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Before these witnesses, I declare I am no longer your wife and you are no longer my husband. I willingly return to you whatever magick you shared with me when we wed. May our families and all who know us accept this division as well.

Go away from me in peace. As I will, so let it be done.”

I held both hands out to the side and pushed air behind me with bloody palms. Wind lifted my robe and my hair as all remnants of my connection to Jack were swept from me.

Weak from losing the energy I’d reclaimed from him, Jack wobbled in place before dropping to his knees. He grew younger as I watched, and I told myself not to resent his restoration.

Soon Jack would look like his forty-year-old self, instead of someone’s father or grandfather. The Goddess had decided his fate, and I would abide by her decision.

Gasps from the council told me they’d also noticed.

I knew Jack’s slowly changing face lent credibility to my tale, making it clear why he had aged. But I couldn’t care about Jack’s fate anymore. And I didn’t have to care.

In a few moments, we would no longer be a couple.

“I divorce you in all ways, Jack Derringer, Marshal Demon Hunter and keeper of secrets from me.

I free you from the penalty of our blood vow and ask the Goddess to free me of the one I made to you.

May the will of Danu be done between us.

Go away from me in peace. As I will, so let it be done.”

I clapped my hands together creating a shower of red sparks and rubbed them until the blood disappeared from my skin completely.

The room was utterly silent as I turned to the council once more. “I thank ya all for witnessing my divorce. As soon as I find the demon portal, Rasmus can let ya know. Despite the injustice ya did to me, I do not count any of ya as my enemy. Or at least, I don’t see ya like that yet. But if ya ever try to incarcerate me again, it will be at yer own peril. Consider yerselves warned because a child of The Dagda makes a terrible enemy.”

I waved a now spotless hand over my body. Normally, I didn’t do such magickal grandstanding, but today was a special occasion. For a moment, I became as naked as the day of my birth. Listening to the gasps in the room, I conjured my favorite outfit, right down to the heeled black boots Fiona had gifted me. Given the soreness of the stone’s new hiding place, the v-neck shirt had been a good choice, even if it put my boobs on display more than I wished.

I turned and lifted an eyebrow at Rasmus who appeared dismayed by my actions. He stood with his hands in his pockets, staring daggers at me. Maybe I’d made him afraid of me. If so, I didn’t regret it.

“Okay, demon hunter. I’m ready and highly motivated to get this done. The sooner I find yer portal—the sooner I can go home.”

Jack’s younger voice caught my attention. Danu had wasted no time. “You can’t work with him, Aran. Rasmus retired from demon hunting several years ago.”

I heard the council woman clearing her throat to assert herself into the debate. “Let Rasmus go with her, Marshal. We’ll make a contract to pay him for his work with her. Whatever it takes to find that portal must be done.”

I paused beside Rasmus and looked at him. Even in my new boots, the man was still a foot taller than me. I felt pretty sure he was even taller than Jack, but with my ex-husband still sitting on the floor, that observation would remain nothing more than conjecture on my part.

“Ya don’t look old enough to be retired, Rasmus. Were ya forced out of action? Or did ya just tire of all the senseless killing ya were doing?”

Rasmus snorted. “I was wounded in the line of duty. Now I help only when I’m needed.”

I nodded like his explanation made complete sense, but whether or not it did really didn’t matter. “Were ya helping the council when ya came to see me? Or was that Jack’s idea to send ya? I admit I’m curious about that.”

Rasmus turned to look at the council. They all nodded at him slightly, but none of them really met his gaze. Finally, he looked over at Jack on the floor, but Jack said nothing. While Rasmus grappled with his decision, I studied his profile. All I saw reflected in his expression was more worry about the secrets he was still keeping from me.

Rasmus should have been happy. He’d gotten his way, hadn’t he? I’d kept my word and was helping him. Maybe I’d messed up a scheme he’d cooked up with Jack, but for now anyway, I couldn’t change the retired demon hunter’s beliefs about my now ex-husband. Working with him might become a problem, though. I didn’t have time to drag his dead weight with me as I searched.

I fisted both hands on my hips. “I can see ya have some reservations about working with me. How about I just call ya when I find the portal?” I stuck out my palm. “If ya have a pen, write yer number on my hand. Surely by now ya know I keep my word when I give it. Yer reluctance won’t be of any help to me.”

Rasmus blew out a long breath and seemed to deflate before my eyes. “My reservations are not about you, but I guess I have to tag along since the council will pay me to do so.”

“Good. So, um… can I crash on yer couch tonight? My ex got our house when we split. I don’t have a place to stay out here in the free world.”

My snark about Jack’s life without me roused him from his silence.

“You can go home any time you want, Aran.”