Conall, a young warrior who couldn’t be a day over twenty, asked her with a gentle smile, “How did you know where Faelan was hidden?”

Bree faced the room of warriors and opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Ronan coughed once, and when she looked at him, he waggled the bottom of his kilt and winked. Bree couldn’t help smiling. From the corner of her eye, she saw Faelan glance at Ronan and frown. She wouldn’t dare think of Faelan’s kilt. She knew all too well what was under there.

“I found my great-great-grandmother’s journal. She wrote about a visitor who thought there was a lost treasure hidden nearby. We know now he was someone the clan sent. I’d also found the map he drew. When I saw the crypt was missing on the map, I knew it was important. I think I’ve always known that crypt was special. It’s haunted me since I was a child.”

“Has it now?” Sean asked, watching her.

“I’ve always found it… disturbing.” An image formed in her mind, a little girl reaching for the burial vault with bloody hands. Bree pushed the thought away and focused, describing how she’d believed the missing treasure was hidden inside the burial vault and discovered the locked chest. The three days she spent trying to open it, and the shock of finding Faelan. She then talked about the dreaded part. Russell. How charming he’d been, how dark and disturbing he became at the end. It was embarrassing to admit to these brave warriors that she’d been engaged to a demon, but they needed to know if they were going to fight this battle.

“How do you know Russell is Druan?” Duncan asked.

“Druan sent halflings to the house. We traced their vehicle to his castle. I thought he’d captured Faelan, so I sneaked in and saw Russell talking to an old man.”

Niall, in the process of taking a drink of water, spewed it all down his shirt. “You sneaked into the demon’s castle to rescue the Mighty Faelan?” He turned to Faelan. “Sounds like you got yourself a warrior.” He chuckled as he wiped his mouth. Most of the others joined him, except Faelan. Even Sorcha wore a look of respect.

“Maybe the old man was the demon, or someone else inside,” Tomas said, next to Bree.

“Russell’s description matches how Druan looked as Jeremiah,” Faelan said. “And Druan’s too vain to take on an old body.”

“Most of them are,” Duncan muttered. “Makes sense he would target Bree. He’d need access to the place.”

Sorcha crossed one booted leg. “Were you and Druan lovers? If you mated, you could’ve had halflings. I assume Faelan filled you in on what an unpleasant quandary that would have presented.”

Bree’s bitch alarm went off. There was some relevance, but she doubted it was the reason for the question. Sorcha was a bitch on the surface, but Bree had a feeling her behavior was a cover for something else. “There were no children,” Bree said, holding Sorcha’s gaze until the female warrior blushed and squirmed in her seat.

Duncan watched Sorcha’s cheeks warm, and he leaned back with a satisfied smirk. Faelan looked like he might throw up.

The uncomfortable moment was averted when Ronan walked into the room wearing jeans, apologizing that he’d arrived late. Bree looked at the back of the room where Ronan sat in his kilt, polishing his sword. There were two of them? Faelan had told her twins ran in the clan. God help the female population.

“Faelan, Bree, this is Declan, Ronan’s twin,” Sean said. He asked Declan, “How did the battle go?”

“I got him in the vault,” the handsome warrior said, “but he was a whiner.”

“I hate the whiners,” Niall agreed. “I’d rather have one fight to the death.”

Including Bree in his welcome, Declan walked over to Faelan and clasped his hand. “The legend lives.” He searched Faelan’s face with wonder. “Welcome home. I’ve heard stories about your suspension since I was a lad, and I have to admit, I believed they were fables the trainers made up to keep us in line. ‘Pay attention. Don’t underestimate the demons. Remember what happened to the Mighty Faelan,’” Declan said, his voice theatrically gruff.

There were chuckles and commiserating nods from the others as Faelan grimaced.

“Soon the legend will be the Mighty Faelan on wheels,” Brodie said. “You think he’s good with a sword? You should see him drive. Left Tomas in the dust.”

“Like you weren’t right beside me,” Tomas grumbled.

Bree had watched them racing their vehicles over the fields like little boys playing with toy cars. Faelan learned fast.

“I would be honored to help you fight Druan,” Declan said, “but now I want to hear this story. I’ve heard at least five versions in the last twenty-four hours. My cell phone hasn’t stopped ringing. A warrior in Sweden said he heard Faelan had found the virus and had it in the time vault with him all along.”

“You’ve just missed it, but it wouldn’t hurt us all to hear it again, so we’re clear on the facts.” Sean waited for Bree to agree. She pulled out a smile and nodded at the grand opportunity to relive her stupidity before an audience of superheroes.

