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Grace planted her hands on her hips and shot back, “And I’ve told you that it’s hard to ignore your thoughts when you leave them all hanging out there like that.”

I liked this version of Grace. She was cool.

Sonja gave her little sister the evil eye, then she returned her attention to the two mystery women. “In any case, they are not Immortals. The Immortals were far more…” She puffed out her chest. “…commanding. And regal.”

“You didn’t know the Immortals, young one,” Crystal said gently. “There aren’t many gods or demons left who did. Your thirst for battle, your immortal war, has made sure of that.”

“But you did know the Immortals?” Ava asked them.

Crystal nodded. “We did. They were powerful and wise. Though their obsessive study of magic was eventually their undoing.”

“The Guardians,” Grace said, her voice hardly above a whisper.

Crystal nodded again.

“I am one of the eidolons,” Silver said.

“And I am of the spirits,” Crystal declared.

“Like demons and gods, eidolons and spirits are the Immortals’ creations,” Silver explained. “Eidolon magic is passive dark magic.”

“And spirit magic is passive light magic,” Crystal added.

“So you rule over all those with passive magic?” Sonja asked them.

“We do not rule over anyone,” Silver said serenely.

“We don’t even show ourselves to them,” said Crystal. “We merely exist. And watch.”

“Without interfering in others’ affairs,” Silver added harshly.

“So you don’t have worshippers?” Sonja frowned like she found the idea ridiculous.

“Certainly not,” Crystal replied. “Most passive magic users don’t even know that we exist—or that we protect their worlds.”

There was a hint of warning in her tone, as though to warn the demons not to get any ideas of conquering the worlds they protected.

“Most people still worship the Immortals, and we are content to let it remain so,” Silver said.

“Why?” Sonja’s nostrils flared. No, she definitely didn’t like the way the spirits and eidolons worked.

“Because we desire neither power nor glory,” Crystal said. “And we don’t need people to worship us in order to feel a sense of self-worth.”

“And you spirits and eidolons get along?” Sonja’s eyes narrowed. “You never fight?”

“Well, there are occasional differences of opinion, but those can be worked out through calm, rational, open discussion. There’s certainly no need for violence.” Silver’s eyes dipped to the dagger at Sonja belt.

“You are very strange,” Grace told them with wide eyes.

She didn’t mean it as an insult. She was simply perplexed by the beings before her, by notions she found as strange as their magic. And she’d expressed that with a childlike innocence that I hadn’t expected from her.

Crystal laughed. “Yes, I can see how you’d think so. We must seem very strange to three demon girls who have grown up believing in their own divinity and in their right to be worshipped.”

Crystal didn’t seem offended. She must have realized Grace wasn’t being critical; she was just perplexed.

“We can show you another way,” Silver offered. “Peace and harmony are possible. We too are of light and dark magic, but we have learned to coexist without conflict—by giving up vanity and the thirst for power. Demons and gods can learn to get along too.”

“Why would we ever want to get along with the gods? Their magic is vile,” Sonja said stiffly. “Why would I give up my divine right to rule just to make friends with them?”