“He might hike up in that park and work on his magic,” Alexis said.

“And he probably does,” Amber replied. “But he’d have to do it rarely, or on a very small scale. Lightning is bright and loud, and people in that area love the outdoors—that means hikers. Given there hasn’t been any word on a magical person, he’s kept everything on the down-low.”

“He really doesn’t want to be found,” Kieran said.

“No, he does not,” Henry agreed. “I imagine he’ll blow like a top when he realizes it’s happened.”

“The risk factor is incredibly high with this one,” Amber said. “Even if he doesn’t kill us on the spot, there is ample room for him to kill us after the meeting. The only consolation is that he’s rusty with his magic. His margin for error can only help our situation.”

Amber shifted her weight as Sodge came down the stairs. Upon seeing her, he scowled, then about-faced and walked right back up.

“I will say this, sir,” Amber continued with a small smile. “This guy is better than anyone I have found. Acquiring his loyalty would set us up nicely for the Magical Summit, not to mention help shield you if the meeting with Lydia goes bad. We’d need less people around you for protection. I think we need to take a chance on this one.”

Kieran shook his head and looked at Alexis. Logically, he knew this was their best play for protecting her. If anyone could sway this guy, it was his people. Just like with the giant, they would find a way.

But the part of him not operating on logic took a strong stance against the plan. The risk seemed too great, the situation too dangerous. They’d gotten lucky with Jerry, but their luck was bound to run out. He said as much.

“It wasn’t luck with the giant,” Alexis said, slipping her small hand into his much larger one. “It was compassion. It was offering him a second chance at a good life.”

“This guy has already granted himself a second chance,” Kieran said, turning away from his advisors so he could focus on her. “He’s walked away from the magical world to give himself that chance.”

“And we will offer him a way to have his cake and eat it, too.”

“We can build an amazing team without him, love.” Kieran kissed her forehead. “We don’t need to put ourselves in this kind of danger.”

“Yes, we do,” she said sadly. “If we’re going to play in the Demigod viper pit, we’ll always be in danger. Even your dad had assassins coming for him, and he was at the pinnacle of power and influence. At least in this situation, we know what to expect.”

Kieran sighed, but even as he nodded at Henry and Amber, giving his approval, he wondered if they actually did know what to expect, or if this Lightning Rod would blindside them all.

11

Alexis

“This town is a hundred miles from the nearest magical area,” Amber said as we sat in Kieran’s private jet two weeks after deciding to go after the Lightning Rod.

The plush surroundings did nothing to soften my fear of what was to come. Despite Amber’s grim confidence and Henry’s assurances that this was within our wheelhouse, I had very little faith things would go smoothly. While Jerry had picked a hideout within a magical area, and had met with his trespassers before disbanding them, the Lightning Rod had completely cut himself off from the magical world. This guy did not want to be found.

Daisy and Mordecai sat behind me on a cream leather couch, sipping non-alcoholic cocktails and wearing the smug looks of previously dirt-poor kids in the lap of luxury. I wished I could’ve worn that same look, but I couldn’t be smug about anything when I knew I was putting my kids in danger.

Harding had visited me again, remarking fondly on the (enormous) white kittens, and warned me that if I didn’t bring all of my people when going after the Lightning Rod, they’d likely never see me in the flesh again.

He’d meant the kids, and because his customary smirks and eye twinkles had been notably absent, I’d taken him at his word. He’d never led me astray. Besides, the one time I’d tried to keep them out of the fighting, they’d both nearly ended up dead.

I hated that they loved being included.

“This is good and bad,” Amber said, sitting forward on the chair across from the small table where Kieran and I sat, fancy finger foods arrayed on a silver tray between us, untouched. “Good, because it’s doubtful the people that live there will be able to identify magical people from sight. From my research, it seems many were born and bred in that small town. The town generates income from tourists who wish to hike, camp, or otherwise use the resources of the mountain. There are a lot of rock climbers at this time of year, for example. Properly dressed strangers won’t stick out. Unfortunately, our guy will be able to identify magical people on sight. To him, we will stick out. Most of us, anyway.”

I couldn’t tell who she thought would stick out. Kieran hadn’t brought any of the new people except for Jerry, who would be useful because of his lightning-resistant skin and affinity for rock.

“We have about an hour till touchdown,” Henry said, sitting up close to the cockpit with his computer.

Amber nodded at him and then refocused on Kieran. “The original plans still stand, for the most part. You and Jerry will lead most of the team through the mountains, coming in the back way. The few we talked about will enter the town the traditional way. Our aim is to raise his suspicion. Make him jump at shadows.”

“Wait…” I put out a hand. “We’re basically going to alert him we’re there? When was that decided?” I’d been left out of a few discussions, but this seemed like something I should’ve been let in on.

“If we come at him completely by surprise, he’ll likely react on impulse,” Kieran said, “in a way that relies on muscle memory and training.”

“It’ll turn violent, basically,” Amber said.

“But if he suspects there is danger,” Kieran went on, “he’ll probably think things through. He might even set up a place for us to meet. Only Jerry will be able to meet him in that place, but it’ll make him more rational. Less trigger-happy.”

“It sounds like it’ll make him more dangerous,” Mordecai said.

“Only if he’s smarter or more prepared than us,” Amber said, and amazingly, despite how highly I knew she thought of her abilities, she didn’t sound overconfident. Her voice held a bit of gravity, suggesting she would be on her toes with this one.

My stomach churned. That wasn’t good news.

“Did you guys come up with some ideas for recruiting him over to the dark side?” I asked, eyeing the champagne chilling in the silver bucket at the edge of the table. No one had touched it, but now I wondered if I shouldn’t just glug some for courage.

Amber leaned back, looking to Kieran.

“Harding is under the impression you should handle that,” Kieran said with a grim expression. “You and the kids.”

The blood left my face—I could feel it. “Harding is… Me…and the kids? Why was he talking to you? He never talks to you.”

“He figured you’d kick him out of the house for suggesting it. He thinks it’s the safest approach.”