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“What you did to beat her was both brilliant and merciful. Knowing Zara would read your mind, you asked not to know who was chosen to help you.”

I nodded at his summary. “Yes, but I also had a backup dose of tranquilized in my pocket. Unfortunately, the syringe broke when I got tossed around.”

“Because Zara fully intended to kill you.”

“Yes, which is why I hid the wolves. She had to amend her killing goals so she could torture me into telling her where they were. She tossed me across the yard and threw Rasmus into the side of the house when I refused. It bought us the time Ben needed to get the real shooters into place.”

The guardians all glanced at Rasmus sitting in the chair, but their gazes soon went back to studying Zara. “Are you planning to destroy her human form?” Orlin asked.

I didn’t know whether to be offended or flattered. “That wasn’t my first choice,” I said.

“Then what would like her fate to be?”

I noticed my guardian grandfather was phrasing his words very carefully. I figured I should try to do the same.

“In an ideal world,” I began in most professorial tone, “I would help Zara change her mind about humans. I would also like to see the guardians making reparations to all the females. In my perfectly imperfect human world, I would make this right for everyone because I’m a naive optimist who refuses to accept my kind can’t evolve on their own.”

Orlin turned to the others with him. His eyes moved to each member of his guardian posse, but never lingered long. Every head nodded and eventually, he turned back to me. “We will collect the souls of the females and give them new human forms. It will take five of your human years before the work will be completed. We can put Zara in insolation until we finish.”

“Five years is a long time,” I said as I stepped closer and lowered my voice. “Ya changed Rasmus in a few months. Why is going to take five years for the female souls to get new forms?”

Orlin lifted an eyebrow at my question. “It is a very different process to create a human body from nothing. Rasmus was altered. His human form is basically the same one he’s always had.”

“Oh. I see,” I said. But I didn’t. Not really. What Orlin described sounded like something from a science fiction movie and I’d never been a fan of those.

I thought of The Dagda then—my suspiciously missing helper. He seemed to be avoiding the guardians. I wondered why, but knew The Dagda might never say, just as he conveniently forgot he couldn’t fight at my side.

“How long did it take ya to make The Dagda’s human body?”

“His body took five years to prepare. He requested it because he anticipated you would need his actual physical help with your training. I started making his form the day your father and mother agreed not to tell you the truth about the bond between Murieann, daughter of The Dagda, and Connlander of the Fir Bolg. Making it helped me to do something productive for Murieann’s family while I grieved her death.”

Maybe Orlin used his sad tone to gain my sympathy, but I still believed him. I think Orlin masterfully bent the truth when he felt the need. Today didn’t seem like one of those days to challenge him about it. He seemed truly surprised I still lived. But then so was I.

“Five years is a long time to be stuck in prison. I know that from experience.”

Orlin smirked at me. “I’m reading your mind.”

I realized I still wore Conn’s mantle. I let it go and the blood disappeared with it. “I don’t care. But I wish I could read yers. Are ya appalled or proud of me?”

“A bit of both. Do you really want to take this on?”

I chuckled as I shook my head. “Goddess no. Babysitting Zara is the last thing in the world I want to do, but I don’t think the demon wolves can change back without her. Conn said the magick holding their animal forms is tied to her.”

“Venusians were naturally possessive. It was one of their few failings. Connlander is probably right.”

“She’ll have to relearn the magick to fix them.”

Orlin nodded. “Yes. I can have books about it delivered when she’s ready for them. Guardians will monitor the situation closely.”

“Lying to Zara about the medicine is my one concern. How can I stop her from reading my mind?”

“The medicine won’t be necessary. We’ll make her forget her true self and dull her abilities.”

“Will she forget herself for a while or for forever?” I asked.

“Whatever amount of time best serves yer purposes,” Orlin said, patting me on my shoulder. “We’ll bring her back to you in a few human weeks.”

“I may have relocated by then. I’m buying a bigger house.”