SEVEN
Phoebe found nothing else useful in the Book of Shadows. With the exception of the single entry on Searcher demons, there wasn't any more information on them.
"Whoever sent them," said Prue, "I think it's safe to assume they'll send something a little bit more powerful next time."
"That's a nice thought," Piper said. "We can expect an attack from another demon and we have no idea what type of demon it will be. Kind of makes it hard to set up an effective defense."
"We'll just have to play it by ear," Phoebe said. "Seems we work best that way anyway."
"What about some kind of generic vanquishing potion?" Prue asked.
"I'm not sure that's even possible," Piper said. "Most vanquishing potions are geared toward specific types of demons. I don't even know if there is a potion that could be used against more than one type."
"Well," Prue said, "a spell is out of the question. Without knowing what demon we're fighting, Phoebe can't write a spell to vanquish it. And I don't think a spell to simply vanquish evil will work. That would be too simple."
"What about a Power of Three spell?" Phoebe asked. "No matter what demon comes after us, it can't stand up to that."
"Except that a Power of Three spell has to be written for a specific target," Prue said, "you know that. And just like the potion, you can't write a Power of Three spell against an adversary you don't know."
"Well," Piper said, "I suppose I could try to come up with something. We can't just sit around here waiting to be attacked."
"Do your best," Prue said. "Phoebe and I will watch David while you do that. A demon could shimmer in at any moment and when it does, we'll need to be here to protect him."
"I'll write a spell to vanquish a Searcher demon all the same," Phoebe said. "Just in case they send another one after us."
"I appreciate all the help," David said. "It's kind of unsettling knowing that demons are real and that one is actually after me. I can't think of any reason one would want to hurt me."
"It could be just about anything," said Prue. "You just sit tight. You can stay on the sofa tonight. I'll get some bedding for you."
As she went to get the bedding, Phoebe followed her out of the living room.
"Okay, what's up?" Phoebe asked her older sister.
"What do you mean?" Prue asked.
"I know that tone you were using in there," Phoebe said. "You've used it on me enough. You think he's lying, don't you?"
"I just think he's not being totally honest, that's all," Prue said. "Obviously there is a demon out to get him. But I think he knows more about why than he's telling us."
"How can you say that?" Phoebe asked. "He almost died a while ago."
"Yes," Prue said. "He also told us that the demons shimmered in and attacked him the first time."
"So," Phoebe said. "That's what they did here."
"Right," Prue said. "But he also said he didn't know anything about demons. So how did he know it's called shimmering?"
Phoebe looked at Prue. That was a good question. They hadn't even known the term until after they had become the Charmed Ones. And it wasn't exactly common knowledge among innocents.
"He also said we vanquished that Searcher demon," Prue said, "not that we killed it. Most people would have used the word killed not vanquished. Which means he knows at least a little bit about demons. So why tell us he doesn't know anything? Unless he's hiding something."
"I see your point," Phoebe said. "So, if you think he's lying, why let him stay here?"
"Maybe he is an innocent," Prue said. "If he is, we need to protect him. If he's not, we need to find out what's going on. The best way to do that is keep him around here."
"What do you want to do?" asked Phoebe.
"Nothing for the moment," Prue said. "Right now all we have are suspicions. What we have is pretty thin. We need something a bit more concrete. You just keep talking with him. Sooner or later he's bound to slip up and make a real mistake. When he does, we can confront him and get him to tell us just what's going on."
"Okay," Phoebe said. "I hope it doesn't take very long. I don't like the idea of not knowing who we may be fighting next."
"Neither do I, little sister," Prue said, glancing back into the living room at David. "Neither do I."
Phoebe found nothing else useful in the Book of Shadows. With the exception of the single entry on Searcher demons, there wasn't any more information on them.
"Whoever sent them," said Prue, "I think it's safe to assume they'll send something a little bit more powerful next time."
"That's a nice thought," Piper said. "We can expect an attack from another demon and we have no idea what type of demon it will be. Kind of makes it hard to set up an effective defense."
"We'll just have to play it by ear," Phoebe said. "Seems we work best that way anyway."
"What about some kind of generic vanquishing potion?" Prue asked.
"I'm not sure that's even possible," Piper said. "Most vanquishing potions are geared toward specific types of demons. I don't even know if there is a potion that could be used against more than one type."
"Well," Prue said, "a spell is out of the question. Without knowing what demon we're fighting, Phoebe can't write a spell to vanquish it. And I don't think a spell to simply vanquish evil will work. That would be too simple."
"What about a Power of Three spell?" Phoebe asked. "No matter what demon comes after us, it can't stand up to that."
"Except that a Power of Three spell has to be written for a specific target," Prue said, "you know that. And just like the potion, you can't write a Power of Three spell against an adversary you don't know."
"Well," Piper said, "I suppose I could try to come up with something. We can't just sit around here waiting to be attacked."
"Do your best," Prue said. "Phoebe and I will watch David while you do that. A demon could shimmer in at any moment and when it does, we'll need to be here to protect him."
"I'll write a spell to vanquish a Searcher demon all the same," Phoebe said. "Just in case they send another one after us."
"I appreciate all the help," David said. "It's kind of unsettling knowing that demons are real and that one is actually after me. I can't think of any reason one would want to hurt me."
"It could be just about anything," said Prue. "You just sit tight. You can stay on the sofa tonight. I'll get some bedding for you."
As she went to get the bedding, Phoebe followed her out of the living room.
"Okay, what's up?" Phoebe asked her older sister.
"What do you mean?" Prue asked.
"I know that tone you were using in there," Phoebe said. "You've used it on me enough. You think he's lying, don't you?"
"I just think he's not being totally honest, that's all," Prue said. "Obviously there is a demon out to get him. But I think he knows more about why than he's telling us."
"How can you say that?" Phoebe asked. "He almost died a while ago."
"Yes," Prue said. "He also told us that the demons shimmered in and attacked him the first time."
"So," Phoebe said. "That's what they did here."
"Right," Prue said. "But he also said he didn't know anything about demons. So how did he know it's called shimmering?"
Phoebe looked at Prue. That was a good question. They hadn't even known the term until after they had become the Charmed Ones. And it wasn't exactly common knowledge among innocents.
"He also said we vanquished that Searcher demon," Prue said, "not that we killed it. Most people would have used the word killed not vanquished. Which means he knows at least a little bit about demons. So why tell us he doesn't know anything? Unless he's hiding something."
"I see your point," Phoebe said. "So, if you think he's lying, why let him stay here?"
"Maybe he is an innocent," Prue said. "If he is, we need to protect him. If he's not, we need to find out what's going on. The best way to do that is keep him around here."
"What do you want to do?" asked Phoebe.
"Nothing for the moment," Prue said. "Right now all we have are suspicions. What we have is pretty thin. We need something a bit more concrete. You just keep talking with him. Sooner or later he's bound to slip up and make a real mistake. When he does, we can confront him and get him to tell us just what's going on."
"Okay," Phoebe said. "I hope it doesn't take very long. I don't like the idea of not knowing who we may be fighting next."
"Neither do I, little sister," Prue said, glancing back into the living room at David. "Neither do I."