I held up a hand. "It isn't like that."

"Yes," she said. "It is. You want me to give you information, but you won't tell me why or what you are going to do with it."

"It's for your own protection," I said.

"Perhaps," she replied. "But if I give you this information, I'm going to bear some responsibility for what you do with it. We don't know each other very well. What if you took the information I gave you and used it to hurt someone?"

"I won't."

"And maybe that's true," she said. "But maybe it isn't. Don't you see? I have an obligation in this matter," she said, "to use my talent responsibly. That means not using it blindly or recklessly. Can you understand that?"

"Actually," I said, "I can."

She pursed her lips and then nodded. "Then if you want me to help you, tell me why you need it."

"You could be put at risk if you become involved in this," I said. "It could be very dangerous." I left a clear silence between the last two words for emphasis.

"I understand," she said. "I accept that. So tell me."

I stared at her for a second, and then sighed, a little frustrated. She had a point, after all. But dammit, I didn't want to see anyone else get hurt because of Kemmler's disciples. Particularly not anyone with such lovely breasts.

I jerked my eyes away from them and said, "The people you've seen around the store are going to use the book to call up the Erlking."

She frowned. "But… he's an extremely powerful faerie, yes? Can they do that?"

"Do you mean is it possible?" I asked. "Sure. I whistled up Queen Mab a few hours ago, myself." Which was technically the truth.

"Oh," she said, her tone mild. "Why?"

"Because I needed information," I said.

"No, not that. Why are these people calling up the Erlking?"

"They're going to use his presence on Halloween night to call up an extra-large helping of ancient spirits. Then they're going to bind and devour those spirits in order to give themselves a Valhalla-sized portion of supernatural power."

She stared at me, her mouth opening a little. "It's… a rite of ascension?" she whispered. "A real one?"

"Yeah," I said.

"But that's… that's insane."

"So are these people," I said. "What you tell me could stop it from happening. It could save a lot of lives—not least of which is my own."

She folded her arms over her stomach as if chilled. Her face looked pale and worried. "I need the poems because I'm going to summon the Erlking before they can do it and make sure that I sidetrack him long enough to ruin their plans."

"Isn't that dangerous?" she asked.

"Not as dangerous as doing nothing," I said. "So now you know why. Will you help me?"