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“So I gathered,” I said, sipping my coffee and practicing my calm. “Ya sound ready to explode this morning.”

Rasmus nodded and cupped his hands behind his head. He stared at the ceiling. “I’m restless and taking it out on you. That’s not fair. I’m truly sorry.”

Well, look at that. The man actually could apologize without anything bad happening to him or his tongue. I smiled at him. “Ya’re forgiven, Rasmus. And I’ll be sure to put some sugar in yer next cup to sweeten ya up.”

His snort was soft but the corners of his mouth did lift a little.

I kept on talking. “While Conn’s out looking for our demons this morning, I’m going back to talk to Mulan. Ya can entertain yerself here or tag along with me, but I want to talk to her alone. It should only take me five minutes so long as Mulan’s not with a client.”

“What are you planning?” Rasmus asked.

“To ask for her help again.”

“Which explains nothing,” he replied.

“Ever hear of winging it, Rasmus? Or going with the flow?” I sipped my coffee and stared at him over the cup. “My instincts are singing about Mulan. I can’t turn my back.”

Conn poured himself a refill and leaned against the counter drinking it. “If the Wu Shaman comes along with us, she will see my true form.”

I sipped my coffee and nodded. “It will be good for her. Never hide yer true self from someone ya like, Conn. They figure ya out anyway.”

“Is it still my job to locate Lilith?”

He sounded depressed about things, but I couldn’t let his reticence sway what had to be done. We all needed answers—me, Rasmus, and Conn.

“If ya can find Lilith that would help us,” I said, swiveling in my chair. “Even a general direction of the caste would be helpful. If ya can’t find them, maybe Mulan can. Her magick operates differently. I doubt the demons living in America will be prepared for her. She will be our element of surprise.”

His nod was short and brief. I felt terrible for putting him through this, but he’d insisted on helping. “If ya want, I’ll tell Mulan ya have a block because of yer history with this caste. I’ll use ya as my excuse to talk her into coming with us.”

Conn’s chin lifted into the air. “No need to fabricate a story to spare me. I’m too old to mourn what was never truly meant to be mine. I’ll find her eventually. I’ll find all of them, even if some have to go away for a while when I get done with my search.”

Which in Conn’s terms meant he’d rip them apart and force them into a regeneration cycle. If that level of violence helped us get to the bottom of this mystery, I was all for it.

“I’ll drive you to see the Wu Shaman,” Rasmus said.

The granite ring grew heavy as a stone. “Let’s not take yer car,” I said. “Let’s call for a ride. It might prove less of an adventure.”

Rasmus frowned even deeper. “Why? Do you think they’re tracking me?”

I shrugged, but the ring grew warm against my finger. Apparently, it had decided to help my cause. “I think they’re tracking one or more of us. Or keeping track of us. We don’t want to lead them to Lilith and her caste if that’s what they’re after.”

Rasmus straightened. “Why would they want Lilith?”

“I don’t know that they do yet,” I said carefully. “I think what they want is leverage over a demoness the largest caste considers their next queen.”

“The child,” Rasmus spat out. “They intend to kidnap her child when it’s born.”

I kept my gaze from his. I knew a lot of things about demons that I wasn’t going to share with Rasmus. But I would share what I could.

“Demons—the formerFir Bolgones of Irish legend—don’t bear children often. When one comes every few hundred years, it’s because they are a gift allowed by the same gods that gave me responsibility for keeping them out of trouble. If Lilith is pregnant, she will protect the child with everything and everyone under her power, as any mother would.”

Rasmus rose from his seat, slammed both hands on the table, and then walked out of the kitchen.

Conn sighed and crossed his arms. “You may have lost your travel buddy this morning.”

“It’s a matter of honor. He may not remember who he was or where he came from or even what his life was supposed to be like but doing good drives him anyway. He’s feeling about the demon hunters the way I’m feeling about Jack. The only difference is that I’ve had seven years to get used to Jack’s treachery. Rasmus has only had a few days.”

“You like him,” Conn said.