Kate narrowed her eyes at the small spider crossing the kitchen table in her apartment.

“Why are you in here? And where are you going?”

The spider obviously didn’t answer verbally, but it stopped and looked up at the demon, apparently quite confused by the fact that it understood her.

“Just… uh, wave a little if you want to go back outside, maybe do a little step to the side if you want to stay in here? I don’t know.”

The spider stepped a little to the left.

“Okay. This is fun, you know. Being able to talk to you. Do you want to go to a nice corner of the room? Somewhere where I won’t accidently hurt you.”

The small spider waved its front legs.

“Okay, in this room?”

It waved again.

“Can you point to the corner you want to go to? I can carry you there.”

It pointed to the ceiling corner between the door and window. Kate gently set her hand on the table.

“Climb on, I’ll get you a lot closer.”

The spider hesitated but eventually decided to use the offered taxi service. Kate then carefully raised her hand up the to wall. The little spider rush onto the wall and into its new home corner before waving at Kate again.

“You’re welcome. And enjoy your new home.”

It immediately got to work.

Kate did too. She actually came here to pack up a few things to take back to Hell. This time, she would take most of her books with her. Since her little cottage didn’t have the space to keep them all, she had left them here until her proper home would be done, but that was getting ever closer. She wanted to prepare a little and not deal with packing stuff up when the far more fun thing would be unpacking in the new house.

Three boxes were filled to the brim with books, too heavy for most humans to lift now, when Kate got interrupted by her phone making a noise. She got a text message, that was a rarity these days. She dug it out of her purse and read the message.

 

Kate pressed the doorbell at her parents’ home. She hadn’t returned here since she moved out for university, but her mother had asked her to come by as soon as possible.

The live-in maid, as she called herself, Lizzy opened the door.

“Kate!”

“Lizzy!”

“It’s so good to see you. How did you manage to get here so fast?”

Good question. Kate had of course teleported, but her mother sent the text only a few minutes ago and Lizzy didn’t know about demons yet.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, but I’ll show you later.”

“Ooookay. Come inside then, Amelia somehow expected that you would arrive this quickly.”

Kate nodded. “I am sure she did. Is something wrong?”

“I suppose it’s best if she tells you.”

“That doesn’t bode well.” She followed Lizzy inside, through the large main entry hall and into the living room to the right.

Much to Kate’s surprise her mother wasn’t alone. Her father was in Paris for work right now, so she didn’t expect anyone, but Prudence was here. The old lady was now sitting in a wheelchair.

“Hey.” Kate wasn’t sure what was going on.

“Kate, I’m glad you had the time to come by so quickly.”

“You said it was important.”

“I did. Prudence?”

“Kathrine. Come here, I can’t see that well anymore and I want to know it’s you.”

Kate complied. “Hi, I suppose things haven’t gotten better health-wise?”

“No, but I got more good days now. Those good days are good for the head only…”

“I see. You were actually the one asking me here, right?”

“Yes, of course. I wanted to speak to you one more time before I go. And I wanted to bring you a few things.” Prudence managed a faint smile. “Walter wasn’t happy with it, but I sent him and his wife to have a walk outside. They don’t understand.”

“Has he ever?” Kate forced a joke.

“I don’t think he ever did.”

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Short of some devil I can make a deal with for some little health, you can just listen and accept what I want to give you.”

Kate glanced at her mother. “I don’t remember you as religious.”

“I’m not, but I would accept every option now, doesn’t matter who provides it.”

Kate shot her mother another glance. Amelia only reacted by making an uncomfortably pleading face. “About that. Would you be willing to indulge me if I said I knew a ‘devil’ who could try to help you?”

“Of course. Just listen to me first.”

“Yes.”

“Good. I wrote you a letter. There is much I am too proud and… too stupid to say to your face. I have done as you suggested and read my favourite books again, I managed four of them. I brought them here, so you can have them. Take them home with you, please.”

“I promise to take very good care of them.”

“Thank you. There are more, Euphemia has them. Please, pick what you want from them.”

“I will, thank you.”

Prudence reached up to touch Kate’s cheek. “I know we weren’t close. Your mother has told me a lot about what you do and who you are now. I am proud of you.”

Kate put her hand over Prudence’s. “I truly hope you know how much that means to me.”

“I do. Now, call your devil. Maybe I can write you another letter once I sell her my soul.”

Kate smiled. “Maybe. I can’t make any promises, but for one. You get to keep your soul, and that where it goes in the end will be a good place.”

“I like the certainty in your voice, Kathrine.”

“You learn about many things in such an old library. Mum, I just need a piece of paper and a pen.”

Amelia nodded. “Sure, here.” She grabbed them from a cupboard nearby and handed them to Kate.

“Thanks.” The disguised demon scribbled a few words and let the paper disappear.

Lizzy stared for a moment. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but, uh, we all saw that paper vanish, right?”

Amelia nodded. “We did. Don’t worry, that’s normal for her.”

“I really want some answers later…”

Kate chuckled. “You’ll get them, I promise. For now, we hope that she isn’t too busy and…”

Malice made good use of that pause to teleport into the room. “Kate, hello. What can I help you with?”

“Malice, this is my great aunt Prudence. She is dying and I hoped you could help make that not be as shitty of an experience for her.”

Malice stepped towards the wheelchair-bound woman. “I can. Prudence, as much as I would love to give you good news about your health, I just can’t.”

Prudence nodded carefully and slowly. “I know. I don’t expect some devil to do miracles, but you said you can make it a better time?”

“I can. First, you know I am a demon of sorts?”

“It is obvious. Just look at yourself.”

Malice raised an eyebrow and turned to her reflection in the window. “Ah, right.” She had neglected to disguise herself. Amelia was looking at her with intrigue, while Lizzy was just staring slack jawed. “Apologies.”

“No need for that. Kathrine already teased what you would be. I didn’t really believe her, but at this point I will take any nice thing I can get.”

“Understandable. Now, I will need to touch you to fully infer what I can do for you. Is that okay?”

“Yes, yes.”

Malice reached for Prudence’s hand and frowned. “I suppose it’s clear that I can’t stop you from dying, and you will do so sooner rather than later. Without my interference you might not survive the night. But I can give you a few more days. Days that you will be very healthy, after that you will die in your sleep. That is all I can offer.”

“That is more than I would get without you.”

“True. Do you accept my gift?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then please, get up.”

Prudence struggled for a short moment before standing up from her wheelchair and walking a few slow steps. “Incredible.”

“You have three days. I can take you anywhere you want, do anything you want with you and bring you anything you want. That is the real gift: your last wishes.”

“I understand. Malice, as much as your name doesn’t suit you, please, walk with me. We have to talk.”

“Of course.”

“Kathrine, I do not know if I have the heart to tell you what I want before I die. I will write you another letter, that much I promise. Thank you for this.”

Kate smiled and nodded. “I didn’t do much.”

“It does not matter how much you did, you did good. Now, Malice, I wish to walk around.” Prudence and Malice left the room and eventually the mansion to head outside into the surrounding garden.

Lizzy broke the silence that followed. “I need to know a few things.”

Kate couldn't help but laugh. “Yes, you damn well do. Hit me with the questions.”