He Who Fights with Monsters 2 (He Who Fights with Monsters, #2)

by Shirtaloon

“When Gary heard Jason would be getting new familiars,” Humphrey whispered, “he tried to bet me the incantation would be really evil.” “You didn’t take that bet, did you?” Sophie asked him. “Gods, no.” “Do you mind?” Jason asked. “I’m trying to summon an awesome British shadow creature.” “Sorry,” Humphrey said. “You go ahead.” “Well, I’m self-conscious now,” Jason said. “You’re all going to interpret the incantation as evil, even when it’s just a normal, harmless incantation.” “It’ll be fine,” Humphrey said. “We promise to keep an open mind.” “I don’t,” Neil said. “Just do it,” Sophie said. “It’s not going to seem any less evil for all the build-up.” Jason groaned, but turned back to his ritual circle and started chanting. “I call to the realm beyond cold and darkness, where death has no meaning for life has no place. Let mine be the dark beyond darkness, falling on the final road to the end of all things. Let mine be the shadow of death.” As Jason chanted, dark energy boiled up to submerge the ritual circle. “I don’t know what we were worried about,” Neil said. “That didn’t seem at all like he was calling up some all-consuming darkness and that we should kill him to keep it from entering the world.” “I don’t know that I’d say evil,” Humphrey said with very little conviction. “You wish you’d taken that bet then?” Sophie asked. “No, I do not,”