I repeated that sentiment a minute later when I stood with Aisling, Rene, and Jim in the hall, while Drake leaned against the door frame watching silently. Rene dutifully passed that on to Aisling and Drake, and the former made a face and said something long that involved much hand waving.

Rene listened and nodded his head several times, then turned to me and said simply, “Aisling says no, do not run Jim over again.”

“All that for just no?” I asked.

Jim answered. “There was a lot about what she was going to do to Magoth when she got him in a soundproofed room and some references to knowing your heart is in the right place but not exactly trusting you with continued care of me, and then she said no, I couldn’t have a second breakfast because evidently there’s some vet who said I was fat. Me! As if!” Jim looked down at himself and waved a paw. “Like that’s even possible. I’m ninety percent fur and the rest is a lean, mean demon machine.”

“In your version of reality, maybe, but the rest of us see something different. All right, Rene, let’s get this shindig under way. What should I be doing first?”

The next half hour was filled with various flavors of frustration. For one, there was the whole language barrier thing—or rather, the curse creating the language barrier—and for another, Aisling kept insisting that the key to the situation was within my grasp.

“But I don’t know what I did that night,” I repeated for the third time when she—through Rene—told me that I had to recall what words I spoke to bind Jim to me in order to undo that, “much less what I said.”

“Aisling says that you must try harder.”

“That is so not helping. I’m trying as hard as I can.”

“I guess I’d better get used to being bound to you,” Jim said, rolling over onto his back. “Belly scritches?”

“Jim!” I said loudly as Aisling squawked and waved her hands at him. “No one wants to see that. I’ll scratch your belly later, but right now, I have to figure out what I said that stuck me with you.”

“Stuck.” He sniffed. “More like granted you the extreme pleasure.”

“Roll over onto your side, you deranged demon.” I waited until he did so before shaking my head at Rene. “Tell Aisling that I’m sorry, but I just don’t remember what I said that could have bound a demon to me. We’re going to have to find another way to unhook Jim.”

He repeated the words to Aisling. She answered, and Rene translated simultaneously. “She says you are not considering… What is that? Ah, yes. All the possibilities. You must consider all the possibilities.”

I just stared at him.

“She says that you must open—Are you sure that is the word? It makes no sense, though. Ah? Very well. She says you must open the little door in your brain.” He tapped his head. “The one that makes you see things.”

“Okay, I don’t…” I paused and shook my head. “You know, I went to the nuthouse because of what I thought I saw, so I’m not sure that I’m the best person to be saying that to, although now, of course, I know that I saw exactly what I thought I saw. A door, huh?”

“That is what she said, although myself, I do not see it.” He shrugged. “But Aisling is quite firm that is what you must do.”

I sighed but closed my eyes and envisioned a door in my head opening. It didn’t do much for me other than make me want to giggle.

“Nothing?” Rene asked, his face hopeful.

I shook my head. “Sorry.”

“My wife,” he said slowly, giving me a look of consideration, “she does the yoga in order to remain supple, you know? The teachers also do meditation, which my wife has sometimes tried, and she said that it once helped her remember where she put the car keys. Perhaps it could help you? It is worth a try, yes?”

“Yes,” I agreed somewhat hesitantly. “It’s better than wanting to beat my head against the wall. I’ve never meditated, though. Dr. Barlind didn’t approve, saying it had too much of a New Age smell to it. What do I do?”

Ten minutes later I was sitting on the floor with my legs crossed, palms upturned on my knees, and Jim snoring next to me. “Om,” I said. “Zen. I am Zen. I am the om. Hare hare, hallelujah.”

“Now you must think back to that night. Aisling says that opening the door in your head is important, so you must add that as well. But mostly, relax, and allow the memories to return.”

“I’ll try,” I said, more than a little doubtful, but I kept those thoughts to myself. It took me a little bit to slow down the mad rush of thoughts, but after about ten minutes, I found myself slumped against the wall, the morning sun warming me and the gentle rhythm of Jim’s snores soothing my frazzled nerves. I sank into a form of reverie that Dr. Barlind said was a crutch and to be avoided on the path to emotional stability. I disregarded that and tried to let the memories wash over me.

Little fragments of memory started flitting through my mind, bouncing off each other and repeating in a seemingly endless loop.

At least you’re not dead. That’s the important thing. At least you’re not dead. Damn, houses here can be a mile or more apart. Looks like you’re my responsibility now. Ack, don’t howl again! I’ll take care of you, I promise…

I sat up straight, my eyes snapping open as those last few phrases drifted past my awareness. You’re my responsibility now. I’ll take care of you, I promise. I looked up at Rene. “That must be it. I promised to take care of Jim.”

“Ah, yes, that sounds very much like a binding. Let me tell Aisling.”

I shook Jim’s shoulder and got to my feet while he was doing so. “Ask her how I go about reversing it. Do I just tell him I’m not going to take care of him anymore?”

“Huh? What?” Jim looked hurt. “You woke me up to tell me that you and Daddy don’t love me anymore?”

“Kostya would do more than set your head on fire if he heard you call him Daddy,” I told the demon, turning when Rene, listening intently to Aisling, nodded and then came over to Jim and me.

“She says that is the binding. You must disclaim responsibility for Jim and tell it that you will no longer take care of it and that you release it from whence it came.”

“Hey, now!” Jim protested. “I thought you were going to switch me over to the nice-smelling Aisling, not just throw me back in the demonic fish pond!”