Chapter Ten

TEN

May

"I 've never seen the Beyond like this," Mabel said, her expression one of stark disbelief as she followed Jim into the dusty garden. "It's like it's been blighted somehow."

"Blight is a very good word for this," Gabriel said as we examined the surroundings. "The Beyond is supposed to be a haven, a slightly altered version of the mortal world where immortal beings can reside in peace. This is no haven."

"It most certainly isn't," Mabel said, then tugged at a necklace of extremely fine silver. At the end was a small crescent-shaped medallion with a milky stone on one tip. Mabel lifted the moon and seemed to study it before looking up and to the right. "I believe the spirit you are seeking is this way."

We all followed her, the excitement of helping Jim meet his mother—even if it was for an ulterior motive—waning as we saw what havoc had been wreaked upon the shadow world. "It's almost as if it's dead," I whispered to Gabriel when I scrambled over a bit of fallen masonry. The buildings here—while representing similar ones in the real world—were in profound stages of decay, with some of them having tumbled down into dusty, empty streets. "It's so quiet, too."

"Please tell me this isn't normal, 'cause otherwise I don't want to go here when it's time for me to diminish," Jim said. Even it was unusually subdued, as if the place was depressing its spirits. It certainly did mine.

"Do demons normally diminish?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Naw, but I'm demon extra plus with whiter whites and brighter colors. Wow. This place really sucks. Is that imp dead?"

"Yup," Mabel said as she skirted a small gray blob. "OK, I think we're coming up on your mother's spirit. Let's see if she's in this building."

We had stopped in front of what reminded me of a Spanish colonial wharf, minus color, water, and any living beings. Mabel consulted her pendant again, then turned and walked to the small cottage half-hidden behind the wharf building. As we moved out from the cover of the building, I noticed a faintly rhythmic sound that I had assumed was the wind rattling a shutter or something of that ilk, but the sight that met us was just about the last thing I expected to see.

A woman stood in what was probably once a quite pretty garden, but instead of rounded bushes dotted with flowers and greenery, mounds of dusty gray powder hid everything but vague shapes. A stand made of wood and bales of hay stood nestled up against a side fence, with a vaguely human-shaped blob hanging from a crossbeam. It was obviously made of some sort of sacking and most likely filled with straw. But it was the woman who had us all stopping as if by agreement.

"Wow," Jim said, its eyes big. "Is that my mom? She's ... she's ..."

"Seriously badass," I said, watching as the woman danced around the sack figure, a massive, bright silver sword in both hands as she hacked at the target. She appeared to be taller than me, with a solid—but very graceful—figure. Her long black hair whipped around her as she swung the sword. Braids entwined with pale blue ribbons hung alongside her face, reminding me of depictions of war braids.

"She's got armor on," Jim said, its voice filled with wonder and some emotion I had a hard time identifying. Yearning, I thought, but I wasn't certain. "Full metal armor. Where's my phone? I gotta get some video of this to show Ash. She's going to crap over the fact that my mom is a warrior."

"Definitely a warrior," I agreed as the woman stopped fighting, wiping one hand across her forehead before noticing us outside her fence. I dropped my voice so just Gabriel could hear. "Do you think she's dangerous?"

"To us?" He was silent for a few seconds, watching as Parisi—as I assumed it was—strode toward us. A swath of blue was spread across her eyes. "I don't believe so. Is that woad?"

"That's just what I was wondering. ... Er ... hello!"

Gabriel and I moved forward when Parisi, speaking in a language I didn't recognize at all, marched up to the gate and waggled her sword at us.

"Parisi of Madurai?" Mabel held up her pendant. "I am Mabel, a reaper who has been tasked to locate you."

The woman slowly lowered her sword. "Yes, I am Parisi. A reaper? Why do you seek me out? I am already in the Beyond." Her voice held a soft Indian accent, but the tone was all business. Her gaze flickered through us. "And why have you brought a demon and two dragons with you?"

"That's a bit of a story, and since it's not mine to tell, I will yield the floor to Jim and May and Gabriel," Mabel answered, gesturing toward us. "However, I will remind everyone that I am on a very strict time limit, so any help toward wrapping things up would be much appreciated."

Gabriel sent her a little frown before bowing to Parisi. "I am Gabriel Tauhou, wyvern of the silver dragons, and this is my mate, May Northcott. The demon is a friend of ours. Its name is Jim."

"Hi," Jim said, its expression somewhat frozen. "Name's really Effrijim."

We all waited to see what Parisi would do with that bit of news, but she simply continued to look mildly annoyed. "I would say it's a pleasure to meet you all, but as you can see, I'm very busy training right now. Perhaps if you came back later, say a year or two, then we can have a chat. But right now, I must adhere to my training program, or all my progress will be lost."

"Oh, I hear you on that," Mabel said, grimacing as she wiggled her shoulders. "My body just doesn't feel right if I don't stick to my exercise program."

Parisi pointed the sword at Mabel. "You understand. Are you a defender, too?"

"Ballet dancer," she answered. "Who do you defend, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Those in need. I am a Defender of the Blood. It is my sworn duty to answer the call of those who need my aid. Now, I really must get back to working on my slashing. It's always a useful attack, and one underrated by those who believe stabbing is the way to go. Don Diego, for instance, is extremely wrong about his system of maiming and beheading."

"Who's Don Diego when he's at home?" Jim asked before I could offer the explanation we'd decided would be the easiest to describe the situation.

