Taran stiffened next to her, realizing this man was a Fae. The shifters were a part of the monstre class of Fae. Many belonged in the court of shadows, but they were not related, not in a way that mattered. If anything, they served as the funeral directors of the court. It all made sense now.
“Were you thrown out in disgrace, or did you escape?” Eilonwy asked.
He laughed like a raven. “Haw ha! As if my kind would be allowed to fly the outland skies!”
“You escaped?” Eilonwy stalled as Taran touched her on the back. He was scared, but ready to fight. He had been trained his whole life to fight and protect. “How did you get here?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Dante sneered.
“What I would really like to know is why do this?” Eilonwy said as she gestured at Haley.
“Eternal death is the ultimate form of love,” he said.
“It’s forbidden to do this to anyone on this side,” she replied, even though she was guessing.
“I do as I please. It is my way.”
“How many, Dante?”
“Consumed like that delicious morsel Haley sent me, or immortalized?”
“I have time, tell me everything.”
“It started—”
“No.”
“No, what?”
“Get dressed and meet me downstairs, tell me when you get here,” Eilonwy said.
“Why bother when I can do it from here?” Dante asked.
Taran strode to the bathroom mirror and smacked the chisel into the mirror. It shattered into a hundred pieces. The sound felt oddly satisfying to Eilonwy. Then she grabbed the radio and plucked the feather from Haley’s hands.
“What’s the plan?” Taran asked, following her down the stairs with the lamp and tools.
“Do you know what a raven shifter is?” Eilonwy asked.
“A little. I know they’re from the dark court, they eat the dead, and they carry out executions by the order of the queen.”
“They also read a lot, and they like to hear the sound of their own voice.”
“How did he get here?” Taran asked.
“Probably through one of the portals. Help me move my suitcase. I need to sketch out something on the floor, and I don’t want him to know I have ingredients. We also need to turn down the lights.”
“He ate Carey, didn’t he?” Haley asked.
“Possibly. You need to prepare yourself for when he arrives,” Eilonwy said as she sketched out a pentacle on the wooden floor using a dark brown spell crayon made with blood, one that couldn’t be seen in the dim light.
“Do you think he’s really coming here?” Haley asked.
“Yes, he’s too arrogant not to. He’ll know it’s a trap, but he’ll think he can escape.”
All the lights on the lower floor went out. The only light left was from the staircase and the streetlights outside.
“I stowed the suitcase behind the counter. Now what?” Taran asked.
