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Jima shook his head. “No, I suppose I can’t. No one can promise that. None of us know what the Goddess has planned. All we can do is what we believe is right so that when the day comes and the Goddess calls us home, we leave this plane of existence with as few regrets as possible. I would rather meet the Goddess carrying the weight of failure than the regret of never having tried.”

A tear escaped Keir’s eye, sliding down his cheek. Jima reached up, wiping his thumb through the tear and brushing it away. “This is my decision. The weight of it is mine and mine alone.”

“That’s not how this works,” Keir stubbornly argued.

“I know.” Jima cocked his head and offered a lopsided grin. “Perhaps I’m asking too much of you. Perhaps it is me who’s being unfair. If so, I’m sorry and will beg apology after your sister is safe and sound.” Releasing Keir’s wrists, Jima stepped back, his lips tight and eyes determined. “Speak with Lulabelle and see what can be worked out. Xavier will never know I’m there. I’ll find Saraphina.”

“And how will you get back?” I asked. “You cannot take a phone in your ferret form.”

Jima waved me off. “Phones are a dime a dozen these days. Everyone has a cell. Most of the time, that cell is attached to the hip, but they must plug it in to recharge it sometime, typically while they’re sleeping.” Jima tapped his index against his temple and winked. “Most think ferret shifters are flighty. That might be true, but what’s also true is that we’ve got great memory. We’re hoarders and we need to remember where we stash all our loot. A phone number is no different to me. You wouldn’t believe all the ones I’ve got stored up here.

“I’ll find Saraphina and contact one of you. Be on the lookout for a number you don’t recognize.”

Keir’s eyes were fixed on the floor, so I continued my line of questioning. “Won’t the user wonder about the number you’ve called?”

Jima shrugged. “I can delete it. If someone really wanted to, they’d be able to recover the data but there won’t be any indication that something’s up. Easy-peasy.”

I wasn’t certain it would be as simple as Jima made out but his confidence was catching.

Coming out of his funk, Keir said, “We’ll need to time everything well.”

“Naturally,” Jima answered.

I nodded toward the singular, odd charm Jima still held in his hand. “Hikaru failed to tell us how long the barrier will last so it’s best not to activate it until the moment the challenge is issued.”

“Three days from now,” Jima answered, eyebrows furrowed again. “That’s not as exact as I’d like it.”

“We should be able to narrow it more,” I answered before turning to Keir. “Did Lady Usha give you the time Jaakobah’s scheduled the bonding ceremony for?” Smoke filled my nostrils and filtered into the room. Simply thinking of those words in the same sentence was enough to light my internal fire. Speaking them felt like betrayal.

“She didn’t,” Keir answered. “Knowing Jaakobah, he’s got the whole damn thing planned out. He’ll want as many local flights either in attendance or tuned in as he can achieve. I’d be surprised if Grandmother doesn’t already know the time.”

I nodded. “We’ll need to find out that information before Jima heads out.”

“I’ll ask Grandmother.” Keir’s hands found his hips. Finally raising his head, Keir’s gaze focused on Jima. “What’s your distress code?”

For the first time, a touch of doubt slid across Jima’s features. No, not doubt. Loss. “Alethia,” Jima answered. “If there’s a problem or I’m in danger, that’s the word I’ll use.”

I swallowed thickly as I watched Keir’s jaw draw tight. “And if all is well?”

Jima’s grin returned. “For this op, firework.”

“Firework?” I asked. “Is there some significance I’m unaware of?”

With a shake of his head, Jima answered, “Not really. But if I’ve got Saraphina safe and sound, then Keir’s free to let the fireworks begin. I just wish I could be there to see it.” Jima slapped his hands together, aggressively rubbing them together. “I wanna see Jaakobah get what’s coming to him.”

While I thought we could all agree on that, Keir was suspiciously quiet. I knew he was worried. Jaakobah wouldn’t fight fair. No matter how short the notice, Jaakobah wasn’t honorable. He would use any and every dirty trick up his sleeve.

“You’re going to kick his ass, Keir,” Jima flatly stated, as if there was no room for doubt. “You know how I know that?” Jima asked, chin thrust into the air.

Keir shook his head and answered a truthful “no.”

Arms crossed, I’d never seen Jima look so stubborn before. “Because you’re Keir. You’re a protector, just like I am. We simply go about it in different ways. We have different strengths. I’m going to find and protect Saraphina, so you don’t have to worry about her. The only thing you need to concentrate on is taking Jaakobah out. And you’ll do that. You’ll do it because there’s no other choice, no other option. There’s only one path and that path cuts straight through Jaakobah.”

I gave a silent Hear! Hear! in my mind. Keir’s shoulders visibly relaxed and his lips parted. I’m not certain what he would have said because my phone chose that moment to ring. The tone indicated it was Thalia.

Stepping away, I hit the accept button and brought the phone to my ear. I’d barely gotten out a greeting when Thalia’s words drove ice into my heart. “Verona’s alive and she’s in the wind.”

The phone’s casing cracked as my fingers tightened and crimson washed away my vision.