My face burned. “You are going to read her a book,” I said, my words slow so I wouldn’t yell at her. “If I find out you put her in her crib to cry, I’m going to be pissed. Understand? When Quen comes up for air, tell him that I’m trying to yank Trent’s ass out of the ever-after before he goes and does something stupid. Can you do that for me?”

Finally there was silence. “Ellasbeth?” I took a slow breath, trying to find a state of calm. “I’m not Trent’s emergency contact because I look good in leather.”

The click from the line being disconnected was loud. Lips twisting, I hit the button to end the call and set the phone back in the cradle.

“Well?” Jenks asked.

I tightened the tie of my robe. “Just a guess, but I think Trent got tired of waiting for results and went to talk to Ku’Sox.”

I pushed off the counter, and Jenks took to the air. “Ah, Rache?”

“I’m just getting dressed, okay?” I said as I stomped down the hallway to my room, Jenks following me. “I can’t fight the bad guys wearing a robe.” I shut my room’s door in Jenks’s face, and the pixy simply darted under the crack in the door. His wings clattered in nervousness as I threw open my closet and started grabbing things. First Ceri and Lucy, then Bis. Now Trent. Thank God Ivy was on her way home. I needed her help. Damn it, I am tired of this!

“Rache?” Jenks said, coming to rest on a bedpost as I tugged on a pair of jeans, my nightgown riding up.

My heart was pounding. It was almost eight. He’d only been there a couple of hours. Maybe it wasn’t too late. “Turn your back, or I’ll ask Belle where you sleep.”

Wings shifting tone, the pixy spun away. “Rache, I can’t be in the ever-after after sunup.”

His voice was scared, and shocked, I slowed as I pulled my nightgown over my head, snagging my hair. “I’m not going into the ever-after,” I said, then covered myself when he almost turned back around.

“You’re not?”

The cotton shirt rubbed my nose as I yanked it over my head. I couldn’t help a faint smile at the amazement in his voice. “You think I’m crazy?” I said as I stuffed the shirt behind my jeans, then dropped to my knees to find my boots under my bed. “Ku’Sox is psychotic.”

“Then what are you doing?” Jenks flew down to light the underside of my bed. Stretching, I snagged my boots and dragged them out. “You want me to call Felix? Bring the I.S. in on this?”