but then it wasn’t like the demons were trying to fight. They seemed to be falling to the ground in utter exhaustion, so I turned and moved behind her. It looked like they had the ones out front taken care of, so I followed Erna. I had to ignore my instinct to pick up that book and run with it. “Wonder what?”
“If I’ve got a bunch of cons in my home,” Erna said. “It wouldn’t be the first time someone tried to take advantage of my charges. Oh, look. They’re all down. I told you they couldn’t get through my barriers.”
“Yes, the walls are solid. And we’re not cons. We’re exactly who we say we are.” At least we were now. The king and queen had been legit thieves in their day. It was weird to be the only one without a criminal past. Beyond going crazy from time to time and trying to gut people, I had a pretty boring background when it came to bad girlness. Most of the bad things I’d done had only hurt myself. “Dean checked us. That’s one of his skills, isn’t it?”
Erna stared out at the numerous demon bodies littering the grounds right outside the magical wall. “Yes. I suppose it is. What do you think your king will do with these creatures? Should I make more tea?”
“I don’t think they’ll be up to tea.” I watched as the last one on this side fell and the backyard went quiet. “Though I wouldn’t mind talking to a few of them. We need to figure out why they’re coming here. The one in the barn talked about pure Fae magic. I could see that when Summer was here, but what’s he talking about now?”
“Summer has no power. Summer couldn’t handle the power,” Erna said.
“Then why are they coming here?”
“I suspect they can sense my magic,” Erna explained. “There are several spells on this area, and I use magic every day. This plane is filled with Fae creatures and their magic. It permeates the very land. It’s precisely why no one has settled here for long periods of time. It can be a bit unnerving. Rather like that. I assume your Green Man is responsible.”
The trees all around the yard were bending and stretching their branches. They reached out like living things to lift the bodies up and into the trees. Erna was right. It was creepy. “Yes, I suspect that’s Dev.”
“Have you considered he’s the one causing the problems?”
“He’s not causing the convergences. He’s only been here for a day and a half. How long have the convergences been happening?”
“Longer,” she allowed. “Shouldn’t that thing be with her Green Man?”
It was that moment I realized Arwyna was still with me. I could get a glimpse of her wings out of the corner of my eye. She clung to my hair right above my right ear. “I’m surprised you’re so freaked out by her. I would think having stayed on a faery plane for this long, you would be used to the creatures.”
“We’re only on this plane because of the protection it provides. Believe me. I would like to be anywhere else, but this is where Summer needs to be for now.”
As long as I was here, I might as well try to figure out why she would shove a thrall stone in Dean. “I thought this was all about training Dean.”
“Yes, of course. But that is where Summer feels she needs to be. Training Dean for his great destiny.”
There was something about the way she said the words, a tone that was slightly demeaning. “You don’t believe in Dean’s destiny.” I looked to the book that was lying on the table. I’d noticed Erna hadn’t let the book out of her sight. “Is that why you sent Summer after the book? To prove Dean is wrong?”
“Well, I can’t do much with it now, can I? The foolish boy had to touch it and infect it with his masculine power.”
“Watch it, Erna. You’re sounding a little hateful there.” I touched the book.
“Hey,” Erna started as she began to cross the space between us.
I managed to open the book and felt an immediate warmth flood my system. The book liked me. The book knew me.
It was starting, and I would be the first brick on the path. No. Summer had been the first. Summer had another destiny, but she played a part the same way her mother had before her. Now it was my turn. The