"Until recently, we would have thought that entering into the Otherworlds without the cloak of death would have been impossible." He looked at me and my roommate. "But when we found out that Jayne and Tim had recently entered the Underworld while fully alive, we knew that it was, in fact, possible. The key was to figure out how it happened and how we could then duplicate the process."

Oh boy. Everyone was looking at me, and I couldn't help but wonder what the chances were that they'd be able to figure out how to do all this without talking to me about it or having me actually be the one doing it. I wasn't so sure I could do it again, especially if everyone was kind of counting on it. Expectations tended to throw off my mojo when it came to this magic c.r.a.p - or anything else, really.

"We discussed Jayne's process with the council members who were privileged enough to hear her story, and we also involved some witches who have had some dealings with demons and angels in their communication spells. It seems that it could be possible to send a small group of fae into the Otherworlds for the purpose of contacting the guardians in their realms."

The whispering started around the table, but Gregale continued.

"It's not without its risks, though, so we must caution the council that whoever they choose to take these journeys, for surely there will be at least two - one into each realm - will do so at great personal risk. It is very likely that not all who go will return."

"What are the odds?" asked Ben.

"Depending on the race of the fae, the odds range from three-to-one, to twenty-five-to-one."

I wondered which category I fell into, and then very quickly decided I didn't want to know. I didn't want to go on this little trip in the first place; and if I did have to go, I wouldn't want to know that I was probably the one who was going to not make it back. It was better to go in b.a.l.l.s-out, thinking you were going to come out alive with a new dragon friend than to go in worrying about when you were going to lose your head or get it sizzled off.

"I volunteer to go," said Niles. "Dwarves have long held symbiotic relationships with dragons. I believe we have the best odds of success."

Gregale looked a little uncomfortable at that, and Tony started fidgeting. That told me Niles could possibly be overestimating his awesomeness, at least as far as the gray elves were concerned.

Dardennes looked at Gregale. "Have you put together a list of candidates?"

"As a matter of fact, we have, Anton. Here you are," he said, handing Dardennes a small scroll. "I must say that Tony, our young wrathe, was quite instrumental in constructing this list. He's very good at the game of chess, which uses various pieces to maneuver around a constrained area with numerous threats present and a limited ability to antic.i.p.ate the moves of the opposition. We find his reasoning to be superbly applicable to this particular situation."

Dardennes gave Tony a brief smile and then opened the scroll, his eyes scanning the list of names.

My palms began to sweat as I wondered if any of my friends would soon be risking life and limb for the fae and humans both.

Dardennes' eyebrow went up a little and then up some more until it finally disappeared into his white hair. He looked over at Gregale when he was done. "Are you sure about this?"

Gregale nodded. "As sure as we can be. It took the greatest amount of our time, constructing this group from the fae we have available here."

"What were your criteria?" asked Niles.

"There were many, of course," started Gregale.

Tony stepped in when Gregale seemed to hesitate. "We looked at the environments they'd be going into, the dangers they'd face and different threats we know are present, their particular skills and talents, and last, their positions here."

"Meaning what?" asked Niles.

"Meaning, if they are more or less expendable to our community, they were higher on the list of potential candidates," said Tony, unapologetically.

"Do you mean to suggest that the fae on this list are considered expendable?" asked Dardennes, clearly offended by the idea.

"No, not at all," explained Tony. "But some have roles here that are more critical and hard to fill than others."

"Which does not explain to me how certain fae could be on this list since they are the only ones who fulfill certain roles and can be the only ones to do so."

I got a shiver up my spine on that one, knowing there were only a couple fae in this place who fit that description, Ben and me being two of them.

"We had to weigh the options, like I said. While someone may be critical to our community here, his or her skills or talents might be so important to the success of the mission that we cannot leave this particular fae out or it will surely fail."

Dardennes took in a deep breath and let it out in a long, unhappy sigh. "I have no problem sharing this list of names with the council, but I am not prepared to agree that it is a definitive list. We reserve the right to add and subtract as we see fit."

