Diyiren supervised the movers lifting boxes into the truck. Aoibh tickled her cats by the nose, touched their paws, each in individual crates. She couldn't neglect Cassie, Tess or Lemon long, or the trio would whine. She insisted on the chickens too. None of her animals were to be left behind.
Aoibh shot up at the sound of Diyiren's phone, but he said, "It's just Mr. Dethewaite telling me what I already know."
Aoibh took the phone from him.
"President Gable is calling for the execution of the Banned Music Committee. Mr. Reitman requests any assistance available."
Aoibh spiked the phone at him. "You call that 'stuff you already know'?"
"It was on the news yesterday. Taffy texted me last night."
Aoibh smacked him with both hands. She was as tall as he was and she'd had centuries to become as strong. "This is why I can't leave."
"You'll make it worse," Diyiren said.
"If I talked to the judge—"
"Risk causing another suicide? Provoke a war? How many times were you burned at the stake?" he said. "Remember when you slaughtered that native tribe for fighting with the Sičháŋǧu? And then the Sičháŋǧu were petrified of you and kidnapped Seamus and disappeared?"
Tears cascaded down Aoibh's face and she railed her fists on him. Diyiren grunted with each blast.
"Mo Bhanrion, the sooner we leave, the faster this is over."
"It's never over," Aoibh said. Wings shot out of her back and she shot into the air.
Diyiren started swearing under his breath. "Taffy," he called out.
The ancient woman bowed more smoothly than a woman of her age should have. Diyiren stopped her midway.
"Can you handle getting the rest of this through the portal? Every single cat, dog, chicken. If it breathes and Aoibh wants it, send it through. Things can be replaced."
"My King," Taffy said, nodding her head.
"For safety, you go through the portal too."
Diyiren transformed into a black beast and shot into the air.
Dylan kept his phone focused on King Ao Guang until he disappeared. He took a dozen videos and at least as many photographs.
Jo grabbed him by the collar.
"What are you doing?" Dylan cried.
"We're going to Canada."
"But Mom—"
"No buts, get in the car."
YOU ARE READING
The Lamb and the Gray Battle
FantasyEvie has spent the last 575 years on the North American continent, now called America, the Pure and Clean. She smiles, volunteers and makes cakes and pastries for her neighbors, hiding away her demon blood. She wants nothing to do with her estranged...
