Zee . . . ?
Okay, okay! he erupted. He didn’t sound too happy about it.
Don’t just say okay now, and then, the next time someone annoys me, try to shift me into Owl form, Emily warned.
Yeah, sure, whatever, the fire demon groused. My word is my bond.
Emily decided to take the fire demon’s word for it. Ground rule number two, she went on. In Owl form, you are not allowed to wrestle control from me and push me to the back seat. Zee began to complain, but Emily didn’t allow him continue. You’re also not allowed to hurt me like you did the first time. That’s a total no.
I didn’t mean to, the fire demon explained. I only wanted you to quit trying to take back control when I already had the horde figured out.
I don’t care. Not okay.
To be fair, Zee continued. You couldn’t have defeated the horde all by yourself. You needed me in control. You needed me at the helm to take full advantage of my power.
Emily had to agree. He was right. If she had taken on the horde by herself, they wouldn’t be here right now. The Alfreds would have taken apart the inner barrier, and they would either be fighting for their lives now or be on their way to the Alfreds’ dungeon under their castle.
Okay, Emily admitted. You did help out. But I could have let you in the pilot’s seat if you had explained to me what needed to be done.
Really? The fire demon sounded incredulous.
Of course! Emily shot back. She took a few minutes to explain how she and Selena had come to an arrangement where Selena had one night to herself each month—back when Emily detested what she was.
So you’ll give me the pilot seat when I need to help you? Zee asked.
Not when you need to help me. When there’s no other way except you taking control. Think of yourself as my nuclear weapon. You’re my last hope. You’re my secret weapon. I unleash you when the opposition is so great that I don’t see any other way.
Emily could literally feel the fire demon’s excitement. Secret weapon, he muttered.
Yes! Emily reiterated. My secret weapon.
27
Now that they were on the same page, Emily felt more liberty to control her Owl form. So she spent a few more minutes in the skies. Those minutes were sacred to her, because she felt so at peace. So within her element. Neither thinking about her friends who were in captivity nor about Aunt Anastacia, hoping she’d made it out alive.
No, for the few minutes of silence the fire demon had allowed, she thought only about the joy and peace of flying. She cruised the skies—clouds beneath her and space above her. The moon’s strong glow cast an eerie shimmer on the clouds beneath her.
Emily wished she could remain up there forever. Above the clouds, she wasn’t burdened with the cares of the world. She wasn’t ruled by her emotions. She was truly free. In the sky, she was King. Yeah, not just Queen, she was King.
But alas, you can’t remain here forever, Zee said with a hint of determination and burning anger.
Indeed, Emily replied, mirroring his anger. For she knew what had stirred him up again. The Alfreds. They still had unfinished business. And now that she and Zee had arrived at an accord, they were unstoppable.
Not only was she impervious to the Alfreds’ magic, she was also a fire demon. She was going to incinerate them. Burn down their castle, once and for all. Free her friends and take care of the evil rove—Gregory Alfred—once and for all. It was her solemn promise to herself.
Emily finally dived below the clouds. The moment she broke through, she saw the Beetle. She saw Dad and Michael sitting on the vehicle’s hood. They looked up at her the moment she came into view. Emily saw them, including the details of the features of their faces—the look of terror in their eyes.
Michael jumped to his feet, ready to take off, but Dad put a hand on his shoulder and whispered something into his ear. Michael took another look at her and relaxed a bit. However, there was still visible tension in his stature.
Emily cawed twice, circling the Beetle from about a thousand feet in the air before taking a final dive.
It was smooth and easy to shift back into human form. And there was no loss. Not even a loose feather floating away. One second, Emily was The Owl, about to hit the ground. The next, she was touching down with her two feet—human again. And a wide grin on her face.
“That wasn’t funny!” Michael growled the moment she looked up at them. She had landed a good distance away from them on the dirt path.
“It wasn’t?” Emily glanced to her father. “Didn’t you explain it to him?”
Dad shrugged. “I tried. But he believes you did it on purpose.”
Emily rolled her eyes. “Naturally, you think I’m lying. You really are such an unreasonable asshat, Michael, you know that? Didn’t I save you from the Alfreds’ dungeon? Why would I save you just to burn you to a crisp all over again?”
Michael was speechless; that didn’t mean he wasn’t frowning and striking a threatening pose, but at least he didn’t open his mouth. Emily was mildly surprised. The Michael she knew didn’t lack for words. Ever. He always had something to say. Something rude and scathing. But now, he was silent. Domesticated by Emily’s show of force.
He must have learned that Emily was impervious to his powers. But he wasn’t impervious to her fires. Their powers weren’t equally balanced. Yeah, he could do stuff with magic. However, he couldn’t do anything to her. And she could do everything to him. Quite the unfortunate predicament for him.
Michael folded his arms and hissed. “We need to get moving. The Alfreds will have figured things out by now. The more time we spend away