“Wait up. Anna’s right behind me, and Cody MacBain’s with us. I know they’ll want to hear this too,” Declan said.

“Cody MacBain’s the one who suspended that demon of old last year,” Tomas whispered to Brodie, his voice hushed with admiration.

“Two legends in one room. It’s enough to give a man an inferiority complex,” Brodie replied.

A woman with black hair and the most incredible turquoise eyes Bree had ever seen stepped into the room. She was followed by a dark-haired man that made Bree’s jaw drop. His eyes were intense, radiating danger. He scanned the room, gaze settling on Faelan before moving to her. The room faded, and Bree saw a wispy image of a woman standing next to the man. Not Anna. This woman was blond, her green eyes dull with pain and loss and fear, and she bore a scar. A letter carved into her skin.

The room resurfaced as the vision faded. Bree was slumped against Brodie, who stared at her, his expression puzzled. Only he and Tomas had noticed.

“Sorry,” she whispered. “Too much wine last night.”

“I told you that you were overdoing it, but do you ever listen to me?” Tomas quipped.

Brodie blushed as red as his hair but continued to watch Bree.

“I think most of you know Cody MacBain from America,” Declan said. “He’s here looking for Angus.”

Cody nodded to everyone, then to Faelan, the intensity in his eyes replaced with curiosity and respect. “There isn’t a warrior alive who hasn’t heard of the Mighty Faelan. Can’t say I believed you were real.” He shook Faelan’s hand and nodded to Jamie, whom he seemed to know. Sorcha scooted closer to Jamie, offering Cody a seat.

Anna greeted the warriors and approached Faelan. Before he could jump up, she leaned down and shook his hand. Her white T-shirt lifted as she bent. Bree could see symbols on Anna’s back, similar to Faelan’s, but starting above her hips and opening to a vee below her waist.

She rose, and every male eye followed as she moved to sit cross-legged on the floor in front of Bree. Every male except Faelan, still staring at Bree, his face a maze of secrets, and Duncan, glaring at Sorcha, who preened between Jamie and Cody like a cat who’d stolen the cream.

Brodie tapped Anna’s shoulder, and when she turned, he gazed hard into her eyes.

“Not in this lifetime, Brodie.”

“Humph. You never know.”

“I’d dive into a volcano first.”

“Spoilsport. The snake wasn’t real.”

“Put another one in my bed, and you won’t be, either.”

“What’d I tell you?” Tomas muttered, nudging Brodie.

“Watch out for this trickster,” Anna said to Bree, then glanced around the room as Brodie mumbled about people not having a sense of humor. “Where’s Angus?”

Duncan dragged his gaze from Sorcha. “He’s not here. Last time he checked in, he was looking for you. Said he’d see you back here. He was upset, wouldn’t say what it was about.”

“He tried to call me, but I’d didn’t have my phone.”

“You? With no phone?” Brodie said.

“The demon I was battling ate it.”

“That’s two phones you’ve had eaten in the past six months,” Brodie said. “What are you doing, trying to choke the demons to death?”

Anna rolled her eyes and ignored him. “Angus’s message said he needed to meet me. It was urgent. I thought he’d be here.”

“So did I,” Cody said. “Angus contacted us and said he’d discovered something unbelievable. Something that would affect all the clans, but he’d blown his cover. He needed us to hide it.”

“What did he find?” Shane asked. “We know it wasn’t the key. Bree had that.”

Cody shook his head. “He didn’t say. Anna thinks it might’ve had something to do with the Book of Battles.”

“Several months ago we started looking into the disappearance, but I got busy with my next demon and had to put the search aside. When I went to Angus for an update, he said he’d discovered some things, but didn’t want to say anything until he was sure. You know Angus.”

“That lad could find a mystery in thin air,” Sean said. “But we’ve already found the Book of Battles.”

“You have it here?” Anna asked, her turquoise eyes so brilliant they seemed to glow.

“No. Faelan found it in Bree’s attic.”

“It’s hidden safely away,” Faelan said, but he looked uneasy.

“What was it doing in America?” Declan asked.

“I have no idea, unless McGowan or Quinn brought it,” Bree said.

“Who’s McGowan?” Declan frowned, making him look even more like Ronan.

“Uh, he was the Seeker who went to America with Quinn,” Sean explained.

“I thought… ah, I see,” Declan said.

“Angus didn’t say what he found, but he mentioned a gathering,” Cody said. “Since I was the closest, I was supposed to meet him before he left for Scotland. He didn’t show up and I figured he was headed here. I ran into Declan and Anna on the way.”