“I think I’m going to be sick.” Tenia’s hands shook as she tried to stack the papers.

  “There will be time for that later.” Peri stood. “Right now, we need to get to the veil and share what we’ve learned. Then we haul ass to the hunting party.”

  A minute later, Skender returned with Torion. He took Tenia’s other hand, the one that didn’t hold the pages that revealed the horrible prophecy Torion had drawn. It made Peri sick to realize that the child had seen it even though Skender had taken him away. The boy had been the one to draw it, after all.

  Movement caught Peri’s eye, and she turned to see Galan still hovering at the opening. Next to him, his mother beat her wings, which held her bobbing in the air outside the cave. “We are here when you need us,” Serapha said. “You have our allegiance, Perizada of the fae.”

  Peri bowed her head to the draheim and then looked back at Tenia. “Let’s go.”

  They flashed and reappeared in front of the veil. Peri didn’t waste a second placing her hand against the invisible barrier. It dropped in a heartbeat, and she stepped through. Tenia, Skender, and Torion were right next to her.

  The group, most of which had been sitting down, jumped to their feet. Some had taken on attack stances, while others simply stood with wide eyes. It didn’t surprise Peri in the least when Jen was the first one to get over the shock.

  “Finally,” the blonde growled. “Someone to kill. Elle,” Jen yelled to the fae and held out an open hand. Elle threw a blade, and the she-wolf caught it without looking.

  “What the heck is going on?” Heather asked.

  Peri didn’t take her eyes off Jen. She tried to decide if she should just let this play out so Jen could exorcize a little of the crazy Peri could plainly see in the blonde’s eyes, or if she needed to stop it and force the beta female to comply.

  “Jen,” Jacque called out.

  “Not now, Red. And if you give me an alpha command, I will make your life a living hell, alpha or not.” She broke into a sprint. When she was a few feet away, Jen leaped toward Skender, the blade swinging.

  Skender shoved Tenia and Torion to the side, and Peri grabbed them both, pulling them behind her.

  “Peri,” Tenia shouted. “Stop her!”

  “I’m sorry, Tenia, but this has to happen.” Peri snapped her fingers, binding Tenia and Torion where they stood.

  Skender didn’t move an inch as Jen’s blade slashed across his chest, ripping through his shirt and the flesh beneath it. Neither did he cry out or even wince.

  “Skender!” Tenia yelled. The anguish in Tenia’s voice nearly cracked Peri’s resolve.

  Jen whipped around and dropped to the ground, sticking out her foot and sweeping Skender’s legs from beneath him. He hit the ground with a thud. Jen was on him a second later, her hand on his throat and the dagger held over her head. The image was eerily similar to the one Peri had just seen on the paper that Torion drew. Peri flung out a hand and the blade flew out of Jen’s grasp. It sailed away and embedded itself into a tree.

  A second later, Myanin stood behind Jen with her own blade to the blonde’s throat.

  “I’ve grown to like you, Jen,” Myanin said, her voice soft but threatening. “But killing Skender would hurt Tenia and her offspring. And no one gets to hurt them, no matter what reason you have to justify his death.”

  Jen didn’t appear fazed at the loss of her weapon or the knife held against her flesh. The crazy she-wolf actually leaned into the blade, causing it to cut her skin. A trickle of red ran down her throat, and she smiled as if she enjoyed the pain. Peri mentally rolled her eyes. The nutjob probably did enjoy it.

  “Myanin.” Gerick walked toward his mate. “This isn’t your fight. This is wolf business.”

  “If it involves Tenia, then it is my business,” she said coolly.

  “Myanin, Jacque won’t let Jen kill him,” Lilly said. She looked over at Tenia, and Peri saw the affection the warlock queen had for the fae. “It’s good to see you, Tenia. And I can’t wait to get to talk to your son.”

  “I’m sure the feeling will be mutual once—” Tenia’s words froze, and then she cursed. “Really? Another one? How many crazy ass wolves do you have in this pack?”

  Peri turned back to Skender, Jen, and Myanin to see that Zara had joined the fray. The girl was too short to reach the djinn’s throat, so Zara held a dagger against Myanin’s chest, directly over her heart.

