“Make sure you have all of your power and crystals,” Shadow said, his voice lacking real emotion; he was in warrior mode, his beast side having taken over.

I didn’t have anything to bring with me, so I spent my last few moments trying to call Midnight to me, but the stubborn mist continued to cold shoulder me. I knew our bond was still there, but it was weak and frayed, thanks to Dannie. I wondered if I was destined now to only feel my mist here in the Library of Knowledge.

“Here’s your gem,” Len said, appearing right before me, distracting me from Midnight. “Wear it against your skin and never take it off. Okay? This will give you layers of protection around your mind.”

He held out a shimmering purple stone attached to a silver chain. The stone was about the size of a grape, raw and stunning, with many multi-faceted shades of violet, plum, and dark magenta hidden in its unpolished depths.

“Thanks,” I said softly, reaching for it. The moment I made contact, he whispered something that even my translator spell didn’t understand. A jolt of power shot up my arm, and I barely managed not to drop the stone.

“Just needed to tie it to your energy,” he said with a smile.

I narrowed my eyes on him. “A little warning would not have gone astray.”

Len’s smile was wide and perfect, the shimmering silver of his entire being so otherworldly that for a moment, he was a god. Or at least the way I’d always imagined a god looked before I’d met a bunch of them. “Where’s the fun in that? Since you’re one of us now, you need to learn that there are no warnings in our world. You jump in with both feet and hope the predators don’t eat you.”

For some reason, that made me think of Shadow, and it was no surprise to find his gaze on me. His flash of teeth was definitely predator-like. “I think I can handle it,” I murmured, turning back to the still-smiling fae. “And thanks for welcoming me to the team.”

The merry band of assholes had turned from six to seven, and since that had been my aim from the start, I was okay with giving myself a pat on the back.

When everyone was ready to leave, weapons in hands and stones around their necks, we headed to the realm doorway. Angel and Shadow remained close to my side, Inky above us, and the other five guys behind.

“Whoa,” I said, staring at the door. “When did it change?”

It was no longer black, as it had been the first time the spell had been released. Instead, it was a murky grey, similar to the Grey Lands before we’d restored life back into them.