“It shouldn’t,” Ioan said. “The price was paid. Four souls. The sluagh accepted its reward and should have no further claim on you.”

“ ‘Should’ being the operative word.”

BONDING

“Dryads,” Patrick said when Gabriel met him in the parking lot. “Why does it have to be dryads?” When Gabriel didn’t respond, Patrick said, “Raiders of the Lost Ark?”

“Is that a book?”

Patrick shook his head. “We have serious father–son bonding time to catch up on. We’ll start with movie nights.”

“This sort of bonding is perfectly adequate.”

“This isn’t bonding. It’s me doing you a favor because I feel guilty.”

“That is my idea of bonding. And it’s not a favor—you’re as curious as I am.”

Patrick caught the exterior door before Gabriel could open it. “Dryads, though? They make me look like a stodgy old man. Flibbertigibbets. That’s Mary Poppins. We’ll get to it after the action flicks. But dryads? Really?”

“Yes, they’re capricious.”

“That’s like saying the ocean is damp.”

“They found Seanna.”

“They claim to have found her.”

“Which means either they are far less inept than they appear or far less innocent. Either makes them interesting.”

Patrick sighed. “Of all the things you could inherit from me, curiosity is the one most likely to get you into trouble.”

They walked into the office, where the dryads were trying to figure out the coffeemaker.

“I really don’t think you guys need any of that,” Patrick said.

The dryads turned, and Helia let out a teen-girl yelp. “Oh my gods, it’s Patricia Rees!”

Patrick stopped mid-step.

Helia rushed over. “I love your books. We love them.” She paused. “Well, except the last few.”

Alexios nodded. “You do better with the gothics.”

“I see…” Patrick said.

“Overall, the paranormal ones are okay,” Alexios said. “The last one just went on way too long. Did you run out of time to edit?”

“Not…really.”

Helia whispered to Alexios, “I don’t think he wants to hear what’s wrong with his book.”

“I’m trying to help.”

“The book is already out. He can’t fix it now.”

“But he’ll know better for next time. Maybe he can hire a new editor.”

She looked at Patrick. “It was good enough. Seven out of ten. It’s just that you’re usually a nine. Well, your paranormals are more of an eight, but you could get them up to a nine if you worked harder.”

“Or just go back to the gothics,” Alexios said. “They were much better. I couldn’t get through this last book.”

“He didn’t even just skip ahead to read the sex scenes,” Helia said. “Which is what he normally does with your paranormals.”

Patrick turned to Gabriel. “This is your revenge, isn’t it?”

“Helia and Alexios?” Gabriel said. “This is Patrick. He’ll be accompanying us to Seanna.”

“Oooh,” Alexios said. “It’s a family reunion.”