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I couldn’t change Murray coming, nor stop him from bringing a stranger. Murray was some kind of secret fairy operative with the ability to do what other fairies were not. While I didn’t know exactly what he did, I knew everyone respected him.

And I still owed him for guarding Fiona when I fought the man-made guardians. If it hadn’t been for him, Jack and his monsters might have tried to give the guardian serum to her.

So no, I wouldn’t worry about why Murray came. I had a plan and would see it through. It was too late to worry how Ezra would react to the show I was going to give him.

Conn wouldn’t be here. He was still doing his emergency regeneration thing, but having him so close allowed me access to his mantle and my swords. I’d only lose that if Conn sank into deep unconsciousness.

All that remained then would be the magick of the stone in my chest. This couldn’t be put off. It needed to end. Relying on the stone alone was a risk I had to take.

They carried Ezra in and set his cage down in front of the one containing a covered statue.

“Does it remind ya of the time when Fiona’s angel turned ya into a statue just like that?”

“I don’t like the games ya’re playing, Aran.”

“And I don’t like the assassins ya keep sending after me. Neither do the Shadow Breakers. Today is either about clearing the air between us, or it will be our last fight to the death. It will be yer call, Ezra. I won’t be showing ya mercy again or letting anyone else do it.”

“Where’s yer demon sidekick?”

“He’s having a nap to recover, but he’s not far away. See?”

I wrapped myself in Conn’s mantle until it covered me in a radiant coat of golden energy.

“Can ya still call yer energy sword? Or did I drain ya too much?”

I called a green energy sword from nothing and swung it back and forth.

“Ya’re not scaring me, Aran. But I am curious about who else ya managed to cage.”

“As well ya should be,” I told him. “Because this yer fault as well.”

I reached through the bars and tugged the sheet off the statue.

Ezra stiffened, which told me he hadn’t known who this sibling was that had attempted to murder me and failed. Maybe all he was guilty of lately was wishing really hard.

“She is fairy royalty, witch. Ya wouldn’t dare harm my sister,” Ezra hissed between his perfect teeth.

“I was well within my rights to kill her. First, she stabbed me. Then, when she got a second chance, she stabbed Rasmus while she was trying to stab me again. I nearly took her head off with my sword after I chased her down. The Wu Shaman stopped her before I swung my blade. I was unlucky all around.”

Ezra grunted. “My parents will avenge us both. They will bring the wrath of all fairies down on your head.”

“On what grounds? It’s well documented that both of ya came after me. What is this really about Ezra?”

Mulan dragged herself through the front door, looking tired and sick. She carried her staff but didn’t look capable of fighting anyone.

“I am here. Once I release your fairy assassin, I will need to nap like Conn.”

“And ya’ll get one. I managed to find us a place to put the energy ya used, so it won’t get wasted.”

Mulan frowned and waved her staff at me, just as we planned. “Did it hurt to remove necklace from your chest? Do you have giant boob scar now? Does guardian boy-toy care you are deformed?”

“It certainly didn’t feel good to remove it,” I said, pulling Ben’s talisman out of my shirt.

Mulan touched it with reverence. “Let’s do this. I need more sleep.”

“Ya really do,” I said, running a hand over her hair.

Murray entered the foyer and came straight to me. “We talked about this, Aran. Ya have every right to kill them, but please don’t do it. I’m begging ya.”