  Peri looked around until she found Wadim. “Seriously?” Peri asked him. “I’m gone for a couple of months and your mate goes from sweet, but sassy, to stabby twin of Jen?”

  “That should totally go on a shirt,” Heather said. “I’ve heard that Wadim likes to wear hilarious shirts. That would be perfect for him.”

  “Maybe not the best time for fashion advice,” Anna told Heather.

  Heather snorted. “Dude, I have no clue what’s going on, so I get to pass out fashion advice like it’s candy. Granted, you will all look like idiots if you take it because, you know”—she pointed at her eyes and then sang—“blind.”

  Peri shook her head. Things were going to hell in a handbasket, and yet the healers still found time to verbally spar. Some things never change.

  “Zara,” Wadim called to his mate. “That dagger was for emergency use only, remember?”

  “I think this qualifies as an emergency. I love you, history-boy, but nobody gets to kill Jen. She provides too much entertainment and makes all the rest of us seem normal.” Zara didn’t move an inch.

  “She’s not wrong,” Jacque agreed.

  Peri shot her a look. “Not helping.”

  The alpha female shrugged. “What? You know we’ve all wanted to kill her at one point or another, but for some reason, we don’t. Zara has a sound argument for why, like a cockroach, Jen manages to survive.”

  Peri pinched the bridge of her nose and forced herself to refrain from simply flashing to the Canadian pack mansion with Tenia and Torion and leaving the rest of them to sort it out on their own.

  “Even if Myanin manages to cut my throat,” Jen said, “I will have Skender’s throat torn out before I’m dead. So in my demise, he finds his as well.” She leaned down closer to Skender, causing Myanin’s knife to dig even deeper. “Give me one reason I shouldn’t rip out your throat where you lay,” the beta female snarled.

  Skender’s eyes flicked over to his mate and his son. Peri saw a glassy sheen of tears. He looked back at Jen and said, “I can’t.”

  “Right answer.” Jen’s nails phased to wolf claws.

  Bloody hell! Jen really was going to kill him. Peri was about to bind the three women when a small voice yelled.

  “WAIT!”

  Peri turned to look down at Torion. Tears streamed down his small face. He must have been terrified.

  Peri looked back at Jen. The female’s head turned to see where the voice came from. Her eyes widened when they landed on Torion. Myanin’s eyes were still locked on Jen, and Zara still held her dagger on the djinn.

  “Who are you?” Jen asked, her voice menacing.

  Peri released her magical hold on Torion, though she kept Tenia bound. She had no doubt Skender’s mate would attempt to kill Jen the second she was free. This fight didn’t need another participant.

  Torion, the brave boy he’d proven himself to be since Peri had known him, walked forward until he stood a foot from Jen and his adoptive father.

  “I am Torion,” he said, his voice slightly shaky. He held his head high and pulled his shoulders back before continuing. “I am Skender’s son. Tenia, my mother”—he turned and pointed to her—“is Skender’s true mate.”

  Jen’s eyes narrowed. A casual observer might have thought the child’s words didn’t affect her. But Peri saw the slightest hint of shock in her eyes. “Why should I care, Terrance? Your mother is no one to me. You are a child with another T name, and already you get on my nerves. And your so-called father is a backstabbing turncoat whose crimes are punishable by death.”

  “Jen, you remember that a not-quite-sane djinn is holding a sharp object at your throat, right?” Jacque asked. The alpha female had moved closer and now stood only a few feet from the bizarre kill-or-be-killed pack of women.

  “I expect you to avenge me, Jacque. You know I’ll haunt you for the rest of your existence if you don’t. Now, quit distracting me.”

  “I know who he is,” Torion said, pointing at Skender. “And I know what he’s done.”

  “Are you sure about that?” Jen challenged.

  Torion nodded, then gave a very abbreviated version of the story Skender had told him. When he finished speaking, everyone was completely still.

  Jen sat back, but she didn’t get off Skender. Neither did she remove her hand from his throat. Myanin’s blade shifted with the she-wolf, staying connected to her skin. Jen didn’t seem the least bit troubled by it. “You still haven’t given me a reason not to kill him,” Jen challenged.

