Page 52 of Midnight Sun
They leave the horses to graze and approach the church with their swords drawn. Finn’s relieved that he knows the terrain, so he can get away with staying a half-step in front of Jamie.
Bryndis and Birkir follow them inside, although Finn can sense their steps falter for a second as they pass the threshold. Their reluctance is born more out of the concern to appear rude than the inability to tread on hallowed ground, Finn supposes.
Inside the small transept, Finn finds the same sparse furnishings his dream showed him: plain white walls and rows of empty benches bathed in blood-red light. What the seeing dream didn’t show him is the corpse lying in front of the altar. Jamie gasps and presses his shoulder against Finn’s. Finn can understand his shock. If you don’t look closely, you might think it was Finn lying in a pool of blood with his eyes wide open in death. Blair Edmonton is wearing the same costume as Finn, and as Blair’s stunt double, Finn bears enough resemblance to him.
“Why do the Christians have a corpse lying around in here? And why is he dressed up like you, Troll-Burster?” Birkir asks. If only Finn knew the answer.
“Seems like Edmonton didn’t travel to London as he told Hrafna,” Jamie says. After thedraugur,another corpse doesn’t seem to unsettle him too much. He steps around the puddle of blood and takes a look at the altar. A leather-bound book lies open there, and Finn doesn’t have to look at the writing to know what’s written on the open page.The Ritual of Love.
“He was quite the pathetic creature, wasn’t he?”
Finn whirls around and is grateful that Bryndis and Birkir immediately flank him, ready to fight.
“No need for violence.” The man standing in the doorway lifts his hands placatingly. Finn can’t remember seeing him before. He is handsome, and his stern features make Finn think of a Mediterranean origin despite his paleness. Otherwise Audrey’s description is quite accurate: red eyes and curled horns peeking out from black hair. The demon levels them with a calculating stare.
“Quite the dashing pair you make, the Viking and the knight,” he chuckles and licks his lips as he addresses Jamie. “I guess Edmonton got his just punishment for creeping after a man he could never have. But unfortunately, I can understand the obsession.”
Jamie steps next to Finn. His face is pale, but his whole demeanor shows his determination. “And why should we believe you that Blair was the stalker? For all we know, it could have been you, and you could have killed him, Red Eyes.”
“You know about Red Eyes?” Finn hisses incredulously. “And you still didn’t take the threat seriously?”
“I didn’t think any of this was real, remember?” Jamie says, a little exasperated, but he sounds mostly fond. “You of all people should know what kind of crazy stories movie people tell each other.” Jamie’s eyes never leave the demon.
“Your elf friends can tell you that the undead warrior killed him. What do you call it? Adraugur? Blair was getting impatient, because his amateurish attempts at magic kept getting thwarted.”
“Thedraugurwouldn’t have attacked us if the one it took orders from wasn’t alive,” Finn says. Something is not adding up. Demon or not, he doesn’t feel immediately threatened, but the creature’s words feel like half-truths, at best.
“So distrustful, both of you.” The demon shakes his head. “After you destroyed his undead servant, he was weak. His anger made him careless. You should thank me that I got rid of him for you.” Something dark and furious twists in the demon’s features.
“He summoned you just like thedraugur,” Jamie says. “He sent you to play his little games when he didn’t dare to face me himself. That day at Finn’s apartment, that was you. Did you place the head of the ram, too? I bet you did. Blair wouldn’t have been able to pull it off.”
Something like regret flashes over the demon’s face, there and gone the next second. Finn wonders how much of his humanity is still left.
“I apologize if I caused you any inconvenience. But I didn’t have much of a choice.”
Jamie grits his teeth, anger written clearly on his face. “I’ll accept your apology if I never have to see you again. Interfere with my life one more time, or come near those I care about, and I swear I’ll learn how to exorcize.”
The demon snarls, but reigns in his anger after a quick glance toward Finn and the twins. “Fair enough,” he grits out. “If you would be so courteous as to hand me the book, then I’ll be gone.”
“Why do you need the book?” Finn asks.
“We can’t have such a powerful tool lying around. What if it falls into the hands of someone like Edmonton again?”
“That’s why we’ll take it,” Jamie says. “Who writes shit like this down, anyway?”
A pained look flits across the demon’s face. “I fear this is a secret I’m not allowed to share. And I can’t leave the book in your hands.”
Finn shifts his stance. “You will have to.”
The demon snarls and levels Finn with a burning gaze, but his features melt into a sly smile as soon as he realizes he won’t budge. “Good. Have it your way. My task on this island is fulfilled, anyway.” He backs out of the church, hands slightly raised. “Goodbye,” he says, before he vanishes in a whirl of flames.
“Quite dramatic, that guy, don’t you think?” Birkir quips.
Bryndis sends Jamie a concerned gaze and touches his arm gently. She gestures to Edmonton. “Did this fucker stalk you?”
Jamie sighs. “I guess so. But he’s dealt with now.”
Finn leans down to press a swift kiss to Jamie’s temple. There’s a lingering feeling of uneasiness he can’t quite shake off. But that’s something he can dwell on later. Now, he must call Dagur.