Page 119 of Dead End

“Otto and the Yanmen Army went to Paradise with Kami to restore order.”

“What happens to the ghost army after that? Do you stick them back in the vase?”

“No. Now that the curse is broken, I can order them to cross over.”

“What about the supernatural army The Corporation was building? Can you order them around, too?”

“I’m afraid they’re not in my domain. Kami, Darago, and Nabu are in charge of destroying the entire avatar program and relieving the supernaturals of their new powers.”

Goran flinched. “Sounds like a tall order. Can they manage all that alone?”

“Oh, they won’t be alone. I believe Kami described it as the inmates taking over the asylum.” There’d been so many deities and supernaturals in Paradise who didn’t support The Corporation’s expansion. Now they’d be able to build the peaceful existence they truly wanted. What was the point of living in Paradise if you didn’t enjoy it?

“I’m glad you’re all right,” Goran said. “I was worried I might never see you again.” Hesitation flickered across his features. “Kane hasn’t come back yet. Is he…?”

“Kane’s fine. He stayed behind to help the injured. They set up triage in the Devil’s Playground.”

“Any fatalities?”

“Only the egos of our opponents.” Which was a miracle given what we were up against. Camryn’s tarot card reading had come to pass after all.

“You did it,” Goran said, shaking his head in disbelief. “I wasn’t sure you could pull it off, but I never should’ve doubted you.”

“Wedid it,” I said. “It was a team effort, and now this team member is going upstairs to take a very long nap.”

Goran smiled. “Sweet dreams, Lorelei. You’ve earned them.”

The Castle was quiet. No creaking floorboards. No rattling pipes.

I didn’t like it.

Fortunately, I didn’t have long to wait for noise. The doorbell rang, and I heard Goran’s footsteps thunder down the steps to answer.

I stayed put in the kitchen, trying to decipher one of Nana Pratt’s recipes as I chopped an onion. Cooking would never be my thing, but I owed it to her to try. Besides, Kane would be here for dinner tonight, along with the remainder of his belongings. I wanted the meal to be special.

Claude filled a measuring cup with water and nudged it toward the bowl.

“Thanks, buddy.”

Goran appeared in the kitchen doorway. “Are those crows a permanent feature now? They give me the creeps.”

“I seem to have inherited them from Birdie. I’m not sure they plan on leaving.”

Goran shuddered. “They stare at me whenever I walk outside, like they’re waiting for me to put a foot wrong and swoop down to attack.”

“I can talk to them if it would make you feel better.”

“Would you mind? I worry they sense my old form and might mistake me for supper.”

I doubted that. Crows and blackbirds typically didn’t get along, but the feathers of these crows didn’t seem ruffled when Kane shifted into his blackbird form.

“Who was at the door?” I asked.

“Oh, there was a delivery for you.”

I gave a cursory glance to the bundle of books stacked in Goran’s arms. “I didn’t order any books. Are they from the library?”

“I don’t know. There’s a note with them.” He set the books on the corner of the counter. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as a Jane Austen fan.”

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