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“And the rats? Has Nerissa figured out how they got so, well, big and monstrous?” I asked her.

“She thinks it was magic that mutated them, but it wasn’t anything in the tunnels that did that to them. She believes they were exposed to some kind of mutating magic off-site, then they were released into Purgatory’s tunnels.”

“So someone is now breeding monsters?” The bag of gummy bears slipped from my fingers, smacking against my desk. “On purpose?”

“It would appear so,” replied Lucy. “But we don’t know why.”

“Because otherwise life would be too easy.” I rubbed my head, then picked up the gummy bears bag again. “Ok, have Nerissa come up with some theories as to why these mysterious evil scientists released mutated rats into the Purgatory tunnels. All they did was knock out our water for a couple days, but maybe we actually got lucky that that’s all that happened. Who knows what catastrophe would have befallen this town if we hadn’t stopped them when we did…” I gripped the bag, trying to rip it open. “I bet whoever put that magic barrier around the control house also?—”

“Leda.”

I shrieked in shock at Faris’s sudden arrival in my office. Gummy bears exploded out of the bag, raining down all over us.

“Charming.” Faris gave the red gummy bear on his shoulder a cool look, then flicked it off.

“It’s Lord Faris,” Lucy squeaked, jumping to her feet.

Then she disappeared.

I glowered at Faris, demanding, “What did you do with my assistant?”

“I sent her to the canteen.”

“Why?”

“Because what we are about to discuss is not for her ears.” He waved his hand, and that’s when I noticed he wasn’t alone. Stash drew up to his side.

Gods had such a potent aura. When a god was in a room, it was hard to notice anyone else. That was surely by design.

“I was in the middle of a meeting. You can’t just make my assistant disappear,” I complained.

Note to self: Faris loved to make an entrance by teleporting in. Was that one of his special abilities? Or did he have a djinn in his so-called Orchestra?

“I can do whatever I please here, child.” Faris’s voice was as hard as stone—and as cold as ice. “This world belongs to the gods. As does everyone in it. Be happy that I sent your assistant to dinner rather than someplace far less pleasant.”

Yeah, I probably should be happy about that. Faris’s people skills left a lot to be desired.

“In any case, you should be more grateful. I saved you from this dull meeting.” His eyes locked on to the empty bag of pretzels, like he knew I’d been stress eating. “Your talents are wasted in these mundane matters. You are a hero and a champion, Leda. You are destined for great things. You are not the plunger they bring in to fix a clogged toilet.”

I flinched.

“Yes, I know, child.” He nodded. It was an arrogant nod. “I’m saying all the things you’ve been thinking yourself but were too afraid to say aloud.”

“I didn’t think?—”

“You did. And there’s no shame in it. You are simply better than other people. Don’t hide from the truth. Embrace it.”

I looked past him, at Stash, who was maintaining a very professional, very bland expression. But I knew my cousin had to be rolling his eyes on the inside.

I snapped my gaze back to Faris. “I’ve been trying to call you.”

“And I’ve been busy,” he replied, impatient.

“I have something important to tell you.”

“Oh?”

I told him all about Zarion and the immortal artifact that he was obviously going to use, breaking the truce between gods and demons.