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“Old friends,” Scri on me “And some new faces, too What can wee Scrimshaw do for you?”

“Nice touch with the rhy down on my haunches

See, it’s always good to speak to someone on their level I didn’t want to remind Scrimshaw of our difference in size It was, in a weird kind of way, a show of respect, which was always i spiritual contracts

“We need so old favor”

Scri with concern, and suspicion “And – and what does this favor entail, exactly?”

Asher knelt down next toin as friendly a voice as he could muster “We need you to steal a sword from a demon prince”

Good thing I’d gotten on rab Scriet away “I should’ve known so was off when I saw all the food you prepared for me I should have known!” He kicked and spat and screeched, his skin burning like a metal teapot in my hand, but I persisted

“We just want to talk,” Asher said “If you can’t help us steal so, then we just want to talk If you won’t do this for us, then at least tell us e can do Tell us which of the princes we should target”

I placed Scri my hands out as a show of trust, then backed away froaze shifted frouettes and sausages His eyes widened, his little hands wringing together as his little brain ran through his prospects So clicked in his face just then, as if he realized that he didn’t have to put hier, after all

“We just need information, old buddy,” I said, softly “Just information, and you can have all the food you want”

Scri away the metallic sheen of sweat that had formed there His little belly inflated as he drew in a deep breath, then sighed

“Belphegor You want Belphegor”

Chapter 10

Pages and pages of ancient parchh the dusty toers

“Belphegor,” he repeated “The demon prince of sloth”