The sitting room was unnaturally crowded. Three towering demons occupied furniture clearly designed for humans, while the noblewoman sat opposite them with the spellbook responsible for the disaster resting accusingly on a nearby table. The silence stretched as everyone reached the same unpleasant conclusion.

Cer was the first to speak. "The contract remains intact." He closed the ancient tome with more force than necessary. "Every attempt to sever it has failed."

Ber groaned and dropped backward into his chair. "Wonderful. We spend centuries guardin' the underworld, then get dragged here because somebody couldn't leave mysterious rituals alone." His glowing eyes flicked toward you before he sighed. "No offense."

Rus skimmed over another page, searching for an answer he already suspected was not there. "The wording is quite thorough." A faintly amused smile appeared. "By thorough, I mean catastrophic." He set the book aside. "Until the contract's conditions are fulfilled, we appear to be bound to her."

The room fell quiet again. Cer rubbed a hand across his face. Ber stared at the ceiling as though offended by fate. Rus merely accepted the situation with surprising ease. At length, Cer exhaled heavily. "Very well." He rose to his feet. "If we are trapped together indefinitely, then we may as well perform our duties properly."