Tony and Gregale nodded their heads. "Of course," said the gray elf. "We are merely here to consult for you, not to take it upon ourselves to subst.i.tute our judgment for the council's."

Tony looked up at me, his face a mask of stress and self-doubt now. I squinted my eyes at him and nodded my head, trying to tell him he was awesome and had nothing to worry about. I'd totally back him up, no matter what. I sent out the vibe as hard as I could. You rock, Tony Baloney. Whatever you put on that list is good enough for me.

He smiled briefly before going back to being his serious wrathe self.

"Don't keep us in suspense any longer, Anton. Out with it," said Red.

Dardennes held up the scroll and began reading off the names.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE.

DARDENNES' VOICE RANG OUT, BRAVE and unwavering.

"Ben the elemental."

I could have guessed that one.

Tim said softly near my ear, "Could his head possibly get any bigger? I think not."

"Jared the daemon."

Ditto. He knew how to fight.

Tim added. "I'd pick him too."

"Niles the dwarf."

That was going to make the little shrimp happy. And he'd fought enough times and won to prove he could outlive almost every other dwarf on the planet. Maybe he had special ninja moves or something. I planned to pay better attention to his techniques if I ever got the chance to watch him fight again.

Tim snickered. "He'd be like a delicious jalapeno popper for a dragon. Why'd they pick him?"

"Samantha the witch."

Gag me. Why is she always in my face?

Tim's commentary p.i.s.sed me off this time. "Now she and Ben can get it on in three realms instead of just one."

I reached back to flick him but he was in too awkward a position for me to reach.

"Finn the green elf."

That was going to p.i.s.s Becky off. She'd probably mope the entire time he was gone. But I was sure he'd make it back. No one could pull off a kill shot like my friend Finn.

"And last but not least ..."

My b.u.t.t squinched up with the tension, wondering if my name would be next. I didn't really want to go, but to let Finn go without me was making me feel like total c.r.a.p. What if he ends up needing me and I'm not there? No, I definitely had to go, so I could be there to watch his back. If they called me, I'd agree to be a part of the team without arguing.

Tim sighed. "They probably want me. There is no one in the entire realm who can pixie like I can. Seriously. I was born with this talent. You're going to have to learn to live without me for a while, Jayne. You'll need to watch my family for me."

Dardennes' voice seemed to bounce off the walls with the last candidate's name, leaping from his lips.

"...Tony the wrathe."

My head filled with the sound of constant ringing. Then it was like someone had turned a television to the emergency response channel whine and shoved it into my brain. I couldn't hear what anyone around me was saying anymore; all I could see was their mouths moving, and then my vision slowly faded out to red. I was literally seeing that color, crimson and deep, and was completely unable to stop myself from standing up and yelling out into the room like a wild woman.

"NO!".

The whine between my ears lowered several notches, and all the noise created by the voices in the room died down in an instant. My red rage turned into visions of Tony being skewered by one of those giant dragon talons. Unacceptable.

"No way in h.e.l.l is Tony going into the Underworld without me!" I was on the verge of losing it, that much was clear from the unhinged tone of my voice.

"Jayne ..." Tony started to say, but I cut him off.

"NO! No, Tony." I pointed at him. "Nothing you say will make it okay. Either you're not going or I'm going with you, it's as simple as that."

Ben put his hand on my arm, pulling it down to my side. "Just sit down, Jayne. Relax."

He sounded irritated, but I didn't care. I jerked my arm away from his touch. "Don't tell me to relax, Ben. I'm relaxed, and I'm not kidding either. I'm not staying behind if Tony goes."

Gregale spoke up next. "We can't have both elementals gone at the same time."

"Then keep Ben," I said. "I'll go instead."

I heard a few twitters around the table, and all that did was p.i.s.s me off even more.

