Free New Spark (Dark Magic Enforcer Book 3) by Al K. Line Page B

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    "Boy! I'm older than the Titanic.
    "Yes, but I am older than many countries, so you are all children to me."
    "Oi, what did you say to Illus?" boomed the deep baritone of Intus, a moment after wafting away noxious smoke and adjusting her balance on a small toppled pile of stone. Imps, it's all about the timing.
    "We're busy," said Rikka.
    "Busy, I'll give you busy," Intus waved her arms around manically.
    "Okay, go on then," said Rikka, deadpan.
    "Er, um, don't you try to be sneaky with me, Mage Rikka." Even under stress imps like to keep things polite.
    "What's all this about, Intus? We are in the middle of something here."
    "The trolls and the zombies, you mean?" I nodded. Imps know what they want to know, and do exactly what they want to do. "Don't worry about that for a human minute. Illus is fuming. Said you and some kids tried to get him to say things. Did you? Did you try to get him to say things?"
    "We were just practicing our summoning. One of the kids only managed a lesser demon. Illus."
    "Don't you go talking about Illus like that. Of all the demons in all the netherworlds Illus is one of the absolute best. The best, actually." Intus looked around nervously, just in case her husband had heard.
    "You know what I mean. He was trying to get something bigger, but..." There was nothing I could say that wouldn't make the situation worse.
    "That's sizeist, that is. There are Laws, Spark. You can't go around accusing innocent imps of being small."
    "I didn't accuse anyone of anything, just said that—"
    "When you two have quite finished. Spark, you take my car and meet us back at..."
    "What? What's wrong?"
    "No, nothing. Just thinking." Rikka took a moment, lost in thought, then said, "Scrap that. I think it's best if you get on this right now. We'll sort out the zombies. I've already got others scouring the city in case there are any more on the loose, but I think the one you found was probably it, or there won't be many at any rate. I need you to get this dealt with. Trolls need to be trolls, not inventing things and making decisions. It isn't natural."
    "Okay, fine. See, Intus, I'm busy."
    "Where you off to first?" she asked.
    "Where do you think? This is down to the witches, so there's only one place I can go." I was dreading it. There were questions I had to ask that wouldn't go down well, but there was no choice and the people behind the pep pills the troll ate had basically left a calling card. Witches. Ugh, it would be one hell of a day.
    "Grandma's. Yippee, I haven't seen her for ages. You should visit more often, Spark." Intus rubbed her tiny clawed hands together and then frowned as the stone she was on toppled to the side. She casually bent and picked up lumps about twenty times her size and rearranged them into a suitable pedestal to give her more height. Imps are incredibly strong, they just struggle with Marmite lids.
    "I go all the time. It's not my fault if you don't visit."
    "You go without telling? Spark, that's mean."
    "How am I supposed to tell you? It's not like I can pick up the phone and call impland, or wherever it is you live."
    "I've told you, I can't give you the name of our world. No human can hear that name and survive. Looking out for you, buddy."
    "Gee, thanks. Anyway, shouldn't you be getting home?"
    "Um, no, too busy, gotta help you."
    "Fine. Kids winding you up, are they? Illus giving your ear a workout?"
    "He's just annoyed about what you and your friends did. And besides, you need my help."
    "Do I?" I couldn't see why.
    "Yeah, two enforcers are better than one. Right, Mage Rikka?" Intus turned to Rikka hopefully, waggling the place where her eyebrows should be. Imps are as smooth as a body can be, probably something to do with living in whatever kind of hot and burning netherworld lesser demons live in.
    "Intus may have a point, Spark. Take our friend here along. Two enforcers may be just the ticket."
    With a sigh, I turned back to Intus. "Fine, but just Grandma's, then you have