Caelan’s smile was edged with sadness. “Figured it was the least I could do.”
“You bet it is,” Rowan said under his breath.
Caelan laughed this time. “I’m well aware of the current state of my amends and know I’ll be making them forever.” He rolled his eyes. “At least to you.”
“Children,” Ethan said. “Can we focus?”
Rowan picked up my fork and handed it to me. “Eat. You’ll need the energy.”
The first bite was full of maple syrup and real butter. He knew exactly how I liked my pancakes. I ate like a maniac while the other Lords spoke amongst themselves; Rowan occasionally adding more bacon to my plate.
When I finished and set my plate down, Ethan caught my attention. “What exactly is your plan this morning?”
I shrugged and sipped my coffee. “She’s been waiting at the edges of our property for days now hoping for a confrontation. I plan to step outside the wards and give her what she wants.”
No one said a word.
“Right. As soon as I finish this coffee.”
Half an hour later,we stood toward the edge of the property boundary. Danu lurked close, her oily presence a heavy cloak against our wards.
“Ready?” I murmured to Rowan.
“You sure you want to do this?”
“If I don’t do it now, then when? I’m sure the Lords want their lands completely in their control again, and Danu is a blight upon our people. I don’t want to wait anymore.”
Rowan tugged me close and planted a searing kiss upon my lips. Wolf whistles and catcalls rang out.
I laughed and clutched my husband to me. One last kiss to remember him, no matter what may come.
When we pulled apart, I glanced at Dad. “Drop the wards.”
As soon as the shimmering veil dropped, I stepped over the boundary.
Seconds later, Danu rose from the ground.
Chapter
Thirty-Three
She wore her crone guise today, tangled grey hair lying in a shapeless lump down her back. Her nose was humped and crooked, and her face lined with heavy wrinkles. She wore a gown of forest green dotted with glowing mushrooms and flora. Danu looked ancient, ageless, and powerful.
I was in yoga pants with clean tennis shoes and wet hair tied into a messy bun on top of my head. We were not the same.
“You’ve been hanging around for a while. Seems like you want to have a conversation.” I spread my hands out. “I’m here. Let’s chat.”
Danu looked out at the shifters spread out behind me, a flicker of surprise in the depths of her eyes. “You’ve brought an army for a simple conversation?”
I shrugged. “Seemed appropriate.”
Danu waved her fingers. Thousands of fae appeared behind her, some on the ground, some floating in the air.
Not unexpected, but I was hoping word had spread about my ability to send them home. The fae and Lords had done nothing but make my job harder from the day I got involved with them. Stifling a sigh, I addressed the unfamiliar fae standing before me.
“We can send you home if you’d like. If you stand against us, we will remember. I am not my father. If you fight, you are no longer my people. You are my enemy. As such, once this is over, I will track you down and banish you from our lands.”
A few exchanged looks. Some blipped out right away. Too many held firm. The shifters would have difficulty with this many fae. We had mages on our side, but human and witch magic followed rules. Fae magic, as we’d found out, doesn’t have to.
