“The future is a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

They looked at me.

“We worked so hard not to provoke him and it doesn’t matter in the end,” I said. “The battle will happen. We can’t stop it.”

Curran looked at Robert. “Tell him that after he goes through with it, Roland will retaliate in force. Tell Jim he knows where we live. We’ll be here.”

“Tell him that he is endangering every person in the city limits,” I said.

“Hypothetically speaking,” Robert said, “if the attack happens, and Roland retaliates, what will you do about it?”

“She is a princess of Shinar.” My aunt burst into existence in the middle of the kitchen. “It is by the grace of her mercy you are still breathing.”

Robert stumbled back. Raphael’s hands went to his knives. Andrea bared her teeth, cradling Baby B. You could hear a pin drop.

“I have family in town for the wedding,” I said into the silence. “My aunt, Eahrratim, the Rose of Tigris.”

Curran covered his face with his hand.

“Your pathetic castle is in her domain,” Erra said. “She can level it with a thought. If your Beast Lord picks a fight with my brother, how will you survive without her to shield you?”

“We’ll fight,” Robert said, his body tense, ready to leap and tear.

“And when fire rains from the sky and the earth opens to swallow you, who will you fight then? How much damage will your claws do to a flood? Tell that to your king, half-breed.”

My aunt vanished.

Andrea pivoted to me, her mouth open, and shook her finger at the spot where Erra had stood.

“Long story,” I told her.

“Tell Jim that after he has his fun, we’ll be here,” Curran said to Robert. “Tell him that help is here. All he needs to do is ask.”

CHAPTER

13

THERE WERE CARS in the parking lot of Cutting Edge.

“We’re agreed?” I asked.

“Fine,” my aunt said into my ear.

“Please do not manifest. Please.”

“I’m not hard of hearing.”

“It scares people,” Curran said. “And we want to keep the element of surprise. If Roland finds out that you’re here, helping Kate, we’ll lose it.”

“He won’t find out unless your people talk,” Erra said. “He can’t feel me unless I want him to. That’s one of the privileges of being dead—and if the two of you don’t shut up, I will let you experience it for yourselves.”

I bumped my forehead against the dashboard.

“I’ll park,” Curran said.