"My archnemesis!" Parisi said with an audible outraged snort, before spinning on her heel and striding through her garden to her target dummy. "And a damned fool idiot if he thinks I won't take him down if he tries touching my arse again."

I looked at Gabriel, worried.

He evidently felt the same.

"A defender is exactly the type of person we need. We would very much like to talk to you about a problem that we believe you can help with. Would you come with us so that we can have that discussion? I can assure you that Mabel will be happy to bring you back afterward, if that is what you desire," Gabriel said, his voice extremely smooth and persuasive.

"I couldn't leave the Beyond," Parisi insisted, evidently immune to Gabriel's charms, because she returned to hacking up the target dummy.

"Because of who you used to be?" I asked, wondering how we could persuade her if she didn't want to help us. I had assumed that once she saw Jim, she would be willing to do what was needed, but if she didn't accept him ...

"Who I used to be? I don't know who you think I am, but my life is simple: I am a warrior, first and foremost," she insisted, her breath coming short as she worked over the dummy. Bits of straw and shredded cloth drifted in a halo around her. "I protect those who need protecting, and give aid to the worthy."

We drew together and held a quiet conference.

"Why doesn't she know who she is?" I asked Mabel. "You'd think someone who is as powerful as the Sovereign would have her wits together."

"I don't think it's a matter of wits," Gabriel said slowly, watching Parisi with speculation rife in his beautiful eyes.

"It's not. At least, I don't think it is, not being personally acquainted with her. The thing about the Beyond is that the longer you reside here, the more your ties to the mortal realm are severed," Mabel said, nodding toward Parisi. "I think of it as a bunch of tiny threads that start in the mortal realm. The longer someone remains outside that world, the weaker the ties, until they crumble away to nothing. In short, the previous life outside the Beyond ceases to have meaning."

"So she's not going to know who I am if I tell her?" Jim asked. There was pain in its voice, enough that I felt compelled to give it a reassuring pet on the head. Aisling had asked me to take care of Jim, since we were both worried about its reactions to meeting its parents.

Mabel gave a half-hearted shrug. "I'm afraid it's likely she won't, but I could be wrong."

"What happens if she returns to the mortal world?" Gabriel asked. "Would those ties that were severed re-form? Or are her memories of the past gone?"

"That I can't tell you," Mabel answered, sliding a glance at her phone. "Also, my time for this job is almost over. Is there something else I can do for you?"

"I'm not going to just go away without seeing if she remembers me," Jim said, and without another word hustled over to where Parisi was swearing under her breath at the target dummy.

"Heya. So, it turns out that you're my mom, but you probably don't remember me, because for one, you basically died when I was born, and for another, the ballerina says you don't."

Parisi stopped and narrowed her eyes on it. "Do I look like the sort of person who has demonic dog children?"

"Jim wasn't always a demon," I said quickly, feeling bad for it. "In fact, it used to be a sprite at the Court of Divine Blood. I don't suppose you remember that?"

"Of course I remember the Court. It's where many of the fellow Defenders of the Blood reside." She set her sword aside and picked up a massive two-handed battle-ax.

"Do you remember being Sovereign there?" Gabriel asked.

"Sovereign? I'm not the Sovereign; I'm a warrior." She paused, then added, "Although come to think of it, I believe someone mentioned there was a shake-up in the Court, and a new Sovereign took over."

"You were the Sovereign approximately sixteen hundred years ago," Gabriel told her.

She shook her head. "You've got me confused with someone else. I'm just a simple defender, nothing more."

A thought occurred to me at that moment. "That's exactly what we need, though. There's a very bad thane that was recently released from his prison in the Seventh Hour, and the only way we can save all the innocent mortals and immortals is to have him put back into the Hour. To do so, we need to help liberate a man named Desislav from the Akasha."

"Desislav?" She frowned, shaking her head again. "I thought ... but no. I am no Guardian. If you need someone brought from the Akasha, that's what you need."

"My demon lord is a Guardian," Jim told her.

She studied him again, then, to my happiness, knelt down and took its head in both her hands to examine its face. "I don't have a son. I would know if I did."

"You didn't get to see me much, according to Hildegarde. They took you away because they couldn't stop you from bleeding out," Jim said.

"None of this is familiar to me," she said, and stood up, apparently done with the subject.

"Jim, perhaps you would shift to human form so that your mother can see if something about you refreshes her memory," Gabriel suggested.

My eyes opened wide at his words, and while Jim answered, "OK, but I'm not going to stay like that. Dog form is just so much cooler," I whipped off my shirt, thankful I had a camisole on under it.

"Mate?" Gabriel asked as I jumped forward when Jim's form shimmered and elongated into that of an approximately six-foot-tall, stockily built, dark-haired man.

A completely naked man.

I had my shirt whipped around Jim's waist before Parisi could do more than blink, and although the shirt left its butt exposed, I tied the sleeves together behind to keep everyone from getting an eyeful.

Parisi took an involuntary step backward at the sight of Jim. She lifted a hand as if to caress its face, blinked twice, then dropped her hand.

"I'm sorry. You seem like a nice demon, but I don't know you," she told it in a softer voice than she'd used before.

"Will you help us?" Gabriel asked, and I knew he figured if we could get her out of the memory-stripping Beyond, we had a chance of restoring her past. "Saving the mortal and immortal worlds would be a fitting project for a defender of your status."

She looked dubious for a few seconds; then her brow cleared as she reached into a cloth bag sitting on a bale of hay and extracted a cell phone. "It would appear that I am free at the moment."

