CHAPTER 25

"You be good while I'm gone," he told the hellhound as he stood. "No barking at the fairies. No growling at Tink. Lily is fair game, though."

This last one got a sheepish grin from the center head. Though they considered Mike their boss, Lily was definitely second-in-command due to her demonic nature. There was no way they would ever consider doing anything to the demon.

"Master come home soon?" they asked. Each head took a turn with each word, the speech slightly stilted as a result.

"I will come home when my business is done." He gave Cerberus a hug, then kissed each forehead. "I'm counting on you to protect the house."

Cerberus backed away, their features solemn as they nodded. The large chain fastened around their necks retracted into the Underworld as they walked through the iron gate. Once on the other side, the spectral chain vanished and Cerberus reverted to their true form in a flash of crimson flames. They let out a howl and ran into the mist of the Underworld as Mike closed the gate and locked it.

When he made it to the top of the yard, Dana was waiting for him next to Naia's fountain.

"How is she this morning?" he asked.

Dana frowned. "She's fine, but...it isn't pretty."

"You look like you're ready for an adventure," he said. With Eulalie unable to go, Dana had been the first to volunteer to guide him. Ever since dying, her memory was perfect, which would help them find the cabin in the woods. "Is that...Tick Tock?" He was referring to the backpack she wore.

"No, Tick Tock is staying here," she explained. "As long as he has the you-know-what stored away, it makes more sense to keep him here."

Dana was referring to the Grimoire of Morgana Le Fey. The magical text was full of powerful spells and its rumored existence alone had caused multiple attempts to break into his home. The mimic had been instructed to swallow the damned thing if anyone tried to take it. He had been tempted on a few occasions to just ask Tick Tock to do it, but he wanted Ratu to search its pages before he did. If it really was one of the most powerful magical texts ever, it might hold the secret to bringing Dana back to life.

"That's really smart, I'm glad you thought of it. So...what are you bringing?" Mike asked.

"Spare change of clothes. For myself and—"

"Me." Quetzalli stepped out of the garage, her purple hair nearly iridescent in the sun. A silver horn sat in the middle of her forehead, and beneath it was a streak of either dust or cobwebs. "If Dana is coming then I am too."

"There may be a fight," he warned her.

"I'm no stranger to a fight." She winked at him. A dragon stuck in human form, she was able to manipulate electricity and could speak about storms for hours. "My horn has grown half-an-inch in the last three months, so my control is getting better."

To elaborate her point, she held her hands apart and he watched tiny streamers flow back and forth between her palms. He opened his mouth to say something, but Dana put her hand over his lips.

"I know what you're going to do," she told him. "And if you make an electricity joke, I will punch you."

He held up his hands and tried to wipe the smirk off his face. "Okay, that's fair. I'll keep it to myself."

"Now that's actually shocking," Amymone quipped from up in her tree.

"Could you zap her?" Dana asked.

Quetzalli frowned. "No. Wood is a poor conductor."

"Go, go," Naia told them before leaning out of her fountain to give Mike a hug. "You'll only encourage her if you pay her any attention."

Up in the tree, Amymone laughed, then looked down at Mike. "She's not wrong. Make sure you come home, okay?"

He nodded, and they all followed the rat to the front of the house. Out front, Tink had constructed a small shed off to the side of the house. A pair of centaurs stood next to it, and one of them held out a scroll and a small bag for Mike.

"From Zel?" he asked. They nodded, and he took the bag and put it over his shoulder. It rattled with potions inside, which brought a smile to his face. Last time Zel had sent him off with potions, things had become very interesting.

"Tell her thank you for me." He debated having them tell her he missed her, but figured it might be inappropriate for them to pass that to their chieftain. Zel was constantly busy, but he was no different. As a change from taking care of the house and its occupants, this little excursion was already beginning to feel like a small vacation.

Reggie stepped out of the shed and put his crown on. "We just finished. You will need to crawl through the hole. The cabin is abandoned, but the only place we could manage a portal was in the cellar. The building is a bit unstable."

"It's not gonna fall on me, is it?" Mike picked up the backpack he had stuck there early that very morning. Inside it was a spare change of his own clothes and some food that Sofia had prepped for him. There was also a compass, a multi-tool, and other supplies he had packed for emergencies.

Reggie shook his head. "It shouldn't, but I doubt it makes it another winter."

"Good to know." Mike picked up the coat he had set next to his bag and put it on. He saw Quetzalli do the same thing, then looked at Dana.

"No coat?" he asked.

"Why bother?"

"Fair point. I guess we're just waiting for Yuki."

The front door opened and the kitsune stepped outside. She wore a white fur coat that went down to her knees and a pair of fur-lined boots. Once off the porch, she crossed the yard and stood next to Mike. Yuki placed her hands on her waist and grinned. Her canines looked as if they had been recently polished.

"Excited?" he asked.

"Very." She placed an arm around his shoulders and smiled. "Been a while since I've seen somewhere new."