Page 70

He pursed his lips and crossed his arms, not answering me. The angelic being didn’t seem to want to do any of this. I think what he wanted to do was walk out of the cave and leave me to do what I pleased. But he couldn’t because he was compelled to do something different than what made sense to him.

I understood that more than he knew.

I grinned at him as I crossed my arms. “So...Tony. Would ya like to hear a few suggestions about how we might mutually resolve this situation?”

Tony tilted his head and studied me. “Well, I can see your heart feels warm and fuzzy toward others most of the time—much more so than your testy daughter’s.”

“Fiona’s father raised her during her teenage years. I regret that every day but she’ll have to fix it on her own.”

“Her self-centered sperm donor used Fiona’s well-being to control your actions. I know all about your life from Fiona’s stories, Aran of The Dagda. That’s why I’m up for hearing what you have to say. It’s very difficult for me to work out warm and fuzzy scenarios. I’ve gotten better over the millennia but still find it to be so verytedious.”

A noise at the entrance to the room had my head swiveling on my shoulders. Dylan in his natural form stumbled in and stared at Hisser’s giant snake form. His human torso had returned at some point. He had a bloody face and was still writhing in pain, but tiredness—no doubt increased by all those witches he was digesting—had slowed his thrashing to a slow slithering of his coils as he moaned.

I waved Dylan over and around Hisser. He looked up at me and Tony when he stopped beside us. Then he turned and stared at Fiona. To make sure he saw the whole picture, I pointed behind him too. Dylan jumped and rammed into me at the sight of Ezra in attack mode.

I chuckled as I pushed him away. “Ezra can’t hurt ya.” I smiled at Dylan as I made introductions. “Dylan, this isTony. The frozen woman is my daughter Fiona. Tony had to shut her up for a few moments because she wouldn’t stop ranting. And Ezra... well, Tony stopped him as well. I would say Tony was the answer to my prayers, but I don’t think he’d see that as a compliment coming from a pagan like me.”

Tony held up a warning finger. “The only reason I stopped the fairy was because he was going after Fiona. My power is for protecting her and the life she lives while we’re doing her training. My power increases or decreases based on my emotional decision-making about who or what I’m charged with guarding. It’s very complicated and I can’t talk about my actual work. It’s forbidden.”

“It sounds like yer work involves being forced into thinking only good thoughts even when ya’re feeling wicked.”

He held out his hands, closed his eyes, and nodded solemnly. “It is a wondrous blessing to be so understood.”

I laughed and scrubbed my hands over my face. “Okay. Here’s what I think. Hisser was not born a naga. He was just a snake shifter. If ya can change him into an actual snake, we wouldn’t have to kill him. We’d give him to a zoo where he’d live out his evil serpent life. We could make him a hooded black snake. He’d be an anomaly and make the zoo a lot of money. They would treat him like the royal being he believes himself to be. Is that enough of a win-win scenario for ya?”

Tony’s eyebrows rose. “That’s brilliant.” Then his face fell. “Well, I’m not allowed to do that to him, but your tiny friend can.”

“Tiny?” Dylan asked.

I rolled my eyes at Dylan. He really needed to get a handle on the whole being short thing. The far darrig totally missed the point that he was talking to a creature who stopped a power-bloated fairy mid-attack.

“Give Tony yer relic, Dylan. He’s offering to fix it for ya.”

“Yes. I can do that. Gimme,” Tony demanded, holding out his hand.

Dylan looked at Tony’s outstretched hand and then up at him. “I’m not tiny. I’m tall for a far darrig.”

“Get over yourself and give me the relic, leprechaun,” Tony ordered.

I nudged Dylan’s shoulder with mine. “He’s an angelic being, Dylan. Not the angel of the relic, but close enough to help ya.”

“Are youseriouslyan angel?” Dylan asked, clearly not believing it.

Tony shrugged. “I have six fingers on each hand. What do you think?”

It amazed me what great lengths Tony went to simply deny what he was.

Dylan leaned forward to count the fingers of the hand Tony held out. Finally, Dylan set the relic into Tony’s six-fingered palm.

“It’s all right. You can trust me,” Tony said with a grin. “At least this time.”

He took the relic and walked to Ezra, circling the fairy a couple of times. “Ah ha… found it! The fairy has stored the energy he’s absorbed in bubbles. He’s certainly well-organized for a power thief.”

I’d have to remember to tell Mulan that an angel confirmed her bubble theory. It would be interesting to see if she cared about Tony’s opinion. I smiled just thinking about the conversation.

Murmuring words that had me and Dylan covering our ears from the pain of hearing them, Tony drew out a stream of green power from Ezra’s side. I watched the green energy move into the relic. Dylan’s dead relic came alive in Tony’s palm, stretching like a person waking up.

When the green energy stopped, some brown followed it.