“I pushed him away, catching Lee's awe that I was not only standing with a demon outside a circle, but that Al was treating me like an equal. Or maybe a favorite pet, I amended as Al caught me when I started to tilt.”

“I was so awash in sensory overload that I was caught completely unaware when he did push me away”

“Why?" I said, taking the paper from him as Al smiled. "If it's not what I agreed to, I will burn Al's gonads off the first chance I get. Turn around. I need to use your back for a second.""Ah, hold on a tick," Al said, snapping his fingers again and catching the new paper drifting down. "How silly of me. This is the one. Here.”

“They treat me like some sort of pet cat but claws I have, and claws I will use”

“I stand for honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you want to be treated & helping those in need. To me, those are traditional values. That's what I stand for.”

“The former world leader snarled at me when he found his balance. My face went cold, and I wondered if I’d fare better in the circle with Al.”