Solomon rolled his eyes. "Oh, yes, do forgive me for thinking that an arrangement with a soul at stake, which you've told no one about and on which you're relying on wording to remove the threat, is something that might necessitate some help. Forgive me also for not blindly trusting the word of a woman who has shown herself to have spectacularly bad judgement when it comes to her control of herself."

But Raine was unharmed, and apparently not under threat. Everyone else might be, depending on what this 'agreement' was, but that, apparently, was neither here nor there for Valdis. Why did people who made deals with demons always forget that demons usually wreaked havoc on more than just themselves? That was what demons did: they maximised carnage.

He threw up his hands and turned around. "I preferred you as Meira. She was much less stupid. Let me get the tea."

He went back into the kitchen before he waited for a reply, still intending to bring out three mugs (but anticipating, and rather hoping, that Valdis would leave before he actually had to play at being a host).