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“Did Conn text you about that?”

Henry grinned, drank his tea, and casually tapped his temple.

“I see,” I said with a grin of my own. “I do have one personal favor to ask of ya both. It’s above and beyond all we’ve discussed, but I’m desperate.”

They didn’t comment on my statements. They just patiently waited for me to find words.

I released a breath and let it out. “Mulan’s family is coming for a visit. They drive her crazy. I’d like to put them on the second floor and assign them a keeper—maybe two of them. I’m happy to pay those persons to keep her family from bothering Mulan any more than necessary. I thought about asking ya to drug their food but Conn doesn’t think that’s a repeatable option day after day until they leave.”

Henry snickered and shook his head. “I think we can put some of our younger caste members on that task. They will keep the Wu Shaman’s annoying family entertained. We wish to care for her as well. No payment will be necessary.”

They made everything so easy. I was going to have to work not to lean on them too much. “That’s wonderful news, Henry. I’m going to head over to Mulan’s and tell her. Her brooding about their visit is getting on my last nerve as well as Conn’s. Maybe if I can take some worry off her shoulders we can tackle the job we still have to do.”

“What is your job?” Gale asked, looking sly. “You don’t have to tell me details. I’m just curious.”

I rose and walked out of the library with them. The caffeinated tea wouldn’t let me nap now but I felt much lighter. Best of all, I felt headache-free. “My current task is to find and kill a delusional snake shifter who thinks he’s a god. The last time I caught him, I put him in prison. His power has grown a lot since then. This may turn into one of those bloody clothes times that I mentioned.”

Gale giggled at my description. She seemed so pleased to know my life was violent and my work was bloody.

At least one of us was amused by my life. Too bad it wasn’t me.

Chapter Sixteen

“Didn’t ya hear what I said? Henry is going to take care of everything.”

Mulan’s gaze darkened in anger and I didn’t get it. Why wasn’t the woman happier about my good news?

She leaned toward me and stared hard. “Did you sell your soul for demon favors?”

Maybe it was the super serious way she asked the question but I burst out laughing. When she cursed my parents in English for giving birth to me, I laughed even harder. Eventually, I had to wipe tears from my eyes between my laughter slowing down and starting up all over again.

“Why do ya care if I did, Mulan? It’smysoul.”

“You are very bad friend,” Mulan said sternly.

I held my stomach as I tried to reign in my amusement but her attitude was killing me. “Henry is not going to try any tricks with either of us. Why are ya letting yer family make ya this nuts? Ya’re not being yer normally terse and confident self.”

“You will soon see why I am so cursed.”

“Ya talk about your family like they’re demons ya failed to cast out. ”

Mulan snorted before glaring at me. “They are worse than demons. Do you think I’m not smart? I had plans for them,” she spat at me.

I grinned at her. “I bet ya did. Were ya planning to stand over them shaking yer staff to put them to sleep every couple of hours? I’ve seen ya do it to demons. Maybe it would work with yer parents.”

Mulan looked at me and blinked several times. “That was not part of plan but would work.”

I rolled my eyes and made sure she saw me doing it. “That would only work if ya don’t intend to live yer life while they’re here. I’ve never seen ya show an ounce of fear about anyone else. Why are ya making yerself crazy over them? Talk to me.”

Mulan grunted. “Parents demand honor and duty. As their child, I must give it.”

I leaned forward and pounded the table with one finger. “Well, I think ya should be able to demand consideration from them in return for that honor. No one would consider what they did to ya when their business failed as treating ya honorably. Instead, they blamed ya for it and practically banished ya from China. If ya ask me, they haven’t done their parental duty, now have they?”

“What do you know of my life, witch? You have dead god ancestors who visit to help you. You have nice mother who nags about your bad hair. I can only dream of mother like yours.”

While Bridget O’Malley wasn’t as nice as Mulan thought, she was a great mother, probably the best I could ever have hoped to have. We’d had our disagreements over the years, as all mothers and daughters do, but Ma never tried to run my life. This was why I wasn’t telling Fiona how to run hers. The women in my family reserved their interventions for times when it looked as if ya were truly screwing up.

Ma had warned me about Jack but I hadn’t been able to listen. When she warned me about Da’s ring, though, I had paid attention. When she told me something was wrong with Fiona, I knew better than to ignore her instincts. Good Goddess, I even got my haircut when Ma insisted I take better care of myself. Plus, I got a best friend from Ma’s pushing... and the kind of hair that behaved itself.