"Dude," Jim said to me in a whisper. "My mom has a cell phone."

"Kind of boggles the mind, huh?" I answered.

"Are you certain I can be of help?" Parisi asked. "There are so many worthy individuals who could use a defender. ..."

"Absolutely," I said at the same time that Gabriel said, "We couldn't do it without you."

She thought for a moment.

"Please," Jim said, and with the emotion it bound to that one word, tears pricked behind my eyes. I gave it another quick pat to let it know Gabriel and I were there for it.

Evidently Parisi wasn't immune to the pleading in its voice, because after another few seconds' hesitation, she relented. "Very well. I can give you three days. Then I really must return, because Don Diego will take advantage of my absence to take charge of the Defenders Pilates Class should he find out I left."

"We will naturally return you to the Beyond at any time," Gabriel told her.

"Stay here," Parisi said, then disappeared into the house.

I caught Mabel eyeing Jim.

"Er ..." She gave an embarrassed cough. "Would you mind me asking you why, when you are a nice-looking man—handsome, even—you take the form of a shaggy black dog?"

"I'm a Newfoundland, not a shaggy black dog," Jim said in haughty tones as it shifted back to being a shaggy black dog. "The best of all dogs, and the best being in the world. Just look at this magnificent coat. And my white chest spot. It's almost shaped like a star, which I think is telling. And I have three white toes. Got 'em the last time my form was destroyed, and I had to take a new one. I think they're kind of dashing. Here's your shirt, May."

"You keep it," I told it. The last thing I wanted was a shirt that had become intimately acquainted with Jim's junk. "I'll text Aisling and let her know what's going on."

"My apologies," Mabel told Jim, and gave it a quick pat. "You are indeed a good-looking Newfoundland. I just also think you're handsome in human form."

"Dude," Jim said with a little wiggle of its ears. "I like you and all, but I have a girlfriend. She's a Welsh corgi, and she's old and cranky and has the most adorable ears. Aisling and Amelie, Cecile's mom, are working on the magisters' union to get someone to make her immortal, because I can't even with the thought of not having my sweet little fuzzy butt with me forever. So, thanks, but I'm taken."

"Oh goddess, I wasn't ... I'm not ... I don't date demons ... argh!" Mabel was evidently one of those people who blush easily, because she turned bright red as she stammered out an explanation. "I'm not looking for a man—or dog—so it's not a problem."

"I've always had a way with the ladies," Jim informed me in a confidential tone.

"Really?" I asked, then, thinking about its human form, had to concede. "I can see that. Mabel's right in that you are nice-looking when you're human."

"Yeah, but it's all so much trouble," it answered, then turned when Parisi emerged from the cottage. She'd changed into what I thought of as Lord of the Rings–wear with leggings, boots, a leather doublet, and a knee-length cloak. Across her back was slung a burlap knapsack to which two swords had been strapped. She also had a bow, a couple of hunting knives tucked into her boots, a small axe attached to one hip, and, on the other, something that looked very much like a Taser.

"Is that ..." I exchanged glances with Gabriel. "Is that what I think it is?"

"What is what?" Parisi looked down at herself before unclipping the Taser. "My Zapper3000? It's the very latest model. A salesman brought some to demonstrate for all the denizens of the Beyond, and I felt I needed one. I haven't had a chance to use it yet, since Don Diego was too cowardly to let me demonstrate its functions on him, but I look forward to having the opportunity to use it. Perhaps in the Akasha someone will cause us grief and I'll see if it was worth the money or not."

"They have money in the Beyond," I murmured to Gabriel.

"They have Tasers in the Beyond. I find that much more worrying," he answered at the same volume.

"Right. We need to get moving. Parisi, if you would please make the formal request for me to guide you to your next destination, we can get moving, and I can get back to my company before they fire me." Mabel held the pendant out toward Parisi. "If you would just place your hand on the moonstone while you make your request, that operates as a contract between us."

Parisi put her hand over the pendant without hesitation. "I, Parisi of Madurai, Defender of the Blood, and champion of the unheard, do hereby request that you take me to the place where I am needed."

Mabel smiled, and after she sketched a couple of symbols in the air, the pair of them lit up like several spotlights shone on them; then the light seemed to consume them before dissolving into nothing.

"That is our cue to get home," Gabriel told me, giving me a look that warned he considered our corporeal separation as ample cause for him to pleasure me to the tips of my toes once we were reunited physically. "Do you need anything?"

"Jim?" I asked, giving it the chance to speak privately.

"I mean, I'd like it if my mom remembered me, but at least I know it's this place and not me, personally," it answered. "Assuming she gets her memory back, I'm good."

"We'll head back to the portal shop," I told Gabriel, giving Jim another quick pat on the head.

"I'll meet you in London," he said before sending me another simmering look as he, too, faded to nothing.

An hour and a half later, Aisling entered her sitting room, where Gabriel and I had been indulging in some pretty steamy smooching.

"Well, we got her set—oh, lord! Sorry! I didn't know you guys were going at it," Aisling said, spinning around as she entered the room. Jim, who was behind her, snickered and pushed past her into the room.

"Wow, don't think I've ever seen Gabriel with his hand down May's shirt. Nice bra, by the way."

I tucked my breasts back into my shirt at the same time Gabriel, with a brief grimace, crossed his legs. We both glared at the demon. "We were separated," I told it. "You've lived with Aisling and Drake long enough to understand how dragons get when they're separated."