  “The Great Luna took me to meet Titus,” Torion said. This finally drew a visible reaction from the female beta.

  “You have got to be kidding me.” Jen gritted her teeth, then sighed as she continued to stare at the boy. “Titus hasn’t mentioned you. Which is odd, because the boy never shuts his trap.”

  “It wasn’t time for you to know,” Torion said. “Now it is.”

  “Know what?”

  “I’m not just Skender’s son. I will be yours.” He paused and tilted his head to the side and shrugged. “Well, not your son like I am my mother’s son. The Great Luna told Titus I will be your son-in-law. But I don’t think that will happen for a long time.”

  Jen eased to her feet. Myanin stepped back but kept her dagger up, and Zara shifted as well, her own blade still pointed at the djinn. At least they’re no longer touching one another, Peri thought. That’s progress. Jen lifted her leg as she turned. When she took a step, she used Skender’s stomach as a makeshift step as she walked over him and closer to Torion. Myanin followed behind Jen, her eyes narrowed as if ready to pounce in a split second.

  Zara started to follow, but Wadim snatched her wrist and pulled her back. She quickly turned, holding the blade at the ready, but her mate had obviously expected the movement and caught her wrist in his hand. He grinned down at her and darted in for a quick kiss. “I think you can stand down, killer,” he teased. “No one is going to die.”

  He pried the blade from her hand, and she growled. “I expect to get that back,” Zara warned him.

  “You know how sexy I think it is when you threaten to cut people. Do you think I’d deprive myself of such a sight?”

  “This is the weirdest pack I’ve ever seen,” Tyler, the Springfield alpha, who Peri hadn’t even noticed, muttered.

  Jen took another step toward Torion, and Peri focused on the unpredictable she-wolf.

  “Touch him and I will turn you into a puppet to do my bidding for all of eternity,” Tenia said with such vehemence Peri didn’t doubt for a second that she meant it.

  Jen glanced at Tenia. “I don’t hurt children,” she growled.

  “Hurting Skender would hurt me,” Torion pointed out.

  The Romania female beta sighed. “Just what I need, another rational male stomping on my killing parade.”

  Torion’s head tilted in the other direction as he seemed to study Jen. “Titus mentioned you’re a little crazy.” His voice no longer shook. Apparently he’d decided the threat to his father had passed. Peri hoped he was right.

  Jen looked back at Skender.

  “Jen,” Jacque said again. This time, Peri felt her power. “Fane is the one who decides his fate. Not you. Accept your place and stand down. Now.”

  “Regardless of what my alpha decides,” Jen continued to glare daggers at Skender, “I will never forgive you. You will never be welcomed back into our pack. You’re a disgrace.”

  Skender climbed to his feet. He didn’t cower or hang his head. Instead, he walked over to Torion and picked him up. Then he walked over to Tenia. “I have not asked for your forgiveness, nor would I ever expect it. I live every day with the shame of my actions.”

  “Good.” Jen spat and gave him a wicked smile.

  “Jen,” Torion said, his small arm wrapped around Skender’s neck. “Can I ask you a question?”

  Jen sighed. “Why do kids always say that when they’re going to ask the bloody question, even if you say no?”

  “Have you ever made a mistake?”

  “Oh, snap.” Zara’s voice was soft.

  “I have made many mistakes, Tommy. How about you?”

  Torion nodded.

  Jen’s brow rose. “Is that all? Nothing to add?”

  “Nope.”

  Peri forced herself not to smile. The child’s point might not have much effect on Jen now, but he’d planted a seed. It would grow inside of Jen, especially once their world wasn’t crumbling down on top of them. With the threat to Skender’s life momentarily passed, Peri glanced over Jen’s shoulder and looked at Myanin. “I think you can put that away now.”

  Myanin didn’t move for several seconds, but then she finally flipped the blade around and slid it into a sheath on her thigh.

  One more death averted. Peri looked around the group, noting who was present. “We didn’t come through the veil to watch Jen lose her crap and start a ripple effect through an ever-growing population of mentally unstable females in this pack,” Peri said. “Jacque, you might want to get the water tested to see what’s making your females psycho.”

