I froze, even as my heart began to pound. Chicago’s mercenary fairies were dangerous and sly as vipers. They weren’t exactly evil. But they were powerful and old and arrogant, and they didn’t much care how their plans would affect others. They’d once guarded Cadogan House during daylight hours—until they’d sold out the House. One had nearly destroyed Chicago in their effort to bring back the green land—their homeland—and return the fairies to power.

“Why the hell is she there?” I finally said when I’d wrapped my brain around what Alexei had said. Lulu had been to the castle before, with me, just after I’d come back from France. It was after that trip that she’d re-upped her decision to avoid magic.

“I think she’s convinced they made Cadogan House disappear—and she’s going to make them pay for it.”

* * *

The rain kept coming, creating a terrific noise in the SUV that Connor drove while I passed messages—to Theo, to Gwen—advising them what Lulu had done and promising an update as soon as possible.

“She could start a war,” I muttered when I’d gotten their acknowledgments and put my screen away again.

“How?” Connor asked. “She doesn’t use magic.”

“Humans don’t, either, and how many wars have they been involved in? Consider history—and fairies.”

“Right.” He hit the accelerator. “We’ll get there,” Connor said, putting a hand over mine. “We’ll get there, and we’ll stop her. We’ll stop all of it.”

I hoped he was right.

The fairies had once lived in a dilapidated, but heavily magicked, tower that was the only remaining bit of a Gilded Age mansion. But they’d upgraded a few months ago, exchanging the tower for a castle they’d built along the south fork of the Chicago River. It was a behemoth of stone, tall and imposing, with towers and a crenellated wall—very medieval—at the end of a long expanse of grass and a white stone drive.

We drove toward the building, my sword already in hand, watching for signs of attack. They were called “mercenary fairies” for a reason. And that reason was fierce and calculated violence.

We stopped ten yards from the two-story gatehouse that allowed entry through the structure’s defensive wall. The doors were open, but fairies stood guard outside—and they had daggers trained on Alexei.

“Well,” I said. “I guess keeping him alive is the first step.”

“That would be preferred,” Connor said dryly.

We climbed slowly out of the car, careful not to make any sudden moves.

The rain had slowed to a sprinkle, but it didn’t disguise the fairy magic in the air. It seemed stronger now than the last time we’d been here, when Ruadan had nearly killed Claudia in his effort to revive the green land. I could feel Alexei’s magic on the edge of it. But his wasn’t the only power I felt. And I was afraid I knew exactly where it had come from.

“Did Lulu . . . ?” Connor began, and that’s all he needed to say. He felt it, too.