"Yeah, but you were away for just a couple of hours," Jim answered, and plopped down next to Aisling when she decided we'd had enough chance to make ourselves decent, and took a seat on an adjacent sofa. "Like, even Ash and Drake can keep their hands off each other when Drake comes back from one of his business trips."

"That's only because we have children, and Drake is convinced that every time we are parted, the children will forget him. So when he returns, he immediately sees them to reassure himself before he tackles our time apart," Aisling said with heightened color. "What I was saying is that Parisi is established in our best spare room. I feel a little overwhelmed with the idea of having a former Sovereign as a guest, but she seems genuinely interested in helping."

"She doesn't know me, though," Jim said, and flopped onto the ground. "My own mom doesn't even remember she had me."

Aisling gave Jim a hug. "I know it hurts, but from what you guys were saying, there's a good chance that she'll get her memory back the longer we can keep her out of the Beyond. So I guess we're good to go with the next step."

"Which is what?" I asked, digging a pen out of my pocket with which to make notes. "I don't think we've really addressed getting everyone into the Thirteenth Hour. Can one visit it? Or is it truly like a prison?"

"Sorry we're late. The traffic at this time of day is insane!" Allie and Christian appeared at the door. "I don't know why I expected there to be no traffic jams in London, but it seems like that's all we encountered."

"And yet, you wish to stay here for four months," Christian told her. "Now you see why I say it is better to remain at home, where we can travel without putting up with such strife."

"I love London," Aisling and I both said at the same time.

"So do I, and next time, we'll take the tube," Allie told us as Christian and she settled onto the love seat opposite Aisling's. "What have we missed? Is Parisi here safe and sound? Did she have any helpful information? Does she think Jim's father can tackle the thane?"

"Not a lot, yes, not really, and she doesn't really seem to have an opinion on it," Aisling answered, fussing with a laptop that she placed on a sleek ebony stand against the wall, spinning it around so that it faced us all. "Right, this should be set to auto-accept people as they sign in for our meeting. We can chat until everyone is present."

"Has there been any news on the thane?" Gabriel asked Christian.

"Very little," Christian answered, his brows pulling together in a straight slash. "We have several Dark Ones hunting for him, but since we don't know what part of the world he emerged into, it's been difficult finding news of him. Our Horsemen have split up to lead teams of searchers throughout the continents."

"Horsemen?" Aisling asked.

"They are kind of an elite police force for the vampires," Allie answered. "They were originally four—and yes, they named themselves after the fabled horsemen of the apocalypse—but now there are five of them."

"Finch has been handling research from his end, and I'm sure will update us with any news he—ah. There he is."

"We are here, indeed," Finch's face popped into view on the screen, accompanied by his wife, Tatiana. "And I'm afraid if you are counting on us for information, we are sadly lacking in anything but the barest of scraps."

"Finch tried to get any details he could from the other three thanes, not that Deacon—or rather, Cadell—is being cooperative, but the other two simply refuse to talk to him."

"They claim I am one of the reasons they tried to destroy Abaddon, which is simply nonsensical, since it was their actions that resulted in them being cursed into the first Dark Ones, but they refuse to admit that," Finch said with a thinning of his lips.

"They are generally being asshats," Tatiana said with a decidedly glum air. "I think they're being stubborn on purpose. I know Deacon is. But how we are supposed to get any information from them is beyond us. You can't torture someone who's already dead."

Finch shot her a look.

"Not that we'd torture anyone," Tatiana added with a wide smile. "We're so totally not that sort of a lord and lady of the Hour. Although I wouldn't mind getting Deacon alone in a room with a couple of Tasers and a nice solid length of a rubber hose."

Silence fell at that pronouncement, a silence that was almost pregnant in unspoken thoughts.

"Yes, well, that goes without saying," Finch said smoothly. "What news do you have of the demon dog's mother?"

"She's upstairs enjoying unthrottled Internet access," Aisling answered. "Evidently it's a bit spotty in the Beyond, so she has a hard time streaming. I believe she said she was going to binge all seasons of Lucifer until she was needed."

"I'm not sure how I feel about my mom having the hots for a demon lord—wait ..." Jim's face scrunched up. "Never mind."

"I know exactly how I feel about her wanting to binge Tom Ellis," Aisling said. "Mmrowr."

"I second that mmrowr," Allie said, then giggled when Christian shot her an outraged look.

"Thirded," I said, leaning into Gabriel, my fingers drawing a ward on his leg. "Not that I need eye candy when Gabriel is around, but it was a good show."

"Fourthed, not that it's needed, and stop it, Finch. You just got done telling me how much you admired Mary Berry's ability with pastry, so you can't yell in my head about me liking Tom Ellis's acting."

Tatiana's lips twitched a few times as Finch protested, "I did not yell in your head. I simply pointed out that Beloveds are supposed to put their Dark One first and foremost in their thoughts."

"Which I have done, currently do, and will continue to do," she answered, pressing a kiss into his cheek. "You know full well I'm insanely in love with you."

He looked mollified, and evidently was also doing the mind-talking thing, because she stifled a couple of laughs.

"—really going to have to control it, because if I have to explain to the man at the hardware store why we need four more fire extinguishers, I will go stark, staring mad. Brom! I'm not done speaking with—by the rood, that boy is going to be the death of me. Oh, hello, everyone. Baltic! The video call has started. Would you mind putting out the chair in the corner? Brom got too close to it when he was having his hissy fit." Ysolde, who had been looking to the side, ignored a small child as he raced around the couch upon which she was seated. "Sorry for the chaos, everyone. Brom is evidently upset by something to do with you-know-who and is especially fiery of late. Also, Pavel and Holland and their baby have gone away for a long weekend break, since things have been dramatic here at Dragonwood, so Anduin is running amok. Here, lovey ... you can play dragons and knights, and gut the evil Saint George. Oh! We have news! Baltic found his missing older brother."

