Asima settled in. She looked like she was primed for a long explanation. “I work for Bast, greatest of all goddesses, protector of cats everywhere, queen of—”

“Yes, yes, we know. Get on with it.” Holgarth tapped his finger impatiently on the table.

Asima speared him with an enigmatic cat stare that could mean anything from, “I think you’re an amazing person,” to “You’re a wizened old fart.”

Dacian suspected the latter.

“Bast and Airmid have been best friends for thousands of years. So when Airmid needed someone to help her achieve her goals, she contacted Bast.” Asima offered a cat shrug. “And Bast ordered me to help Airmid. I must obey my goddess.”

Holgarth leaned forward. “Why did Airmid want to destroy the plant?”

Asima looked as though she thought the answer must be obvious. “Because he’s an abomination.”

“He absolutely is not. He’s timid and shy and—”

“Be quiet, woman.” Holgarth was at his most bombastic.

“Oh, stuff it, Holgarth.” Cinn half rose from her chair.

Dacian was proud of her. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d cared enough about anyone other than his brother to feel pride in them.

Asima turned her gaze on Cinn. “I apologize for what I did to Vince, but you must understand that I couldn’t defy my goddess.”

“Yet, in the end, you did.” Cinn seemed to find that an incredible act.

Asima sighed. “Bast will be displeased with me.”

Holgarth made an attempt to wrest control of the meeting back into his own hands. “What else did Airmid want you to do?”

“She wanted me to destroy all the plants in the greenhouse and then take care of the plants that were already in guests’ rooms.”

“The bitch.”

If expressions were anything to go by, everyone shared the opinion Cinn had voiced.

Asima brightened. “Of course, I can’t do that now that you have a demon guarding the greenhouse. Airmid wants me to be discreet and not call attention to myself.”

“Like that’s ever going to happen.” Ganymede made his first contribution to the discussion. “Did you bring the bag of jellybeans with you, babe?” He glanced hopefully at Sparkle.

Sparkle pulled a bag of candy from her purse and put it on the table. Ganymede dove in. Didn’t look like he’d be contributing anything else tonight.

Asima was evidently used to Ganymede’s insults, because she rattled on. “And I obviously won’t be able to reach the plants in the guests’ rooms if you move them all into the greenhouse, too. You should do that right away before I finish taking the nap I intend to take as soon as I get back to my room.”

“And you assume you’ll have a room to go back to?” Sparkle sounded gleeful at the prospect of kicking Asima’s furry butt out the door.

“Of course. I’m your only connection to Airmid.”