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I nodded. “I need to get better at protecting myself. I’m older, and maybe not better, but I’m still powerful. I barely survived today.”

Conn draped an arm around my shoulders as we walked. “Were you frightened to fight without me?”

I snorted. “No, I was scared shitless. Then the Dagda stone talked to me and that scared me too. The snake scales it gave me are fading finally, but it let me keep the fancy dagger. I’ll tell ya something I learned, Conn. Weapons, even the interesting ones, don’t have yer special way of reassuring me. I’d rather have ya fighting at my side than all the new weapons in the world.”

Conn nodded. “It was nice of the Dagda stone to help when you needed it, though. Things might not have worked out as well without its intervention.”

I grunted. “I asked it for a sword, ya know. I felt like fighting with that dagger was a test I barely passed.”

The demon I loved chuckled. “Let’s take a break from jobs for a while. We need to rest. Besides, I think you’re going to have enough to worry about in the next few weeks.”

“I know. I still have to send Ezra home. Is yer sexy fairy friend allowed to cross the veil whenever he wants?”

Conn nodded.

“Get in touch with Murray for me then. Maybe he can take word back to Ezra’s family. Tony said Ezra wouldn’t unfreeze until he was back in the land of his people. I’d drop-kick him through the mound portal if I could, but I can already hear Ben fussing about how unprofessional that would be.”

Conn’s smirk was a welcome sight. “On the upside, we’re getting hazard pay for Hisser. Ben interviewed the far darrig who showed him the hooded black snake. He’s using that, Ezra’s betrayal, and your visions to justify the extra money.”

I snorted and shook my head. “Great. Because more money makes everything better.”

Conn laughed at my whining. “It does most of the time,” he said. “Are you good to deal with your visitor?”

“It’s probably Rasmus. It would be like Henry to say Rasmus was unexpected. His sense of humor is drier than even yers.”

“Probably,” Conn agreed. I dreaded the fight I would start with Rasmus, but it was unavoidable. The best I could hope for was to delay it until tomorrow. “Go home to yer cranky Wu Shaman. Tell her I said not to lock that tiger cat in the bathroom because it will escape.”

“You’re such a worrier, Aran. The cat is in a cage in a spare bedroom. I retrieved it from Katie’s basement and Mulan built a giant cat tree in it. The kitten can’t climb the tree yet but I don’t think it will be long now. She plans to leash train the tiger cat.”

“Goddess, I don’t want to know this. That tiger cat is going to eat somebody and then she’ll brood for the rest of her days. There’ll be no living with her.”

Conn walkedoff laughing and I walked into the house. Once I’d cleared the threshold I instantly felt him. My head raised to stare at my guardian ancestor who was sitting on one of the leather couches looking like a singer from an eighties hair band.

I smiled across the foyer at him, but not because I was glad to see him. I smiled because Henry hadn’t deemed Orlin worthy of waiting for me in the library. He’d made Orlin sit in the foyer and there wasn’t a drop of tea in sight.

I covered my mouth to hide my smile as I walked toward him. “Are ya here to tell me Rasmus isn’t coming back?”

Orlin stood and shoved his human hands into the pockets of his holey jeans. Maybe he wanted to hug me and was afraid I’d reject the gesture. I probably would have.

“No,” Orlin said. “He’s standing by to return. I felt it best to announce us. He’s bringing Zara with him. Because he was able to do her programming himself, it went very quickly. Together, we came up with an identity that we believe suits the situation and will ease her adjustment.”

“Yes, I know Rasmus made her look like him so they could pretend to be siblings.”

Orlin’s hands dropped as he stared in surprise. “How could you know that?”

“Just a lucky guess,” I said, fighting not to think any thoughts of scrying that he might pick up. “Where are they standing by?”

Orlin gestured toward the door. “He was escorted here. We need to do this outside.”

“Yes, that’s probably best,” I said, walking outside with him.

Were the escorts here for Rasmus or because they weren’t sure about Zara? This poor little human witch who outsmarted her wanted to know. But I didn’t ask. I settled for rolling my eyes at all the guardian drama.

“I regret that Rasmus wasn’t here to help you, Aran. Your demon butler told me what you went through today.”

I turned to glare at Orlin. “Henry is not my butler.And I’m used to Rasmus being gone all the time. Each time he leaves me without a word I miss him a little less. One day I’m sure I won’t miss him at all. When that happens, I’ll send him back to ya. But don’t worry, Orlin, I won’t do it for at least five years. I keep my promises. At least I have plenty of bedrooms upstairs. Yer name is on one whenever ya want to visit. I can even put ya next to the new room that Rasmus will be using.”

Orlin didn’t comment as we walked to the side yard of the house. Last week it was brown and barely more than dirt. Now it was a sea of manicured green. I assumed Henry had told someone to fertilize it.