“You’re missing one thing…one very scary thing that should illuminate it all for you,” LD added. “Who is he currently ‘seeing’—and I use that term loosely.”
“Shit. The Morrigan,” I said, as the realization hit me. “What are you saying?”
“She’s a goddess, and has chosen to be with him. A goddess of Death,” LD emphasized. “Do you really, for a second, think she would be with someone she considered weak?”
“Well, she’s not with him for his good looks, that’s for sure,” I said. “This defection was because of the Black Orchid letter, wasn’t it? The threat?”
“In part,” LD said. “I think this was a long time coming. Dex doesn’t do well with authority, never has. Not even in the Ten, and we’re as lax as it gets with rules. Dex rebels against them, which is why he never really joined us, despite numerous invitations.”
“Then he gets placed in charge of the Golden Circle,” I said. “He must have hated it.”
“Hated? Not really,” LD said. “He hates the trappings of the Order, the constraints; but he actually loves the Circle, just not the rules there.”
“Grey said Monty may have gone there to sort things out during his schism. He said he’d want to be somewhere familiar, somewhere that felt like home.”
“Makes sense,” LD said. “The only problem is…”
“We can’t find it right now.”
“Exactly. Which is good and bad,” LD said, pensively. “If we can’t find it, neither can Evers. It also means we can’t help Tristan during the schism.”
“How do we help Monty, if we can’t even find him?”
“When I said we, I meant everyone but you,” LD said, handing me a small, off-white card covered in runes I couldn’t decipher. “This appeared suddenly, about half an hour ago. Seems like your presence is requested.”
I took the card. It felt heavy in my hand. Instinctively, I knew it was from Dex. I didn’t know how I knew, but I knew. There was only one line on the card I could understand. The rest was in some kind of magealphabet.
It read: Send me the shieldbearer.
TWENTY-THREE
“Dex sent this,” I said, turning the card over. “It feels like him.”
“You can sense the energy?”
“Yes, powerful with a heavy dose of cranky,” I answered. “It’s hard to explain, but it’s Dex.”
“Yes, and it seems he wants you, wherever he is.”
“Wonderful,” I said, exasperated, turning the card over in my hand again. “Should I just jump into the Dark Goat and drive off to the plane where he is? Did he happen to send a map, too? Maybe GPS coordinates? How am I supposed to find him?”
“You aren’t.”
“LD, I swear, if you start magespeaking me, I will shoot you.”
“Take a breath,” LD said, holding up a hand. “If anyone can find Dex, it’s you, or rather”—he pointed at Peaches—“him.”
“Are you serious?” I asked, looking down at my hellhound. “We don’t even know where he is.”
“You don’t,” LD said, looking down at Peaches and scratching his head behind the ears. “I’m sure this awesome hellhound knows how to find the cranky old man. Isn’t that right?”
Peaches gave off a low rumble and chuffed. The ham.
<He said I’m awesome. He must really know me.>
<I think he’s just being polite.>
<Ask him if he can make some meat. I’m so hungry. Are you trying to fast me again? Did you know I’m a growing hellhound?>
<I’m aware. Can you find Monty’s uncle?>
<I can’t find anyone on an empty stomach. It doesn’t let me concentrate. My stomach is so empty.>
<This is serious, boy.>
<Nothing is more serious than meat.>
<What about your bondmate and your pack?>
<They are serious too, but meat is even more serious. Meat makes me strong. If I’m strong, I can protect my bondmate and my pack. Meat is life.>
<That actually makes sense. He’s not going to make meat if you can’t find Dex. As awesome as he thinks you are.>
Peaches moved into pounce mode and sniffed the air. For a second, I thought he fell asleep— he was special that way. After a few more seconds, he gave off another low rumble.
<I found him, but I can only take you, my bondmate. The old man is far away.>
“He found him,” I said, looking down at my hellhound with awe. “Don’t ask me how, and he says he can only take me there, but he did.”
“Dex is probably helping with the locating on his end,” LD said, rubbing Peaches’ massive head. “Are you hungry, boy? Hellhounds are always hungry. Here.”
LD gestured and created two large sausages, placing them in front of a barely contained Peaches.
<Can I eat them now? They smell so good.>
<You earned them. Dig in.>
<Why do you want me to dig? I want to eat them?>
<What I meant was, enjoy your sausages. Eat.>
He didn’t wait to be told twice. The enormous sausages disappeared inside five seconds.
“Wow,” LD said, shaking his head. “I hope you can find a larger space when he gets to full size, and maybe buy a few sausage factories to keep him fed.”
“Or I could just learn how to make him his meat.”
LD stared at me for a good three seconds.
“I have one word for you…deathane. Let’s not try that again for a few decades.”
“What do I do if Monty is there?” I asked, concerned. “The last time we spoke, he wasn’t exactly himself.”
“Did he threaten you?”
“He promised to end my existence.”
“Let me ask you a different question,” LD said. “Why do you think Dex is asking for you?”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense,” I said. “I mean, if Monty is there, why doesn’t he just smack some sense into him and fix him?”
“He didn’t ask for Strong or Simon, he asked for the shieldbearer,” LD said. “I think this has something to do specifically with you and Monty. It’s possible Dex can’t help Monty; maybe that’s your job.”
“I’m not a mage or a mage doctor. I don’t know the first thing about how to help him,” I said, frustrated. “All I know
