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Arina didn’t laugh. “I don’t need snark either.”

“What you need is to save your children.”

“Yes.”

I rubbed my belly. “I get it. I need to save my child too. That’s why we’re taking the fight to the Guardians.”

“So you’ve figured out how to get into their Sanctuary?” Arina asked, surprised.

“Not entirely,” I admitted. “But I will. I always figure things out. I’m pretty damn stubborn, and I refuse to believe anything is impossible.”

Arina looked me over, slowly and carefully.

“You’re doing that magic thing of yours where you can see who someone truly is deep inside, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“And what do you see?” I asked her.

“That you’re pretty damn stubborn and refuse to believe anything is impossible.”

Glad we were in agreement.

“Does your magic always work?” I asked.

“I’d always thought so.” Arina watched her grandmother. “Until just now. She isn’t at all the person she seemed to be.”

“That has more to do with her magic than with yours. I bet she was hiding who she is inside, like she was hiding her true face. Inali’s magic helped her do that.”

Our conversation paused as we went up to the airship. Alec was waiting for me there.

“See?” I said to him as I stepped on board. “I’m back, safe and sound. Nothing to worry about.”

Alec snorted. “You’ve received a petition request from someone who wants an audience with you.”

“All the way out here?” I asked, perplexed. “Where is this petitioner?”

“It’s not a person,” he told me. “It’s a message.”

Curious, I asked to see the message.

“It isn’t that kind of message, Leda. There was this big ball of magic fire that suddenly burst into existence in front of me a few minutes ago. The voice delivered the message that someone would be coming to see you shortly, then the fireball disappeared.”

Weird. Really weird.

“Making friends?” Alec asked as Arabelle and Octavian brought the handcuffed Inali and Gertrude aboard. His mouth twitched when his eyes fell upon their bound wrists.

“Always,” I said. “Alec, I need you to show these prisoners to a cell.”

“You’re going to want us there for this,” Inali told me.

My eyes narrowed to slits. “You know what’s coming?”

Gertrude and Inali gave me matching smiles.

“Are we in danger?” I asked.

“Of course,” Gertrude said. “You’ll be in danger until the Guardians are dealt with, once and for all.”