Page 95 of Made

Killian couldn’t help laughing.

Keir punished him with a dirty look. “Got a better idea?”

Shaking his head, Killian said, “In for a penny, brother.”

“I’m taking that to mean we’re going in there.” To Exscruffenrox, Keir said, “The Unworthy Dead are afraid of you, right?”

“Yes,” they answered.

“Can you keep them away from us while we look for Kagan?”

“Is Kagan the third you seek?”

“Yes.”

“We will chase them away while you look for Kagan,” it said.

“Good. Then let’s go. I guess.”

When Keir stepped forward, Exscruffenrox jumped in front of him. “I’ll go first,” it said.

Keir stepped aside and gestured for their guide to proceed.

“Wait,” Killian said. “We might need some light.”

“Light,” Keir repeated. “A sound idea. What do you propose? Got a pocket torch?”

“Take the flames,” Exscruffenrox said.

Keir and Killian both stared at the creature. “You mean the torches?”

“Yes,” it said.

The lions had assumed the torches were permanently affixed, but what if…?

Keir reached up and pulled upward on the handle of one of the torches. It slid away easily. He stood looking at Exscruffenrox, torch in hand. “Did you not think to mention this when we were struggling to sever your chain?”

“You didn’t know?”

“No. We didn’t know.” Keir decided to shake it off. “Alright. Problem solved. That’s all that matters.”

Killian took his torch and said, “Ready. Steady. Go.”

Keir motioned for the monster to lead the way.

When Diarmuid realized he couldn’t be of much help in the effort to rescue Esme, he’d returned home to find home irrevocably changed in his brief absence. Change wasn’t a novel occurrence when living in a residence with a fae queen. Since Maeve was his mother and, since she was particularly given to fits of ‘redecorating’, he was used to it and not particularly bothered by it.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“The renovation?” Evie asked. “Changes had to be made to accommodate a baby dragonanda unicorn.” She waved her hand at Rhiannon’s menagerie. “In our bedroom.”

“Unicorn?” Diarmuid looked at the horse. He sputtered out a laugh before shaking his head. Thinking she was teasing, he decided to simply refuse to once again serve as the butt of one of her jokes. “No.”

“No, yourself.” She looked serious. “I’m perfectly serious. Esmerelda’s deceased mother made an appearance. A bright one. In spirit. She’s loaning this unicorn to act as Rhiannon’s guardian until our daughter is a teenager.” Diarmuid swiveled his head to take another look at the unicorn. “His name is Thorn.”

“Appropriate,” said Diarmuid dryly.

“That’s what I thought. People don’t usually put enough thought into names.”