Keller looked at him in surprise. He had been sitting quietly all this time, listening without interrupting. Now he was leaning forward, his gold-green eyes intense.
"The shapeshifters have some old scrolls about dragons. I think you should ask for them. They might give some idea about what powers they have and how to fight them. I saw the scrolls once, but I didn't really study them; I don't think anybody has."
He'd seen the ancient scrolls? Then he was a shapeshifter, after all. But why hadn't she been able to sense an animal form for him?
"Galen-" Keller began, but Grandma Harman was speaking.
'It's a good idea. When I get them, I'll send copies to you and Keller. He's one of your people, after all, and you may be able to help figure out how to fight him."
Keller wanted to say indignantly that he wasn't any connection to her, but of course it wasn't true. The dragons had ruled the shapeshifters, once. Their blood still ran in the First House, the Drache family that ruled the shapeshifters today. Whatever that monster was, he was one of her people.
"So it's decided. Keller, you and your team will take Iliana home. I'll go back to Circle Daybreak and try to find out more about dragons. Unless..." She looked at Iliana. "Unless this discussion has changed your mind."
Iliana, unbelievably, was still prattling, having a conversation about presents with nobody in particular. It was clear that her mind hadn't changed. What wasn't clear to Keller was whether she had a mind.
But Keller had other things to worry about. Tm sorry-but you're not serious, are you? About taking her home?" "Perfectly serious,*' Grandma Harman said. "But we can't"
"We can, and we have to. You three girls will be her bodyguards-and her friends. I'm hoping that you can persuade her to accept her responsibility by Saturday night at midnight, when the shapeshifters and the witches convene. But if not..." Grandma Harman bowed her head slightly, leaning on her cane. She was looking at Iliana. "If not," she said in a barely audible voice, "you'll just have to protect her for as long as you can."
Keller was choking. 1 don't see how we can protect her at all. With all respect, ma'am, it's an insane idea. They have to know where her house is by now. Even if we stick beside her twenty-four hours a day-and I don't see how we can even do that, with her family around-"
The white head came up, and there was even a faint curve to the old woman's lips. 'Illtake care of that.
Ill have a talk with her mother-young Anna, Elspeth's granddaughter.Ill introduce myself and explain that her daughter's long-lost cousins' have come to visit for Christmas."
And undoubtedly do something witchy to Anna's mind, Keller thought Yeah, after that they'd be accepted, although none of them looked a bit like Iliana's cousins.
"And then I will put up wards around that house." There was a flash like silver lightning in Grandma Harman's eyes as she said it "Wards that
will hold against anything from the outside. As long as nobody inside disturbs them, you'll be safe." She cocked an eyebrow at Keller. "Satisfied?"
"I'm sorry-no. It's still too dangerous."
"Then what would you suggest we do?"
"Kidnap her," Keller said instantly. She could hear Iliana stop babbling in the background; she wasn't gaining any Brownie points there. She bulldozed on grimly. "Look, I'm just a grunt; I obey orders. But I think that she's too important for us to just let her run around loose where they might get hold of her. I think we should take her to a Circle Daybreak enclave like the ones where the other Wild Powers are.
Where we can protect her from the enemy."
Grandma Harman looked her in the eye. "If we do that," she said mildly, "then we are the enemy."
There was a pause. Keller said, "With all respect, ma'am-"
"I don't want your respect. I want your obedience. The leaders of Circle Daybreak made a firm decision when this whole thing started. If we can't convince a Wild Power by reasoning, we will not resort to force. So your orders are to take your team and stay with this child and protect her as long as you can."
"Excuse me." It was Galen. The others had been sitting and watching silently. Nissa and Winnie were too smart to get involved in an exchange like this, but Keller could see that they were both unhappy.
"What is it?" Grandma Harman asked.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to go with them. I could be another 'cousin.' It would make four of us to watch over her-better odds."
Keller thought she might have an apoplexy.
She was so mad, she couldn't even get words out While she was choking uselessly, Galen was going on.
His face still looked pale and strained, like a young soldier coming back from battle, but his dark gold hair was shining, and his eyes were steady. His whole attitude was one of earnest pleading.
Tm not a fighter, but maybe I can learn. After all, that's what we're asking Iliana to do, isn't it? Can we ask anything of her that we're not ready to do ourselves?"
Grandma Harman, who had been frowning, now looked him up and down appraisingly. "You have a fine young mind," she said. "Like your father's. He and your mother were both strong warriors, as well."
Galen's eyes darkened. 'Td hoped I wouldn't have to be one. But it looks like we can't always choose."
Keller didn't know what they were talking about or why the Crone of all the Witches knew the parents of this guy she'd met in a mall. But she'd finally gotten the obstruction out of her throat.
"No way!" she said explosively. She was on her feet now, too, black hair flying as she looked from Grandma Harman to Galen. "I mean it. There is no way I am taking this boy back with us. And you may be the leader of the witches, ma'am, but, no offense intended, I don't think you have the authority to make me. I'd have to hear it from the leaders
of Circle Daybreak themselves, from Thierry Descouedres or Lady Hannah. Or from the First House of the shapeshifters."
Grandma Harman gave an odd snort. Keller ignored it. 'It's not just that he's not a fighter. He's not involved in this. He doesn't have any part in it."
Grandma Harman looked at Galen, not entirely approvingly. "It seems you've been keeping secrets. Are you going to tell her, or shall I?"