  “You have to add your name to that list, Peri-fairy,” Jen said slyly. She walked over to stand next to Jacque, folding her arms across her chest. “From my point of view, you’re not just a member of the crazy chick tribe. You’re the leader. Congratulations. We will throw you a celebration after we’ve got Ludcarab’s head on a stake in our front yard.”

  “I told you not to let her watch that movie about Vlad the Impaler,” Zara told Wadim. “Now we’re going to have staked heads all over the grounds.”

  “I concede your point, Jennifer,” said Peri. “And as the leader of the CCT, I am beseeching you to listen up.”

  “Dammit,” Jen muttered. “How am I supposed to stay mad at her if she’s making up acronyms?”

  Peri ignored her and continued to address the group. “It’s time for us to act. The Great Luna has made that clear.” Peri looked at Lilly. “Do you feel any differently?”

  “I no longer feel the need to tell you to stay put,” she said.

  Peri released Tenia from her hold and motioned for the female to step beside her. “This is Tenia, as her son pointed out. She is a fae that Alston controlled by keeping her son a prisoner. Torion has a very special ability. Tenia…” Peri motioned for the female to take over, but before Tenia could open her mouth, a blade suddenly stuck in the ground at Tenia’s feet, a mere inch from the female’s toes.

  Tenia glanced at it and then looked up. “You don’t have to be so dramatic, Myanin,” she said dryly. “I just watched my mate get mauled by a crazy she-wolf and found out my son is to be the son-in-law of the same crazy female. And I’ve been stuck in the draheim realm, unable to do anything but sit around and wait. There is no cotton candy in the draheim realm, so I don’t have a peace offering.”

  Myanin, who hadn’t said a word since she’d threatened Jen, closed the distance between them until she stood in front of Tenia. “You’re a freaking fae. Magic me some cotton candy, and I might forgive you.”

  Tenia rolled her eyes. “Forgive me? For what?”

  “For making me like you. It’s annoying as hell to like someone who gets themself killed.”

  “Not dead.” Tenia pointed at herself.

  Myanin raised a brow. “We can argue about it later. Cotton candy.” The djinn held out her hand.

  “I think I liked the draheim realm better,” Peri muttered as she held out her hand, and a bag of the sugary treat appeared.

  Myanin plucked it from her hand, though her eyes stayed on Tenia. She opened the bag and then tore off a piece and put it in her mouth.

  “Better?” Tenia asked.

  “For now,” the djinn said, mollified. She stepped to the side so the rest of the group could once again see Tenia.

  “She makes me look normal,” Jen mumbled.

  “Can someone please tell me what in the blazes is going on? I’ve only got bits and pieces. Throw me a damn bone,” Heather shouted, drawing everyone’s attention.

  “Nobody has died,” Jewel quickly supplied. “And, most importantly, Myanin has finally gotten the cotton candy that Nissa or Elle could have magicked her at any point. But I think watching her suffer amused them too much to give in.”

  “You mean we’ve listened to her mutter under her breath about cotton candy all this time and it could have been dealt with?” Heather asked.

  “You must not have kids,” Tenia said. “If you give a child something because they complain enough, they will just do it more in the future.”

  “Are you comparing me to an offspring?” Myanin asked around her mouthful of cotton candy.

  “It sounds like she’s comparing you to a spoiled brat.” Heather shrugged. “If the djinn shoe fits.”

  Peri was sure at any moment she would have to stop a flying blade from hitting Heather in the forehead, but Myanin just rolled her eyes at Heather and continued eating.

  “Okay,” Heather sighed. “I’m just throwing this out there, but I think someone should volunteer to be my walking commentator. I’ll start taking applications ASAP. Please proceed. But if anyone starts killing anyone else, I expect a play-by-play.”

  “Glad to see you’re as high maintenance as ever, Helen,” Peri said, genuinely happy to see each of the healers. And to see that they were still thick as thieves. Though there was a vast hole where Kara should have been.

  Peri looked back at Tenia, waiting for her to continue. The fae glanced at Myanin one more time, but the djinn just kept eating her cotton candy. “My son prophesies the future through his drawings,” Tenia began. “We don’t know when the scenes he draws will occur. We just know that they will.”

  “He draws it?” Jacque asked. “Can you clarify that?”