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Leaving Rome and Mira in charge of Mr. Snyder and Lilas, I took the rest with me. I especially wanted Gina and Gigi along. If either of them found a way to ’port my girl outta there, I’d create an opportunity to do so even if it cost me my life.

Hank was a critical participant, too, because he could guarantee no deceptions or ambushes.

And I needed Jax along to keep me from killing anyone I shouldn’t.

The five of us met Mingo on neutral ground, which turned out to be a baseball diamond in the middle of a public park.

Hank shook Mingo’s hand, and they talked quietly as we stood around home plate. I rolled my shoulders and tried to calm down, but little fireflies of power escaped each time I breathed.

Not a good sign. Lock it down. Lock it down tight.

“Darius is here,” Mingo said.

We all watched as the dark-haired djinni stepped out of the dugout, and I didn’t waste any time getting in his face.

“You have something of mine. I want it back.”

“The Seal of Solomon.” Darius crossed his arms over his chest. “That is my price.”

“That’ll take too long to get.” I shook my head slowly. “I want Gemma, and I want her now .”

“Then we are at an impasse.” The djinni had the nerve to shrug his shoulders and look bored.

“I ain’t leaving here without her. Give her to me!”

Rusty orange power looped around me in thick coils, and I knew Jax thought I was about to go full tiger.

He’s not exactly wrong.

“You think I’m a fool?” Darius sneered. “She is not here . However, I give you my word that she is safe and unharmed. So she shall remain, at least until my master discovers I hold her. That’s the deadline to meet my demand.

If Hubler learns I have the miracle worker, he will command I deliver her to him, and I cannot deny him so long as he wears the ring. I suggest you hurry.”

“Listen, you son of a whore —”

“How do we know you even have her anymore?” Hank interrupted. “For all we know, you handed her over to your master seconds after you took her.”

“This is my proof.”

The djinni took a zipper bag out of his pocket and tossed it to Hank. I suddenly smelled Gemma and growled. As Hank opened the bag, the intensity of her fragrance nearly drove me to my knees.

“Don’t touch it,” I snarled at him. “Jax, let me go.”

He did, and I swiped the bag from Hank’s hands. Overwhelmed to have my angel’s scent so fresh and close, I couldn’t immediately understand what I was looking at. When I did, rage tightened every muscle in my body.

“You cut her hair?”

“She cut it of her own accord,” Darius protested. “I told her I needed proof that she was alive. She said this would work, and I trusted her.”

“You CUT her HAIR?! ”

“It’s only a little bit,” Jax said, looking over my shoulder. “He didn’t scalp her. Calm down.”

Clutching the tiny braid in one hand, I made a move toward the djinni, and Jax’s power clamped down on me tighter than ever before.

I tried to do the breathing routine, but calm wasn’t gonna happen any time soon. The best thing I could do was come to some kind of agreement with the djinni and get outta here before I wrecked everything and everyone around me.

“All right, Darius. Here are my terms.” I met his eyes. “You take me to Hubler. I take the ring. You give me Gemma. I destroy the ring. End of contract.”

“I can only get you so close to my master. He’s already given orders to cover that eventuality. Otherwise, my terms are similar to yours: I get you in his vicinity. You take the ring. You destroy the ring. I give you Gemma. End of contract.”

“Nuh-uh.” I shook my head. “I don’t trust you to give me Gemma after I destroy the ring.”

“If you are wise, you will not antagonize me,” Darius hissed. “My terms are fair and I will honor them. I do not trust you to destroy the ring if I give you Gemma first.”

The djinni suddenly grinned, and the bottom fell out of my stomach. He held all the aces, and he knew it.

“If it helps, your lady has a plan in case our negotiation fails. She won’t tell me what it is, but I have a feeling it isn’t exactly safe.”

If I thought I was furious before, it was nothing compared to what ran through my veins now. My next words were said through clenched teeth.

“I’m warning you now, djinni. You and your brothers will become my slaves if she comes to any harm while in your care. That includes you encouraging or allowing her to do something reckless or put herself in danger.”

“Do you even know your lady?” he sneered. “You think I can prevent her from doing something she’s set on?”

I let out a low rumble of power as we glared at each other.

“Let’s talk for a second, Kerry,” Jax said.

After I gave him a short nod, he dragged me over to the pitcher’s mound. I didn’t take my eyes off the djinni, though.

“Listen, don’t tell Gigi I’m suggesting this because she’d never let me hear the end of it. Just agree to his terms, bro. Once you have the ring, you put it on and order him to give Gemma to you. Simple.”

I took a minute to process his words.

“Oh. Yeah. Okay.”

“Be careful, though. Darius has been around long enough to suspect something like that. It helps that neither he nor his brothers can physically touch the ring, but I’m sure he’ll be watching you closely.”

“He’d be dumb not to,” I snorted.

“Do you know how to destroy this ring?”

“I have an idea, but I’m not sure what will happen if we can.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Might make a pretty big bang, might not. I don’t think anyone should be nearby when we try.”

“I’ll ask Travis to research it. You calm enough to go back?”

I took a deep sniff of the red hair in my fist. My heart rate and breathing settled down, and it took more control than I thought I had left to not roll my eyes in pure bliss.

I nodded at Jax, and we walked back to the others.

“I will agree to your terms with the following condition.” I looked Darius dead in the eyes. “You will not allow Gemma to put herself into any danger, no matter what she says or does to convince you.”

“There is only so much I can control if I’m not with her or my master’s commands otherwise bind me.

If you can accept that I have limits to make good on that caveat, I will agree so long as you vow to not summon or command me or my brothers from the time you take possession of the ring until it is destroyed. ”

“Kerry, no,” Jax hissed.

I ignored him.

He didn’t get it. Darius may have been a man of honor, but I wasn’t.

I’d make and break any vow to get Gemma back.

“Done.”

I shook Darius’ hand and, no, I didn’t break it like I wanted to. I hoped he ’preciated my forbearance. He wouldn’t experience it ever again.

“Now, how are you gonna get me to Hubler?” I asked him.

“An ally of mine can get you into my master’s lab. I cannot take you there myself as I was given an order concerning that a long time ago. My ally knows the place better than anyone other than the Alchemists themselves. He’ll get you to my master. After that, it’s up to you.”

“Who’s the ally?” I asked right as Jax barked, “When? How soon can this happen?”

“It will take some arranging,” Darius answered Jax first. “I will contact you when it’s time.”

“And who is your ally?” I repeated, narrowing my eyes as a bad feeling twisted my gut.

“Samuel Castle.”