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I stared at The Dagda. What was he talking about? I knew the stone gave me more power, but he made it sound like there was more to it than that.

My mind rolled over the Dagda’s omissions until it skidded to a full stop. Good Goddess. Did Jack know more about the stone than I did? Is that why he took it from me? Who would have told him its secrets?

My hands balled into fists as I thought again about all the secrets my ex-husband had managed to keep from me. It took several deep breaths to be able to release them in case I needed to call a sword.

When I snapped back to full reality, The Dagda was still arguing with Zara, and the situation was escalating. Power was beginning to spark off of her.

Zara abruptly turned and pointed her finger at me. “Give me the wolves,” she commanded in her most ominous voice.

I didn’t change my expression. “Ya already know I won’t do that, so why do ya keep asking? Plus...they’re no longer here.”

“Well, where are they then?”she demanded.

“I put them somewhere safe from yer reach and that’s where they’re going to stay.”

Her eyes became a brilliant green and my skin tingled. I lifted my hands to inspect their tingling. “Was that supposed to hurt?”

Then I doubled over in pain. It was bad, but I made things worse by laughing at my own foolishness for taunting her. I should have seen this coming.

Conn and Mulan charged out of the house. They must have been watching from a window or something. Zara turned her gaze to them. Her power hit the Wu Shaman’s turtle shell vest and knocked her back. Mulan’s petite ass hit the ground before she got back to her feet swearing in Chinese.

The pain in my stomach finally eased and I laughed at Mulan’s anger. I’d never seen her face turn so red. She chanted, banged her staff on the ground, and pointed it at Zara. Power shot into the female guardian who called out in extreme pain from Mulan did to her.

My eyes widened. Whatever power Zara had taken from her demon helpers left her body through her screaming mouth. Sothatwas how she cast out demons.

“Thanks,” I said to Mulan.

“I cannot affect guardian directly. She is immune to Wu Shaman power. But I can pull demons from bitch and make her suffer.”

Conn stepped up beside The Dagda. “Why am I not allowed to fight the guardian?”

The Dagda sighed. “It was part of my deal with Orlin when I got my body, but I don’t think Zara was on his mind when he made me promise that. But ya can help Aran.”

“What do ya mean Conn can’t fight her?” I demanded.

The Dagda winced. “Sorry, Aran. I meant to tell ya that, but it slipped my mind.”

I spread my hands. “How could it slip yer mind when I’ve been waiting for days for her to show up?”

He shrugged. “Do ya want me to apologize again?”

Conn came over to me and put a hand on my shoulder. “Brace yerself.”

“For what?” I barely got out the words before the mantle lit me up like I was being electrocuted. Hissing at the power entering me, I glared up at Conn. “Stop. It’s too much.”

“This is all I can do. Deal with it,” Conn ordered.

If the syringe in my pocket exploded, I was going to be really mad. It was my last resort, and I intended to use it on Zara when I got the chance. Or rather...ifI got the chance.

When Conn turned loose of me, I glowed brighter than Orlin had last time he visited.

Conn turned and dropped a cloak over the house and all the land we rented. He sealed us in a bubble. Then he headed to the house.

“Where are you going?” I yelled, lifting my hand to indicate Zara was still standing in front of me.

Conn never answered me. He stomped inside the house slamming the door behind him.

I turned to Mulan. “Go after him. He might blow up the neighborhood in the mood he’s in.”