"That is good news," Aisling said. "Was he lost, or just on his own doing Firstborn things?"

"Sounds like a bit of both," Ysolde said, glancing at Baltic as he took a seat next to her. He nodded at the men present. They all responded in kind. "I gather he was a bit overwhelmed at being out of whatever purgatory he'd placed himself. He's in the southwest US right now."

"Er ..." I slid a glance toward Gabriel, but he looked as confused as I felt. "Is he doing something to find Xavier and Deus?"

"I have no idea," Ysolde said brightly. "I assume Baltic knows, because he usually knows things like that, but since he's not being at all forthcoming to the woman who he claims is the air in his lungs and blood in his veins, I couldn't say for certain."

Baltic looked like he wanted to sigh, but managed to keep hold of the urge. "I told you that I did not yet know what he intended to do, but that I was willing to discuss the situation with him when he was ready. He has not contacted me since; thus, I do not know."

The strident noise of a smoke detector started up behind them.

"You say that, but then you leave out big wads of information like what sort of person he is, and why the First Dragon went and routed him out of his purgatory, and just what he is supposed to do to help us, other than the fact that two Firstborn have to be better than one Firstborn, but I suppose that's a matter to be left until we're happy with the thane situation." While she spoke, she had been typing on her phone, no doubt to text Brom, because after almost a minute of the siren, it suddenly quieted.

"Um ..." Allie held up her hand. "I hate to sound ignorant, but I thought dragons were masters of fire. You need fire extinguishers?"

"Need? No," Baltic answered, leaning back and pulling Ysolde tighter against him. "We can control our fire as well as mundane fire, but Brom is still learning control, and forgets that dragon fire left to burn on flammable material will ultimately destroy it."

Ysolde snuggled into Baltic. "With Brom, it's all emotion-based, which is yet another thing I'd like to point out to the First Dragon. He couldn't have waited until Brom was past this stage and a bit more emotionally mature, oh no. He just had to make him a dragon when he was at his most volatile."

Baltic looked thoughtful for a moment. "Recall the years when Brom was between thirteen and fifteen, Mate."

Ysolde shuddered. "I retract my statement. Those were definitely worse years, emotionally speaking. Well, enough about us here at Dragonwood, and the ever-engaging drama of Brom and Pixie. I take it you found Jim's mother?"

A few minutes were spent catching everyone up to speed; then we settled down to make plans.

"So, I have done my homework," Aisling said when I'd finished reading out the notes. "I talked with both the head of the Guardians' Guild and my mentor, Nora, who has made a study of the history of Abaddon. Evidently, even though the Thirteenth Hour is located in the Akasha, mere Guardians can't send anyone to it. That requires what Nora described as an almost impossible level of power and coordination to achieve."

"That's what Baltic said, although he wasn't absolutely sure that someone of your abilities might not be able to do it," Ysolde said with a cocked eyebrow.

"I mentioned that to Caribbean Battiste, the head of our order, and he said that although he thought that a savant like me might actually be able to pull it off, it would come at a seriously high cost. Think proscription level of cost." Aisling made a face. "Been there, done that, don't want to have to go through it again. Not to mention the fact that Drake would never allow me to do anything so risky. So, we're going to have to rely on Mabel to transport Team Parisi into the place, since reapers can access any underworld, and the Thirteenth Hour is definitely one."

"Which means getting out is going to be even harder," I said thoughtfully before turning to Gabriel. "Would we be able to help?"

He thought about it for half a minute before shaking his head in obvious reluctance. "I wish I could say that the dragonkin were a match for whatever security measures are in place in that Hour, but would be foolish to doom us."

"This is not a dragon fight—" Christian started to say.

"But Rowan and Sophea fought all those challenges in the Egyptian underworld—my apologies, Christian." Aisling made an apologetic gesture. "I didn't mean to run over your objection, but I wanted to point out that at least in the Duat, dragons reign supreme."

"The Thirteenth Hour is not the Duat," Baltic said in his usual cryptic manner. "But that is not the biggest issue with this plan."

Christian gave him a quick nod of approval. "The dragon speaks correctly. Getting into the Hour is not the problem."

"You mean that getting out is the problem. We'll have Parisi and Desi to get them and Jim and whoever else helps out of the Akasha," Aisling pointed out. "In other words, very respectable powerhouses. I think the two of them joined together should be able to do the job."

"Whereas I feel the real difficulty lies in the fact that you are not certain they will work together," Christian argued. "And if they do not, then whoever you send with the demon's mother may well be trapped there."

Silence, thick and uncomfortable, fell over the room.

"Well, hell," Aisling said.

"Abaddon," murmured Jim, now leaning into my leg, moaning softly as I scratched under its collar.

"I hadn't thought of that, but you are absolutely correct," Gabriel said, his brow furrowed. "And no, May, you will not be part of any group that attempts to rescue Jim's father."

I pinched his thigh. "You know better than to tell me what I can and can't do."

He cocked an eyebrow at me, and allowed one of his dimples to deepen.

"Dammit, you also know I'm helpless against your dimples," I told him, and gave him as chaste a kiss as I could manage in front of the others. "I admit I wasn't looking forward to going to any part of the Akasha, but I am happy to help in any way I can."

