“Oh, I think she might,” Lydia said. “Don’t let her get you alone in any dark labs. She’ll have you apart faster than Chris peels lobsters.”

Next to her, Nika just smiled and shook her head. “She’s fascinated with you as a test subject but I don’t think she would mean you any harm.”

“Hush your mouth, Sally Centriole. Keep the boy on his toes,” Lydia said.

“I just saw him get dragged up onto his toes. Not again,” Stacia said.

“Good thing Mack recovered enough to stab that demoness,” Tanya said.

“Lucky, you might say,” Declan said, smiling. “And Holly was pretty fierce too. I wondered how she might react, being infected by the demon wolf and all.”

“The thing about demons is that they hate each other. It’s almost universal. Her wolf loyalty told her to protect you, and any demon influence from the origin of her infection would likely put her at odds with Lilith. I felt the same antagonism from the taint I carry,” Chris said.

“So back to the Jensens—Caeco still working for the feds?” Stacia asked, arms crossed.

“For now. We’re hoping to get her to join her mom full time. She’s very thorough and detailed and it’s a change from what she’s doing. Plus, the FBI is a bad choice for her. They don’t appreciate her,” Tanya said.

“Where is her mom’s lab?” Stacia asked, tone casual… too casual.

“Washington, D.C.,” Chris said. “They both live down there.”

The wolf girl’s posture changed just a teeny bit, almost too small to notice unless you knew her and were looking closely. Most of the table’s occupants met both conditions.

After a second or two, Declan turned back to watch the action being projected in stunning clarity on the wall of the private room. The battle orb had shot the last barrage of spears out of the air and now floated down closer to the rhinos, administering a series of sharp electric shocks to the animals’ flanks. Unsurprisingly, the giant steeds immediately bolted into the jungle when shocked, completely ignoring the fate of their riders.

“Sonic weapon didn’t work?” the young witch asked.

“The armor on their heads blocks their auditory openings. Their riders control them through physical contact around their heads. I will now continue along the trail.”

“Watch yourself. The next escalation is likely to be a big step up,” Declan said.

“Yes, Father, although I will point out that only my avatar would be at risk.”

“But it’s your most advanced drone.”

“Others will come online within the next week. However, you are correct that this unit represents a significant investment of our new resources.”

On the wall, the green jungle slid by the sides of the big drone as it moved along the narrow forest trail.

“Declan, have you decided if you are leaving Arcane?” Gina asked.