“For starters, that Malice person isn’t a real devil, right?”

“No, she isn’t a devil, she is different type of demon we would call a reaper. Don’t worry, she won’t kill Prudence. Reaper describes what magic comes natural to her, which would be the ability to diagnose any ailment with a single touch. Honestly, sounds super useful, but also a bit invasive? I wouldn’t want to know everything medical from a handshake, passively reading thoughts is enough trouble as is.”

Lizzy blinked a few times. “Excuse me?”

“Sorry. Malice is actually a demon. I teleported a note to her asking her to come here. She did actually heal Prudence as much as possible, but she can’t reverse aging.”

“Okay, that’s a revelation and a half. She means well, I hope?”

Kate nodded. “I would trust her with more than just my life and I have done so in the past.”

“Well, if you trust her that’s alright. Do I want to know how you know a demon?”

“Should I just shock you?”

Lizzy sighed. “Just throw me in the deep end. Malice did that already anyway.”

Kate smiled and flexed her wings into existence. “I know demons because I am one myself now.”

Lizzy raised an eyebrow. “Neat.”

“Uh… yea, it’s very neat. I almost expected more?”

“Kate. Why do you think that I of all people would be surprised by you jumping at the chance to become some form of supernatural librarian? I have been babysitting you since you were five, and the first book you asked me to read to you over and over and over again was a girl joining a wizard library. And then the one about the evil lord keeping the library for himself beaten by the magical girl who used the books to become powerful, or the one with the demon that didn’t take people’s souls but always asked for their favourite books. I could go on you know.”

Kate, now in her full demon form, stood there awkwardly. “I… uh… have nothing to refute that? You’re right. This is a dream come true. My closest friends are demons, I have already moved to Hell, soon my forever home there will be done too. And some of the most influential demons are encouraging me to take up leadership in not just this one super ancient magical library, but also the Hell version. And now I get to share it with you.”

Lizzy sighed and shook her head, smiling. “If I had known that demons are a real thing, I could have told you that this was inevitable. I’m just really glad you found a place again, and people you can be really close to. Amelia already told me about some of the stuff you do, like the fencing and cooking. I’m proud of you, on one condition.”

“Okay?”

“Show me, okay? I want to see your awesome magical life. I want to see who the girl I helped raise has become.”

“I can do that. But I would like to wait until my home is done.”

“And that’s hopefully not in like three hundred years?”

Kate giggled. “Oh no, more like in a few weeks.”

“That’s definitely acceptable. Any fun party tricks you could show off now or do I have to wait for those as well?”

“Hm… I can read minds and project thoughts, I could show you a few things that way. I can also do this.” Kate conjured a piece of chocolate for Lizzy.

“If that’s safe, that has to be the single most useful thing ever.”

“Absolutely safe. I’ve been eating conjured food since I met the library demons, even when I was still human.”

Lizzy took the chocolate and ate it. “Delicious too. So, you can read my mind?”

“Yes, but I only do it when necessary. There are some things I can’t help but catch, like really loud thoughts and strong emotions, but everything else I have to actively pry for.”

“That’s not as scarily intrusive as I had imagined. What about the wings? Do those work too?”

“They do, but I haven’t tried anything fancy with them yet. Right now they are best for, well…” Kate got closer to Lizzy and hugged her, wrapping her wings around the human. “This.”

“This… fuck, I know why you hang out with demons, this is the best.”

“And I won’t be letting go until you do. You can have this hug for a long time.”

“Don’t mind me indulging in this. You can show me some images of Hell in my mind, right?”

“Just close your eyes.”

Lizzy did and her mind was flooded with snippets from Kate’s time with the demons. Cuddling Eisheth, sparing with Apollyon, being bitten by Adelina, waking up to two large hellcats on her lap, the view from the top of Dis, the encounter with the leviathan, the Kurian Blood Forests where Eisheth lived and finally the moment Kate’s transformation into a demon began.

Even after Kate had stopped showing her memories, Lizzy didn’t respond. She just hugged Kate tighter.

“You alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine. That was just a bit overwhelming. It was all stuff you experienced, right?”

“Yes.”

“Explains why you visit so rarely.” Lizzy chuckled awkwardly. “I suppose you can tell how jealous I am.”

“Yes, that’s why I’m not letting go. Maybe now that you know, I can take you to Hell too and have you meet my friends. They are always happy to meet new nice humans.”

“Has Amelia met them?”

Kate’s mother answered. “I have. They’re great, really awesome people and they care for each other so much.”

Lizzy finally let go and took a step back to look at demon Kate again. “We aren’t even ten years apart, but I always loved you like you where my own daughter. Sorry, this is a lot for me. Not to see you as a demon or see your childhood fantasies come true, but to witness your incredible life. I feel almost inadequate.”

“Lizzy… the last thing you could ever be is inadequate. You were a big part of getting me to where I am, who I am. I have learned from the other demons that showing your appreciation is one of the most important things you can do. I don’t know how to properly show you mine. Maybe I’ll think of something when you visit and meet the others.”

“You don’t have to. I am… so proud of you. That is reward in itself.”

“But I want to.”

“Alright.” Lizzy giggled. “I guess you’re going to ask me what I would want, right?”

“Yea…”

“Of course… Amelia, did you also get something?”

“Michael and I specifically asked for something not physical. We still got our rings refurbished as a physical gift, but the main thing was what she let us see and feel. It’s hard to keep a marriage going when you only see each other a few times a month and Kate connected us for just a moment. Just long enough to feel how much we still love each other deeply. That’s the best gift.”

“Hm.” Lizzy took some time to think. “Could I have a little something magical? Just a tiny thing that can remind me that magic is real.”

Kate nodded. “That is doable, but with a few stipulations. It would only work for you, it would be bound to you in a way that you couldn’t even give it away if you wanted. And it would be something trivial. It can be actually do something useful physically. I would want to get permission from the older demons to hand out something useful, like preservation jars that keep your food as if it was just made.”

“I understand.”

“How about something that does what I just did to you? That makes you relive a cherished moment.”

“One with you.”

“I can do that. We just need to figure out what exact memory you want.”

“I’ll need some time to figure that out.”

“I want to go through my old things anyway, let’s do that together. Maybe we’ll find something that reminds us of a moment to inscribe into, hm, a locket?”

“Let’s do that after dinner. I think we should check in with Prudence and maybe Walter. He might be a little spooked.”

“Oh, I totally forgot about him and now there is a proper demon running around the garden. That’s going to be fun, if Malice hasn’t disguised herself.”

“In any case, we should remind her.” Lizzy gestured towards the door. Kate followed that direction.