"What about Hunter?" Ysolde asked, having been momentarily called upon to admire her son's toy horse. "He said he'd help."

"He is needed," Baltic said, and, when we all looked at him, donned his inscrutable expression.

"Needed—oh, Xavier. I can't believe I forgot about him for a moment." Aisling rubbed her forehead.

"What we need is yet another demigod," Ysolde said, oof ing a little when Anduin clambered across her to Baltic, where he galloped his horse up and down Baltic's leg. "One who can make sure that everyone who goes in comes out ... with Desislav the Destroyer."

"There are no more demigods," Allie said, then gave a little head tip. "That is to say, I'm sure there are oodles more of them, but none that we know. Although ..." She stopped and glanced at Christian. "What about that woman who helped Alec and Cora? She was pretty powerful, Alec said. I mean, she and Cora banished Bael to the Akasha. That takes pretty big chops to do that."

Christian's expression shifted into one almost identical to Baltic's. "Sally was the Sovereign. That is why she was able, with the help of the Tools of Bael, to banish him."

"Sally," Gabriel said with a lot of speculation, his gaze resting on me. "She certainly once had the power to do what we'd need, but does she still?"

"On it!" Aisling said, picking up her phone, then hesitated. "Does anyone have her number?"

"I did, but the last time we called her—when we were all looking for Asmodeus's ring—it apparently was mysteriously disconnected."

Jim got up and, without a word, walked over to where it had a plush dog bed, alongside a low table containing some of its magazines, a tablet, and console game controllers, and returned with a phone. "I got it. Here."

Aisling stared at her demon. "How on earth do you have Sally's phone number?"

It cocked a furry eyebrow at her. "How do you think I have it? She gave it to me."

"Why?" I couldn't help but ask, aware that, despite my better intentions, I was mildly annoyed that Sally would rather let Jim have her number than us.

"We go way back, Sally and me," was all it said before making faces at Aisling's laptop, which in turn made Anduin (now back on Ysolde's lap) laugh hysterically. "She helped me with a problem a while back and got the job done so well that we still laugh about it today."

"What problem did you have?" Aisling asked, clearly concerned. "Was it after I summoned you?"

"Naw, this was before we met." It gave her a long, considering look. "But Sally did good. She could totes handle stuffing us into the Hour."

"We will circle back to your problems that only Sally can solve when we're alone. Right, I'm sending her a text asking her to talk to us. ... What's the link ... ? Got it. OK, fingers crossed she gets this and can chat or, worst-case scenario, will talk to us later. What's next on our Catch the Thane Increasingly Complex Plan?" Aisling asked, looking at me.

"I got nothing," I said, holding up my notebook to show her a blank page. "Although I do have to say that I have some issues with us asking Sally to help. For one, she isn't at all straightforward. She's as twisty as they come. And for another—"

"She'll want to touch Gabriel, yes, we know," Ysolde said. "But you won't let that happen, so it's a moot point. Are there any other objections to asking Sally for help? Baltic?"

"What?" he asked, once again in possession of their son, along with a massive picture book.

"Do you think Sally has the ability to help us?" she asked.

Baltic lifted one shoulder a fraction of an inch. "As a Sovereign? Yes. That doesn't mean she will, however."

"Handsome as the day is long, and so smart." A light, annoyingly chirpy, and extremely Southern gracious-lady voice filled the room at the same time a new square popped up on the call screen. "I tell you, if I wasn't romantically entangled with a deliciously wicked unicorn, I'd search through the dragonkin for one of you sexy dragons. May, darlin'! And you have the delectable Gabriel sitting right there where anyone can ogle his manly thighs. What a charming meeting. Please do invite me to more."

"Hello, Sally," I said, trying to keep my voice even and not in any way reflecting the irritation that seemed to dog her appearance in my life.

"Welcome," Ysolde said, momentarily distracted when Baltic took a couple of obvious sniffs as their son wrestled with the book, then turned to her. "Nope. I'm busy with the meeting. You can help him use the potty."

"You asked me to be here, as well," Baltic pointed out, grimacing when Anduin climbed over him, evidently hitting tender parts in the process. "You said my insight was invaluable."

"So is potty training. We're at the cusp. He's almost there. He just needs a little more attention, and then it'll click," she answered.

With only the barest hint of an eye roll, Baltic snagged his son and, tucking him under one arm, marched off-screen with him.

"I have to say, having seen firsthand just how ... intense ... Baltic was before he found you, the sight of him doing diaper duty is ... well, it's kind of weird," I admitted. "I mean, he was the dread wyvern. Now he's a dad."

"Eh," Ysolde said, waving it away. "He's still the baddest of all the dragon badasses. He simply values family over everything else. But we got off the point. Sally, it's always nice to see you, but this time, we have a very particular situation, and we think you could be of vital assistance."

"Really?" She tipped her head to the side, her eyes bright with speculation. "Does it have something to do with the silent vampires and their Beloveds?"

"If we're silent, it's only because we're awaiting orders," Finch answered.

"Sorry," Allie said, returning from the hall where she and Christian had slipped out to take a call. "The girls insisted on singing Christian the latest song they wrote, and you truly don't want to hear that. For that matter, I don't want you to hear it lest you ban me from the mates, etc. group."

"Allegra," Christian protested. "They wrote a song for me. What other children of that age can do such a thing?"

