Smoke and Ashes by Tanya Huff Page A

Convergence to send through minions with the ability to kill you so that the gate opens and he can come through.”
    â€œMinions?”
    â€œDemonic minions.”
    â€œYes, I got that.” She sat beside him on the bed, dark brows drawn in. “The rest of it, though—you’re really reaching.”
    â€œI’m really not.” Grinding the heels of his hands into his eyes only blurred his vision. The steak seemed to be wearing off. Tony patted the blanket until he found the cola, popped the tab, and took a long swallow. “When you were attacked,” he told her, feeling the sugar and caffeine hit his bloodstream, “when that demon drew blood—such as it was—he was there, Ryne Cyratane. I saw him.”
    â€œSo? I told you last night he’d be close because of the Convergence.” Her hand went back to her side. “He had nothing to do with this.”
    â€œHe likes sex, he hates water. You were with me so that takes care of the sex, or lack of sex, and you were still close to lots of water. He had to be in that parking lot with you for another reason.”
    â€œTony…” The paper crinkled slightly as she waved it. “…this is a fortune cookie fortune. It’s a mass-produced platitude. Ambitious change could mean anything.”
    â€œYou said he made a mistake on the spell. He’s had thirty-five hundred years to figure out how to fix it. He can’t get through himself…”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œHow the hell should I know? He can’t because he didn’t, but he can send…”
    â€œMinions?”
    â€œYeah. He’s got motive and opportunity, and all the pieces fit.”
    â€œBased on a fortune cookie.”
    He snatched the paper from her, crumpled it up, and threw it at a pile of T-shirts. “Wizards see what’s there.”
    â€œYou’re learning to be a wizard from a correspondence course. Did it ever occur to you that you’re seeing the wrong thing?”
    â€œOkay. Fine. What do you think’s going on?” They were sitting side by side. Not looking at each other.
    â€œRyne Cyratane would have nothing to do with this.”
    â€œWith hurting you?” When she didn’t answer—and given that the Demonlord had carved those runes into her flesh using the blood of her people, Tony figured she didn’t really have an answer—he asked, “Would he let another Demonlord use the gate?”
    â€œNo.”
    No question there.
    â€œThen since he’s still around, he’s got to be the one trying to open it. He probably figured out a way to direct the convergent energy to one spot.”
    â€œOkay, fine, you have all the answers…” Leah twisted around to face him, eyes narrowed. “Why did that demon bite the construction worker’s arm off?”
    Tony sighed. “Duh. Demon.”
    He downed half the can of cola while she thought about it.
    â€œIt explains everything.”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œI bet you’re feeling pretty smug about figuring this out,” she muttered at the toes of her high-tops.
    He assumed she was actually talking to him. “Not really. It was kind of obvious.” For a long moment the soft squeak of his fingers rubbing the cola can was the only noise in the apartment. “I guess you’re feeling kind of betrayed.”
    â€œWell, yes!” After contemplating her shoes a while longer, she lifted her head and pushed her hair back off her face. “And no.” Her laugh was a bit shaky, but to Tony’s surprise, it wasn’t faked. “I mean, he is a Demonlord, after all. He did slaughter everyone I knew, so this isn’t exactly out of character for him. It just took him a while to make his next move.”
    â€œMaybe time runs differently where he is.”
    â€œProbably not. He was never very bright.” One hand slid under her clothes to stroke the tattoo, and she