“It seems we both have troublemakers in our midst. It wasn’t mine alone that did this to your pack.” We knew that, but it was interesting that she knew it, too.

Still, how could someone from Donovan’s pack free a fey from underhill? Especially one as powerful as this Bhrunyz sounded?

“Will you come get what you’ve lost?” Donovan asked.

“I was ordered not to contact or aid any werewolves, but I did not contact you, and I offer you no aid. The problem is yours.”

Wow. So she knew exactly what was going on and just couldn’t say?

My gaze slipped to Cosette at the edge of the mirror. She still had her arms folded, but now her nails were digging into her skin. It wasn’t that hard to figure out what was going on. Cosette was in trouble, so the queen was in trouble. That must mean they were in debt to the other courts, which was not a place I’d ever want to be.

“What if sitting out means starting a war?” Donovan’s words were like ice in my veins. He wasn’t asking as the Alpha of his pack, which would’ve been serious enough, but as one of the Seven. Someone with the power to actually declare war.

“You won’t find many of us left to battle with. And after that mess in Santa Fe—”

“Mother, please,” Cosette cut in. “I—”

The queen turned to her. I wasn’t sure what passed between them, but the result was Cosette’s already pale skin turning ghostly. “My apologies. I have to go. If you’ll excuse me.” With that, Cosette disappeared from view.

I winced, hoping she’d be okay. She really had gone out of her way trying to help the Weres when she wasn’t supposed to.

The queen turned back to me, staring straight into my eyes. She no longer looked like the kind, beautiful woman I’d wanted to agree with. The shadows on her face darkened and the stench of magic grew, its sweet floral scent turning sour. “I’ve already said what I am able to say. It’s up to you to find Bhrunyz. It would be best if you heeded my warnings.”

Cosette’s warning had come from her mother? I wished I could’ve taken her advice, but I couldn’t. I had to come to Ireland. There was no choice for me.

But I tried to see the positive in this. The queen was leaving the hunting up to us, but she’d given us the creature’s name. It wasn’t a lot to go on, but it wasn’t nothing. We were certainly better off than we were a few minutes ago.

“Then I’ll take care of Bhrunyz,” Donovan said. “I expect no recourse for delivering a final death.”