Daharan shook his head at me. “Do not underestimate Alerian. His magic is deep and mysterious, like the ocean from which he draws his power. His ultimate aim is certainly not the imprisonment of nonhumans. This is the means to some larger plan.”

“Any ideas of what that plan might be? It would be nice to have a clue before I get screwed by one of your brothers again,” I said, thinking of Puck’s intricate machinations.

Daharan shook his head. “As I have told you before, my powers and Alerian’s lie in direct contrast to one another. It makes his intentions difficult to read.”

“I don’t think any special foreseeing powers are required here,” Beezle said. “He’s still pissed that Lucifer took his toy, and he wants it back.”

“All the more reason Madeline should stay out of the cross fire,” Nathaniel said.

“Do you really think that Alerian or Lucifer will let me stay out of it if they decide to start shooting at one another?” I said.

I read the emotion that flickered across his face—acknowledgment of the truth of my statement, anger at his inability to keep me safe.

“Let’s just try to be proactive about this,” I said. “If we go to Alerian now, maybe we can stop whatever he’s got in mind before he really gets revved up.”

“We?” Nathaniel asked, and there was a lot of implication in his “we.” Like he was asking if “we” were a couple.

I was not ready to answer that question, especially not with everyone and their gargoyle watching, so I sidestepped. “Of course. Alerian is your uncle, too. But I think the rest of you should stay here.”

Disappointment flickered across Nathaniel’s face. I felt sorry for it, but I just wasn’t ready to make a public declaration. Even if he was sleeping in my bed. Which was as good as a public declaration, if you thought about it. Which I didn’t want to do.

Daharan nodded. “It would not be a good idea to ask for an audience while surrounded by warriors. Alerian might take it as a sign of aggression.”

“I want to look for the shapeshifter anyway,” Jude said.

I’ll help you. I can take Beezle with me and fly over the area, Samiel said.

“Who said I’m going?” Beezle said.

“You’re going,” I said, then looked at Daharan, wondering what he would do about either of these two problems. It was like we were leaving our most powerful arrow in the quiver, as it were. But Daharan seemed to prefer to stay out of the squabbling of his brothers, professing that his only purpose was to keep me safe.

“I am going to increase the levels of protection on this building,” Daharan said. “It would be best if any humans that came searching for you were unable to find you.”

“Including Jack Dabrowski?” I asked. Maybe the blogger would give up if he couldn’t find me anymore.

Daharan shook his head. “He knows too much about you to be fooled by any illusion that I might spin.”

“Too bad. That would have been an easy solution to an annoying problem,” I said.

I went to shower and attempt to make myself presentable. Maternity-wear shopping hadn’t been high on my priority list so I wasn’t sure what I had that would actually be presentable, but as usual Daharan had thought of everything. When I entered the bedroom I saw a white blouse and gray pantsuit on the bed.

For a moment I was reminded of Puck, and another occasion when clothes had been left on the bed for me. I pushed that thought away, because when I thought of Puck my brain got twisted and angry. Those emotions would not be helpful in dealing with Alerian.

I dressed, and of course the suit fit perfectly. I twisted my hair up in a knot behind my head—it was down to the middle of my back now—and found some lipstick that might have been less than five years old, but I couldn’t be certain.

I was just finishing up when Nathaniel entered the room. He’d dressed in a black suit with a crisp white shirt. Despite the recent changes in his hair and eye color, he looked a lot like the old Nathaniel, the one I’d met and despised in my father’s court.

But he wasn’t that Nathaniel anymore. Even though he was more powerful than he’d ever been, the old arrogance was gone. And he loved me. I knew that with the certainty of a woman who knows real love, because I’d had it once before.

I’d lost that love, and so when I thought of Nathaniel, a part of me would hesitate. Thus far he had waited patiently for me to come around. How long would he be patient?

“The others have gone to look for the shapeshifter,” he said.

I nodded. “Beezle, too?”

“Yes, with much grumbling.” He was silent for a moment, then said, “I want you to know that I do not think this is a good idea.”

In the past I might have blown him off, said something snappy like “duly noted.” I would have charged forward with an arrogance of my own, a surety that I would succeed simply because I wished it to be so. But not anymore. The events of the last several months had taught me that the risks were far greater than any reward, and that winning was an illusion. The price I’d paid for success was death, whether by my hand or another’s. The death of Gabriel had nearly broken me. But the deaths I’d been responsible for weighed on my heart, too.

And even though I’d tried my damndest, I’d yet to stop either Lucifer or Puck from getting what they wanted. In many cases I’d even inadvertently helped them. So there was no guarantee that I would be able to halt the progress of Alerian’s scheme. It was very likely that I would fail.