"It's not their composition I object to. It's the fact that they inherited my tin ear and even tinnier vocal cords, and yet insist on singing at the top of their voices." Allie paused for a second before retaking her seat. "I apologize again. You didn't need to hear any of this argument."

"I find it fascinating," Aisling said, tucking her legs under her. "It's so nice to see how other beings raise their kids. I'm delighted to know that you go through the same crap we do."

"Literally, in Baltic's case," Ysolde said with a blithe unconcern that always made me want to laugh. "Perhaps May could recap quickly for Sally?"

I could, and did, and three and a half minutes later, I finished somewhat exhausted.

"Much though I appreciate you thinkin' of me for this caper, I feel obligated to tell you that I couldn't possibly break into the Thirteenth Hour. It's run by the Court, you know," Sally said, giving a little shake of her head.

"We know, but we hoped that since you're no longer Sovereign, you could see your way clear to helping get our party to Jim's father," Gabriel said.

"I couldn't. I really couldn't," she said, giving another headshake. "The amount of trouble I'd get into if I tried—it fair boggles the brainmeats."

"But—" Aisling started to say.

"Sugar, May will tell you that I am nothing if not devoted to you-all, but just because I was once one-half of the Sovereign doesn't mean I can tamper with the Akasha. I do still have to uphold Court policy." Sally stretched and did a few head bobs to the side. "Now, if that's all you wanted, I have a goat yoga class, and today is my turn with the goat with horns, so I can't be late."

"You have always rejoiced in being obstreperous," I couldn't help but say, annoyed that she wouldn't even hear us out before rejecting our request.

"Mayling," Gabriel said in a tone meant to remind me that although Sally might no longer be Sovereign, she did still command respect.

"Well, I'm sorry, but she is," I said, wanting to say a lot more, but managed to keep it behind my teeth.

"It's not obstreperousness, darlin' May—it's just me being a little naughty," Sally said, her smile filled with more teeth than looked normal. "I have always enjoyed being naughty. It's satisfying on so many levels."

"There's nothing more naughty than going against millennia of old doctrine," Jim said from where it was lying on the floor.

"Effrijim!" Sally said, blowing it a kiss and giving it another of her impossible smiles. "I didn't see you there. As for the doctrine of the Court ... it's beyond me to change it."

"If I were in your shoes," Jim said, idly scratching an ear, "and I wanted to indulge in my wild side, then I'd be the first in line to help break Desi out. I mean, something like that is going to make you famous throughout the Otherworld."

Sally froze for a fraction of a second. It went so fast that I almost didn't catch it. "Desi?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she leaned forward. "As in Desislav the Destroyer?"

"Yes, that's who we need your help to release," Aisling said.

"We're hoping that he'll help us with our thane issue," Allie added. "He's really pivotal to our plan, so we kind of need him."

A male voice rumbled in Ysolde's square. She turned to the side, obviously listening to Baltic before she faced us again, and asked, "Baltic would like to know if you are acquainted with Desislav, Sally? Personally, that is?"

"Yes," she said slowly. I had the feeling she was sorting through memories to find what she wanted. "I knew him back before he even thought of the idea of Abaddon. He was so handsome, and had an intriguing darkness within him that was almost impossible to resist. All us cherubim had crushes on him, so that whenever we crossed paths, he'd have a gaggle of us following him around like cats chasing a milkmaid."

"Great," Jim said, its head now on the floor. "Sally has the hots for my dad. Like this couldn't get any more implausible?"

"Plausibility is overrated," Ysolde said dismissively. "Does this mean you'll help us, Sally?"

To my surprise, Sally didn't hesitate. "Yes, I believe that now you've made the situation clear, I will be able to take you to the Hour. But it will cost you."

"We will pay whatever sum you request," Christian said in his plummy accent.

"So handsome. Really, I must look outside the Court for dating material," Sally murmured to herself before saying, "The cost is not one that can be fulfilled by money. Instead, I would ask for a boon as compensation for taking you to the Thirteenth Hour."

"What sort of boon?" I asked suspiciously, narrowing my eyes at her. She returned the gesture.

"I don't know yet, but when I do, you'll be the very first one to hear," she said with what I thought of as her smug-ass tone.

"That is not acceptable," Christian said, bending upon her a stern look that I wouldn't want to have directed at me. "We will not agree to such a vague definition."

"Take it or leave it," she answered in the same annoying tone. I fought to keep from grinding my teeth at her. "I will help you for an as-yet-unnamed boon."

"Done," Ysolde said quickly. "We agree to your terms."

"No, we don't. Rather, the Moravian Council does not agree to such nebulous terms." Christian was clearly fired up now, his eyes almost glowing with ire.

"His eyes are almost as bright as yours," I whispered to Gabriel. "But yours are much, much warmer."

"That's because I have a mate who keeps my fire burning hot," he answered, sliding one hand down my back until it curled under my left butt cheek.

"I believe that since this is a joint project between the dragons and Dark Ones, it would be fair to divide the responsibility for fulfilling the terms of the boon between us." Aisling nodded toward the screen. "Since Drake isn't here to speak for the green dragons, I'll leave it to Gabriel and Baltic to decide if that sounds reasonable and fair for everyone."

Sally had been looking at her phone during the last few comments, and said quickly, "I've got to take a quick call. I'll be right back." Her square went black as she dropped off the call.

"The Dark Ones will, naturally, assume full responsibility for payment of any kind," Christian said sternly. "There is no question of sharing the burden."