"What?! You think I can't hack it?" I glared at everyone around me, daring anyone to say something. "You think I can't kick everyone's b.u.t.t in this room if I want to? And I'll have you know that I've already faced down not one but two dragons and lived to tell about it, unlike every other fae on that stupid list!"

Celine stepped in. "Jayne, please ... just sit down and let us discuss this. Remember, the list is only a suggestion, right?"

I took a deep breath, gripping the edge of the table and dropping down ungracefully into my chair. I never could deny Celine when she used her patient mom voice on me. "Tony's not going," I said in a much quieter voice. "He'll get fried or shish kabobbed for sure."

Tony rolled his eyes at me, and I got the distinct impression he was not happy about my non-vote of confidence; but I didn't care. Facts were facts. Tony sucked at fighting, or at least he was no warrior. And dragons were big-a.s.s scary. No way was he in a position to mess with one of them or any of the demons I'd had the displeasure of meeting.

"We have one opinion registered with respect to the list," said Dardennes, not even looking at me. "Does anyone else have a comment for our consideration?"

"I agree with the suggestions made by the gray elves and the wrathe. The Mother should not go," said Red.

Several heads around the table began bobbing in agreement. My face went hot with rage. Soon everyone but one fae was agreeing with Red. Aidan. I looked at him and blinked twice very slowly.

He winked back at me, smiling ever so slightly.

I knew then what was going to happen, and the red heat faded from my face, the anger being slowly replaced by cool calculation. I didn't give a flying f.u.c.k what any of these crusty b.a.s.t.a.r.ds said. With Aidan's help, I was either going with this dragon posse so I could watch Tony's scrawny back, or I was going to kidnap his stupid chess-playing b.u.t.t and keep him with me; but no way in h.e.l.l was he going into that smelly-a.s.s lizard's den without me at his side.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR.

THE REST OF THE MEETING pa.s.sed by in a blur. Tim kept trying to talk to me, but I wasn't hearing any of it. I left the room at the first opportunity and went to my bedroom, leaving Tim to deal with his wife who had a million questions about his first meeting as a councilman.

I yanked my backpack out of the bottom drawer of my dresser, shoving a couple tunics, a pair of jeans, and several pairs of underwear and socks in it. I took off the cloak and tossed it carelessly on the bed, not caring at all if it got wrinkled and messed up.

Stupid council, listening to a d.a.m.n teenager about who should go see dragons and fight demons. What the h.e.l.l is wrong with them?

I was so busy packing, I missed the sound of someone coming into my room. A hand took my arm, and I spun sideways, pulling Blackie out and drawing The Green up into me so fast, I didn't even have time to think about it.

I saw his face and nearly collapsed. "Spike!" I yelled, dropping the power from my body and Blackie from my hand, jumping into his waiting arms.

"Whoa," he said, laughing under his breath, "remind me to get possessed and go away more often."

"Where the h.e.l.l have you been, you jerk?" I asked in his neck. I wasn't ready to pull back yet. His warm body, crazy hair, and strong tattooed arms wrapped around me were exactly what I needed right now.

"I've been hunting a very wily demon, actually. But I'm back for good now."

"Did you get him?" I asked, leaning back far enough so I could see his face.

"Yeah, I did," he said, sighing. "But I let him go."

"Why?"

"Because after he explained himself, I decided that the guy did me a favor. And I could hardly kill him for doing the same thing I would have done in his shoes."

I smiled. "Oh yeah?"

Spike smiled back, dazzling me to my toes with those crazy hot teeth of his. "Yeah."

I pulled back, a little concerned about the swirling red that had picked up in his eyes. I didn't have time to fight him off, and with my emotions all messed up like they were right now, I couldn't even imagine myself wanting to do it.

"So, tell me about it," I said.

Spike looked over at the bed where my backpack lay. "Going somewhere?"

"Maybe," I said, not willing to share any more details than that.

"A little bird told me you plan to jump into the Otherworlds to find a dragon or two."