Sera teared up a little as she watched him.

“What is it?” Kai asked her.

“My little brother is all grown up. Look how responsible he is. How professional.”

“You should be proud of him.”

“I am. And also a little sad,” she said. “He’s had to grow up so fast. Alden has changed everything. Remember when we first met? How carefree Riley was. How innocent. He was running with you, studying, flirting with girls. And now he’s discussing with the commandos how much power his magic bomb needs to instantly knock out everyone within a one-block radius. He’s changed. We’ve all changed.”

“The world has changed,” Kai told her.

“Has it? Or was it always like this, and we just didn’t see it? Think about all the people killed over the centuries. Dragon Born people. My people, Kai, murdered for being born.”

“We’ll stop this,” he replied, his face serious. “I promise you that.”

“Can you even promise that?” she asked. “Even if we stop Alden, what then? The world is still against me, Alex, and any other Dragon Born mage they find out about. Where is Alex, by the way?”

“Alex is safe,” said one of the new arrivals.

“Edric Kensington?” Kai asked.

Edric nodded. “Yes. And this is my brother Darin.”

“Our mother has sent us to help you,” Darin told Kai.

Kai folded his arms across his chest and shot them a look laden with ice. “Oh, really? After your forces turned their backs on us back in San Francisco?”

Edric’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, and Mum rained down hell upon them for disobeying her orders. She told them to follow you to the end just as she’d promised you. And she intends to keep that promise.”

Darin looked at Sera. “Your sister helped save our mother’s life. And Margery Kensington remembers her friends.”

“Unfortunately, it took awhile to find you again,” Edric added. “This place is hidden.”

“That’s the point,” Kai said.

“How did you find us?” Sera asked them.

The brothers smiled as Alex and Logan walked into the room.

“I found you,” Alex declared.

I told Nova, Amara commented. Our connection transcends barriers.

Thanks.

Sera ran to her sister, squeezing her into a big hug.

“Our mother knows who the true monster is: Alden,” Edric said. “Alden and the Convictionites and everyone who would split the world apart, all who would breathe out chaos and death.”

“On behalf of our mother, we extend our friendship and forces to you. The Kensington and Drachenburg dynasties will fight together. Until the end,” declared Darin.

Kai stared at them for a few moments, then nodded. He’d apparently decided that they were the real deal. He shook Darin’s hand. “On behalf of my dynasty, I accept your friendship and extend the same to you. We will fight together. Until the end.”

Sera squeezed Alex again. “Thanks for bringing friends.”

“I’m really glad right now that we saved Margery. Though I must admit I was having second thoughts at the time,” Alex whispered. Obviously, she didn’t want Margery’s sons to overhear.

“It has made all the difference,” said Kai. “Her dynasty is one of the most powerful in the world. For them to join mine makes a big statement to the rest of the supernatural community.”

“And thanks for coming too.” Sera hugged her sister. “Kai needs the Kensington alliance, but I need you.”

“I couldn’t not come, not with what’s been happening.”

“What is it like out there?” Sera asked her.

“Bad,” Alex said glumly.

“Now that Alden has exposed your secret, Alex is being hunted,” Logan explained. “We would have come sooner, but we first had to fight our way through would-be bounty hunters looking to collect on a payday of five million dollars.”

“Five million?” Sera gasped, shocked.

“The Magic Council upped the bounty,” Alex told her.

“They are fools,” Logan declared. “The world is facing two great threats right now, and they chase after the Dragon Born.”

“They’ve lost face,” Sera said. “The Magic Council is dissolving. It’s splintered, some going to Alden, some to Kai. They want to show the world that they are still in control.”

“Like I said. Fools. I have half a mind to end them all now.”

“We still need them,” Kai said.

“Mum fears they are lost to us,” said Darin.

“The Magic Council, what remains of it that doesn’t support Alden, has come up with a plan against him,” Edric added.

Logan made a derisive noise. “A desperate, stupid plan.”

“Even I know that, and reckless is my middle name,” said Alex.

“What are they planning?” Sera asked them.

“They are going to make a deal with a demon,” Alex said.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Deal with a Demon

SERA FELT THE fear in the room, suffocating optimism, drowning hope.

“Which demon do they want to summon?” she asked quietly. This couldn’t be happening. The Magic Council couldn’t be that insane.

“Any demon who will listen,” said Alex.

Which was a hell of a lot of them.

Kai’s magic went very cold. “What is their plan?”