Trent inched forward to take Ray, and I lifted her from Al. “You’re welcome to stay for breakfast,” Trent said as I settled Ray in his arms.

“I have already breakfasted, thank you,” Al said stiffly. He was trying to be flip, but I could tell he was shaken. He hadn’t expected Ray’s trust, and it couldn’t be taken away.

“Lucy, come here,” Ellasbeth demanded, crouched with her hand held out, ignored.

“What time was your appointment with the dewar?” I asked, having forgotten already.

Trent jiggled Ray. “Nine forty-five.”

“You, ah, think I could come with you?” I said, and Ellasbeth jerked, her attention on Lucy momentarily eclipsed. “I need to persuade them to leave the surface demons in the ever-after and the real demons in reality,” I added, wincing. I wasn’t going to be the demons’ liaison, but someone had to say something, and I did have a reputation for saving large demographics—even if the collateral damage was high.

Ellasbeth finally got hold of Lucy, and she backed up to the door with her as the little girl protested. “You’re joking,” she said, voice distracted. “You want them here?”

“Absolutely,” I said. My feet were freezing, and I wanted to go in.

Trent shrugged. “Sure. I’ll pick you up at eight. You’ll be at the church?”

Ellasbeth was struggling with Lucy. Exasperated, she exclaimed, “Yes, you both go. I can watch the girls.”

My eyes darted to Trent, and then Al.

“You will watch the girls?” Al drawled, popping little blue horses into existence as fast as Lucy could pop them out of existence between her two hands. “I heard it was your idea to kill Trent and Rachel so you’d have the girls as your own.”

It was out, and Ellasbeth’s cheeks reddened. “That was not my idea!” she protested, and Lucy slipped from her.

Frustrated, Trent checked his watch. “Quen and Jon can watch them.”

“I am not trying to steal the girls,” Ellasbeth said hotly, and Trent absently took a horse out of Ray’s mouth.

“I’m sorry, Ellasbeth,” he said frankly. “Rachel seems to think the best of everyone, but I’m not that ...” He hesitated.

“Naive, I believe is the word you’re looking for,” Al said, and I frowned, almost smacking him with the back of my hand.

“Lucy is my child!” Ellasbeth said, one hand gripping the wildly twisting little girl. “I can watch her.”

Trent lifted his chin and started for the door. “I don’t want you to.”

I needed to get dressed, and I hesitated, wanting to say good-bye to Al before going in, but not wanting to do it in front of everyone.

“I can watch the girls until six,” Al said suddenly, and I blinked. Face red, Al jerked his watch out of its little pocket. “Ah, that’d be six P.M., eastern standard time. I’m busy after that.”