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creature.
    “I’m so sorry,” cried Lucia.
    “Are you hurt?” asked Sarah, reaching her hand out to the little imp. Mr. Sikes reached out his left arm to take her hand, but then he glanced at the nearby barrier and recoiled.
    “I’ll be all right,” he gasped through gritted teeth. “It was my fault to begin with. The young master drew a circle for all to see.” The imp gave a sheepish smile. “I’m afraid I was showing off and got my comeuppance. I’ll be all right—don’t worry about me.”
    David rolled his eyes.
    “What’s that for?” asked Connor, his eyes flashing. “Are you saying you didn’t hurt him?”
    “No,” said David quietly. “I’m saying I think you should say good-bye to Mr. Sikes, scatter those stones, and burn that book.”
    Connor looked in disbelief at David and gave a short laugh.
    “You’re kidding, right?” he said. “Didn’t you steal a forbidden grimoire last year—one that even Ms. Richter won’t touch?”
    David paused a moment before nodding.
    “And,” continued Connor, “don’t you go wandering around the campus at all hours—even down paths we’ve all been told are off-limits?”
    David blinked at Connor and gave another hesitant nod.
    “And now you’ve got the nerve to tell me that I can’t manage an imp ?” exclaimed Connor. “Why, because I’m not David Menlo, Sorcerer supreme? How arrogant are you, mate?”
    “Connor!” said Sarah. “That’s enough.”
    David’s face turned beet red.
    “I just . . .” David choked off the sentence and bowed his head, pushing away from the table. He scampered upstairs, closing the door quietly behind him.
    “So much for the party,” said Connor, looking guilty and miserable.
    “We should go after David,” said Cynthia. “He was just trying to be helpful.”
    “You’re a kind girl,” said Mr. Sikes, turning his luminous eyes on Cynthia. “And I agree with you wholeheartedly. Many have been led to believe the worst of imps, and I can’t fault your friend for believing the stories.”
    “Maybe I was a little harsh,” Connor admitted. “I’ll go find him.”
    “No,” said Max, stirring the melting cubes in his lemonade, “just let him be.”
    Connor nodded. “I’ll catch up with him tomorrow, then. Oh! Mr. Sikes, I almost forgot the original reason I summoned you tonight—but I guess you’re probably not feeling up to it anymore.”
    Mr. Sikes’s ears twitched and the imp promptly smoothed his pearl-gray suit.
    “If it’s within my power, I’d be honored to fulfill Master Lynch’s request.”
    “Excellent,” said Connor, grinning at Max. “Can you make people forget things?”
    “Of course,” said Mr. Sikes, affecting a little bow. “There would be little need for imps if their services were restricted to lemonade. I can do what you ask, Master Lynch, but . . .” The imp hesitated.
    “What?” asked Connor. “What do you need?”
    “Their names, for a start,” said the demon, rubbing his injured arm. “And, of course, I can’t be bound within a circle. Mr. Sikes needs to visit them when they sleep, you see.”
    “Connor,” said Sarah with a disapproving tone, “this is not a good idea.”
    Max was inclined to agree. He did not like the idea of a demon— any demon—flitting about campus on secret errands. Connor, however, merely ignored Sarah and kept his attention focused on the impeccably tailored creature removing a singed thread from his suit jacket.
    “What if they see you?” asked Connor, ignoring Sarah.
    “They won’t,” said Mr. Sikes reassuringly.
    “And they won’t be hurt at all?” asked Connor. “No side effects or anything like that?”
    “Never in life,” promised the imp.
    Old Tom chimed seven o’clock, and Max felt his stomach growl.
    There was another knock at the door.
    “That’s probably David,” said Max, glancing at the key sitting on his roommate’s dresser. He climbed the stairs and opened the door only to find Cooper looming