Page 78

“No, but I’ll stay and help. The female guardian and I are friends of a sort. I’ll use our connection to try to redirect her energies to something less destructive than hurting ya.”

“Zara insinuated there was something between the two of ya but I didn’t get to ask what sort of connection ya had.”

The Dagda leaned back in his chair. “There was a hot flame between us for a moment or two, but it burned out quickly. Sometimes that’s all there is between two people.”

I nodded with my grin still in place. “So, how can ya help me with her?”

The Dagda looked at me and smiled. “I’ll be yer distraction. Conn already told me what ya’re planning. He visits me wherever I am.”

“Conn talks to everyone. I don’t know how he does it.”

“He travels while ya’re sleeping. Sometimes he even visits the other plane. Now that ya’re wearing the stone, ya can come visit me there as well when I give up walking this world of yers.”

“What do ya look like there? Are ya just a giant ball of light?”

The Dagda chuckled low. “The essence of me often shows as a ball of light. When I wish to appear differently, I take a male form similar to what ya see. I can choose to look any way I wish but why would I settle for imperfection when I can look like this?”

He waved a hand over himself and made me laugh.

“I guess Zara likes ya as ya are.”

“Indeed, she does. I give all the ladies good reasons to like my human form,” he bragged.

I giggled like a fourteen-year-old hearing about lovemaking for the first time. My vulnerability was showing, but it couldn’t be helped. The Dagda grinning at me with that wicked masculine smile of his didn’t lower my discomfort.

“Tell me the truth, Aran. Why did the guardian sleeping in yer garage go to all that trouble for ya? Ya’re a fair lass for sure, but there are a lot of fair lasses in the world.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Maybe Rasmus was enchanted with the perfection I inherited from my handsome ancestor.”

The Dagda chuckled and snapped his fingers. “Aye, that must be the reason. I asked Conn, but even he wasn’t sure why the guardian fancied ya so much.”

I frowned and shook my head. “I’m not lacking for male company and I never asked Rasmus to return. He came back for his own reasons. He intends to study what he calls “my irrational decision-making” to help guardian brethren figure me out.”

The Dagda lifted an eyebrow. “Do ya think Orlin sent him to monitor ya?”

I smiled as I shrugged. “Orlin’s disappointed that I’m wasn’t impressed with the new, younger Rasmus. My guardian grandfather doesn’t get why I preferred the old one and still miss him. We’re barely speaking because of it.”

The Dagda sighed loudly. “Well, I’m sorry for yer man problems and the burden of attractiveness I put on ya. Would ya have preferred to be homely? I could add a wart to yer nose to make ya appear more witchy.”

I turned to him and laughed. “No, thank you, Lord Dagda. Time and aging will make me ugly enough. I’ll deal with the traits I was born with as I age.”

“There’s my brave lass.”

My snort was loud. “I suppose ya’ll be wanting to stay here while we’re waiting for the guardian to come kill me.”

“Since we don’t know when Zara will show up, I think it best I stick close. Don’t ya agree?”

I bit my lip and nodded. “I do agree, but ya’ll have to sleep in the garage with the guardian. Are ya okay with that?”

“Seven years in prison may have taken more a toll than I first thought. The guardian didn’t suffer the pain of becoming human to study ya nor to sleep in yer garage. Why isn’t yer guardian sleeping in yer bed? I’m sure he wants to.”

“Fiona’s sharing my room. Conn and Mulan are sharing the only other bedroom. Rasmus and the demon wolves are in the garage out of necessity. I can put another bed in the garage, but that’s the very last place I can put a body in this tiny house.”

“Ya need a bigger home, Aran.”

“Yes, and I’ll be getting one shortly. Fiona has found us a place with land and multiple houses. The Wu Shaman is going in for half of the costs. I’ll be able to host a whole demon caste there.”

The Dagda grinned and held up a finger. “I have a question. What’s a Wu Shaman?”