Mirri whistled. "Even I know that letting outsiders use a sacred site like that is a rather big deal."
"It totally is," Ilianna breathed, then shook her head, her expression concerned. "And it makes me wonder just what the hell the Brindle has seen coming. Although maybe we’re better off not knowing."
I hadn’t actually thought about Kiandra’s sudden generosity, but now that Ilianna had mentioned it, it did seem strange. Trepidation stepped through me—and it spoke ill of what was to come.
I rubbed my arms and said, "Weapons for demons?"
"Oh. Yeah." She turned and walked back into the bedroom, reappearing a few moments later with her bag of tricks—one that I knew from long experience she never went anywhere without. "I don’t have a whole lot on hand. Demons aren’t something I generally have to worry about." She hesitated, frowning at Azriel. "Well, not until a certain sword-bearing reaper stepped into our lives."
"If I hadn’t stepped into your lives, at least one of you would now be dead," he said softly.
I shot him a glance. He returned my gaze evenly, giving little away as per usual. But I knew who he meant—Tao. I shivered and watched Ilianna rummage through her case.
"Ah, here we go," she said, pulling out several items, then rising. She handed me three small smoky amber vials and a rather nasty-looking sharpened stake.
"I doubt vampires are going to be a problem at a witch ritual site," I said, studying the stake dubiously. It actually felt good in my hand—well-balanced and not too heavy.
"Stakes are good for more than just vampires," Ilianna said sarcastically, "and you of all people should know that."
I gave her a look and she made an annoyed noise. "It’s white ash, which is not only a very strong wood, but also holds magical properties that make it dangerous to all creatures not of natural creation. And this one has been soaked in holy water, just to give it a little extra kick."
I frowned. "But vampires are of natural creation. Most of them were once human." Mainly because humans tended to hunger for eternal life, and vampirism offered that. Which didn’t mean there weren’t nonhumans who became vamps, just that there tended to be less of them.
"Were being the operative word. The process that makes them vampire is an unnatural creation. As are the creatures from hell—who may or may not have also once been human."
"What about Aedh and reapers? Is the wood dangerous to them?"
A grin teased her lips. "No creature, flesh or energy, would be too pleased about being staked. But I don’t know if it will affect them magically or not. I certainly didn’t read anything about it during my time at the Brindle."