have enough to summon him again... He said maybe he could work out another deal to help us both."

I nodded, slowly. A later deal could overwrite an earlier one... and apparently, her 'boyfriend' really was a chump, easily persuaded into giving up his own body.

By that point, it was too late... and everything kept going downhill. She had thought her demonic boyfriend would make her the envy of the town; instead he'd made her a laughingstock, until she'd lost her temper and let the demon drain her tormentors. Twice. Then he told her she'd been found out, the guild had been called; in a panic, she'd let him force the two into recanting, and then summoning a nettler swarm to pass off all these incidents.

"I still thought he was helping me until today... go ahead, laugh." She gave a supremely bitter one of her own. "Do you know how I found out the truth? Because this perfect man, the hero of the town, chatted me up... when really, he was the demon, who almost talked me into freeing him! To agreeing yes, he should follow his heart, even if that could hurt some people... I thought he meant his jealous teammate, no, he wanted me to think that. One little slip of the tongue, and he could've killed us all." She shuddered. "I guess I should be grateful you came."

In the silence, I thought to contribute: "Yes... that was close."

"...Are you even listening?"

"I think someone's outside." Actually, I could barely sense them, but the demon had released its host's teammates. They felt grim, determined, guilty... battle-ready.

"See, how are you able to sense anything? What Skill is that? It's so unfair--"

Her words cut off as an explosion rocked the Watch station. We both ducked down, more out of instinct than any rational reason.

"--t's that?"

Bessie's voice. I realized the soundproofing was down. The wards, so much more fragile on the outside, were failing.

"Justicators," Blake said from outside the cells.

"Hannah first," Bessie said, "She can help the rest of us."

I glanced around, but... there was nothing for me to do. No crack in my cell or something. Again events were speeding up, but at least for this moment, I could just breathe.

Well, actually, my mind was racing. How were the Justicators here? Who would win, if they were up against an adventuring team with a demon-possessed leader? And most of all...

The Justicators wouldn't hesitate to kill a host, even a hero. Or this girl, never mind that she was fourteen.

She would lose her soul! But maybe it counted as already lost.

Attacking her might free the demon; killing her most probably would.

Unless I was the one who did it. Unless I'd missed something making my deal.

...What should I do?