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“C’mon, mate, you’d kill for that dog, too.”
Lords rolls his eyes. “I’m a cat person.”
“Curiously,” Callan says from where he’s standing a few steps away, watching us, “I was going to make the same offer.”
I turn to the fae prince. “I appreciate it. But my answer’s the same. And youreallycan’t kill a guest.”
“It would result in my banishment,” Callan allows.
Like that wouldn’t break Darwin’s heart. My relationship with Da might not be reparable, but Darwin’s with his father totally is. I’ve already seen it just in these two short visits.
“Big no,” I tell him.
“Very well. At least allow me to be this useful. I have listened carefully to the dark whispers in my court. Your father and House Eythin have made each other promises. Your father has promised that he will deal with you before you exchange vows with my son. This gives House Eythin another chance to install Phoebe in your place. How they intend to accomplish this, I do not know. Only that their interests are allied.”
I take a deep breath and let it out. It isn’t wholly unexpected. Da wouldn’t have come if he didn’t have or think he could find allies here. And I haven’t done myself any favors with Tyr, Phoebe, and their house.
Does it sting a little to hear that Da has promised to “deal with me”? Yeah. But not as much as it would have before he glassed me in the face and tried to kick me to death.
“Okay,” I say. “Good to know. Forewarned is forearmed and all that, right?”
“Teddy—”
Wow, Callan sounds just like Lords when he says my name like that. I grin at both men. “Hey, have a little faith.”
They shake their heads at me. I’m not sure if they just don’t appreciate my cheek or they don’t actually have any faith in me.
Whatever. I know three boys who do.
* * *
Lords wantsme to wear the magic Kevlar he put on us for our trip to Klotho-land to meet with Da. I pass. If my StoneSkill spell doesn’t stop Da, Lords’s flak vest isn’t going to, either. But I pull Gabe aside for one last-minute bit of preparation.
I hand him a scrap of paper and a pin.
He doesn’t even ask what I’m playing at. He pricks his finger, writes “SOS” on the paper with his blood, and offers it to me. I tuck it into his hand.
“Give it to Charlie or Dar. If it all goes pear-shaped, tell them to burn it. It’s our Hail Mary.”
He holds his arms out to me, and I tuck myself against him.
“I’m sorry I’ve dragged you into this.”
“There’s nowhere else in the world I’d rather be right now, baby girl. You can count on me.”
“I know I can. I never, ever thought I couldn’t. I know you’re mad about what you saw when you and Dar came to rescue me from Da’s. Put that away. We go into this fight cold. Logical.”
“I’ll try. You’d better tell that to Charlie, though. He’s been fantasizing about getting his hands on your dad for a while.”
I nod but I know I don’t need a word with Charlie. Gabe doesn’t understand because he hasn’t been sparring with me and Charlie for years. No one needs to tell Charlie Miller anything about the mindset of a fight.
Hand-in-hand, we walk back to the library. Where the two bog fae are still going at it on the floor.
“How long is this going to go on?” I ask.
“Mating-frenzy can last for days,” Gabe says. “I’m sorry to miss the courting phase, though.”
Charlie coughs into his hand, I think to cover a laugh.