I looked at Gabriel, since Baltic—now back next to Ysolde—was being his usual silent self. Gabriel said, "I believe Christian has the right to assume the debt if the release of Jim's parents was solely to benefit the Dark Ones, but as it is possible that they might also be of assistance to the dragonkin, then it makes sense to share the cost of freeing them."

"How would Jim's parents help us?" Aisling asked, texting what I suspected was a message to Drake.

Gabriel said nothing.

"Don't even start thinking you can be as inscrutably annoying as Baltic," I told Gabriel.

"Hey, now!" Ysolde said, glaring at me.

Gabriel laughed, and pinched my butt. "I have no intention of annoying anyone, let alone my mate, but I don't know that I can answer Aisling's question. It's merely a thought I had regarding the likelihood of Jim's parents having the desire to assist us with Xavier and Deus."

To the obvious surprise of everyone, Baltic nodded at what Gabriel was saying. "That thought was on my mind, as well. Not that I wish to involve the light dragons, but Ysolde will not let us live a life of peace and happiness, and must have us involved in all weyr business."

"That's right, and we both know it's good for you, if only to stop your father from popping in and throwing cryptic demands at me before poofing into a fine sparkle of gold. I can't tell you how frustrating those damned cryptic demands are." Ysolde was evidently riled up, because Baltic pulled her up against him again before whispering something in her ear.

Christian's frown was prodigious. "Again, I must protest that this is an issue for the Moravian Council and Dark Ones to deal with—"

"I think now is the time to let go of a little of your pride and accept that our new friends are going to help us whether or not you want them to," Allie said with laughter lacing her voice, but it quickly took a more somber tone. "I, for one, am happy to get help dealing with someone who could do irreparable damage to the mortal world. I couldn't stomach the thought of innocent people suffering because we were too proud to accept the offer of help."

Christian turned an irritated expression on her. For a moment, he said nothing, although Allie smiled again, so I assumed he was mentally speaking with her. "I dislike it when you use logic against me," he finally said, then grimaced when he heard the words. "And now I sound like the worst sort of supercilious fool. Very well, since Allegra has pointed out that I can't think only of the Dark Ones, I will gracefully accept the aid that you dragons wish to offer."

"I'm so glad that's finally settled," Aisling said with a bright smile. "Now we can go ahead and book—"

"My apologies. I had to see if someone was available. But all is well there, so I just need the go-ahead to put things into motion." Sally popped back onto the screen, winking at us all, although the last sentence and gesture were clearly directed at me.

"Oh, OK," I said. Christian and Allie were momentarily absorbed looking at a text on his phone, but no one else spoke up. I slid a glance to my side. Gabriel told me earlier that since I felt strongly about helping the vampires, he would remain in a support role unless I asked him otherwise, which mean I might as well answer Sally. "We have indeed agreed to your terms, although it goes without saying that we'd appreciate a heads-up when you know what it is you want from us."

"Excellent!" she said with a clap of her hands. "I look forward to seeing Desi again. I will need exactly twenty-eight minutes; then I will meet you at the public toilets in Hyde Park. The one near the Princess Diana memorial."

"My apologies," Allie said as Christian tucked away his phone. "The kids are being absolute monsters...well, we won't go into that. I think they'll leave us alone for a few minutes."

"If you don't mind—" was all Christian got out before Sally logged off. He swore in what I thought was German. "I am not comfortable with this plan to put members of the dragon septs at risk. The point of this being our problem aside, I, like you all, do not wish to place others into situations of peril."

"If you are concerned about Sally not being able to get Jim and the reaper out, you can rest your mind," Gabriel answered after a nod from me. "Both May and I are familiar with Sally's abilities and have full confidence in them."

"OK, Mabel says she'll meet us at the bathroom in Hyde Park." Aisling tapped an answering text. "I told her we had a former Sovereign to help get everyone out if Jim's parents don't have the oomph or desire to do so. She's impressed with our connections."

"Why the bathroom?" Allie asked, hurriedly turning off her phone when a video popped up showing a dark-haired boy of about ten who had the same mismatched eyes that she had. He was doing an odd wiggly sort of dance that I suspected had its origins in popular gaming.

"Entrance," Aisling, Ysolde, and I answered at the same time.

"To this Thirteenth Hour?" Allie asked, looking incredulous. "Why would an entrance be put in a public place where there are mortals all over?"

"The actual entrance is bound to be warded so that mortals can't see it. Or rather, they can, but their brains refuse to process it, so they ignore its presence." Aisling glanced down at a ping. "And Drake's on his way back to London. I hope we can get this done before his plane gets here."

"Why?" I couldn't help but ask.

She made a face. "He gets so difficult when it comes to me dealing with any being who poses the slightest risk. Not that I'm going into the Hour, but if you need emergency Guardian services, I'm happy to leap into the fray."

"We'll see everyone off," I said after a brief confab with Gabriel. "Not that we can help with the Hour, but just in case there's something we can do outside of it, we'll be ready."

"I'll be there, of course, because I have to bring Jim and Parisi," Aisling said with a nod toward us.

"So will we. Since, as Christian has pointed out numerous times, it is our problem that you're all kindly helping with. We'll see you all in twenty-four minutes," Allie said, glancing at her watch. "There's just enough time to threaten the kids with the direst of repercussions if they even think of interrupting us again."

Everyone logged off and headed out. Gabriel went off to inform Maata and Tipene that we were going to Hyde Park. I sat for a moment thinking about putting all our eggs into the Sally basket.

It made me nervous.

It made me very nervous.