me, hunched and frustrated. “Fine,” he said as he swooped up his hat and brushed cookie crumbs from it. “But this. . . . demon—and I use the term loosely—is a loathsome, betraying liar unable to best even the weakest elf. Which is why he slept his way through the revolution that gave us our freedom, playing sex games and eating fruit and meat while we starved and suffered from exposure. I will not let you ruin yourself by associating with this . . . milksop sexpot!”
Jenks made a snorting scoff from my shoulder, and the dust spilling down shifted to an amused gold.
“No need,” Hodin said, his expression twisted as if he were smelling something rank. “As long as the collective leaves me alone, I’ll take the baku for safekeeping and leave you to your pathetic cosmic powers. None of you suffered as I did under it. It’s mine.”
I pressed back into Trent, glad for his light hand at the small of my back. Jenks was a threatening hum on my shoulder, and Ivy had made her way back to us after having convinced Glenn to sit it out with Zack and his crew behind the counter.
“You are not touching that bottle,” Al threatened, and Hodin grew smug.
“It’s mine,” Hodin said lightly. “We have a deal. Don’t we, Rachel?”
Al’s expression faltered. “You didn’t,” he said, but I’d had enough, and pushing forward, I stood between them, pissed to the Turn and back. Bis was in my arms, and my heartache fed my anger. Boys. They were acting like spoiled boys.
“This is mine,” I said, holding the bottle in one hand, Bis in the other. “Mine! Neither of you is getting it until Bis’s soul is back in his body.”
“We had a deal,” Hodin said as he turned, his anger at Al shifting to me.
“Yep.” I cocked my hip, angry at both of them. “The deal was that you get the baku after you teach me to fly with Bis.” I hesitated, satisfied when Hodin’s gaze dropped to Bis and he lost his bluster. “Fix this,” I said, softer this time. “I can’t fly with him unless he has a soul.”
Hodin’s stance became unsure. “I don’t know. . . .”
Al laughed, the ugly sound making me shudder. “I don’t know,” he mocked. “Truer words have never been spoken. Very good, itchy witch,” he added, and I went cold at the hate in his eyes. “I’m proud of you. It’s hard to get the better of one of Odie’s deals. We will talk about this unfortunate problem of standing up for him before the collective, but you did reasonably well.” His lip curled as he looked at Hodin. “Hodin has more than the usual share of guile and trickery. Give me the baku. It goes in the vault.”
“It goes on my shelf,” I said, and Al’s hand dropped, his ugly smile faltering. “Until I fly with Bis,” I added. “And then it goes to Hodin.”
Hodin sniggered, standing more confidently.
“I forbid it.” Al looked Hodin up and down in disgust. “I’d rather give it to that troll under the bridge at Eden Park.”
“Hey!” I shouted as I glared at him, and Jenks laughed, choking it back when Al’s gloved hands fisted. “Don’t criticize me and what I had to do to save your ass. You were hiding in a hole.”
“Save my ass,” Al said, and I took a step closer, giving the bottle to Trent so I had a free hand to poke him in the chest.
“Save. Your. Ass,” I said as Trent pulled me back before I could actually do it. “If not for me, you’d still be there.”
Hodin chuckled, and I rounded on him.
“And you!” I said, face warm as his expression suddenly went empty. “You left me when things got sticky. You know what?” Pulse fast, I looked back at Al. “I want both of you out of my life. You both left when I needed you. The only person who stuck it out was Trent, so if I hear one more shitty comment about elves and their lack of trust, or worth, or the dangers of calling on the Goddess, I’m going to shoot you both to the moon!”
“The moon, Rache?” Jenks questioned, but I was mad.
“You will both get out of this store and my life!” I shouted, and Ivy winced. “You leave me the hell alone until you idiots make up, shake hands, and . . . make me a cake together!” I shouted, echoing what