"Now you know. It's no coincidence that there are so many legends of mad wizards in human folklore. In the mythology of every culture on Earth, secret and forbidden knowledge always has a price for the mortals who seek it. Dominica, I haven't cast more than one spell at a time in fifty years. I haven't used magic seriously, for an extended period of time, since the sixteenth century. If I start using it now, I will become as great a danger to this world as King Oberon."
"Well, ain't that a bitch." It was like finding out your role model, someone you idolized, was kind of a loser. I hadn't been this disappointed in someone since Michael Jordan tried to hit a curve ball.
"I didn't intend for you to find out like this. Things are moving faster than I anticipated. I'd hoped for more time to prepare you." He sighed again, and for the first time he sounded old and tired. "There is never enough time. One thing you learn after six thousand years-there's never enough time."
"What are you saying, boss?"
"You're ready, Dominica. You've proven that. You uncovered this plot. You revealed and defeated King Oberon's agent. You did that. I didn't lift a finger. I've been searching for someone who could lead us through the approaching storm for more than half a century. I finally found that person, in you."
"Just like that? I'm the new boss?"
"Don't be presumptuous. I'm not dead. As long as I'm alive, I remain the boss of this outfit. Your boss. And should you grow weary of that arrangement and begin to think ambitious thoughts, remember that I've survived for six millennia. I enjoy being alive. If forced to choose, you'll find I choose madness over death."
"Jesus, boss, I wasn't planning to rub you out. It's just…I'm not sure what to say. I'm not even sure I want this."
Rashan laughed. "Bullshit, Dominica. You want it bad. Even when I made you my lieutenant, you felt sorry for yourself. You always felt like you were just a serving girl, always running around doing things I could just as easily do for myself. Well, now you know the truth. I need you, Dominica. I always have."
"So what is my role, exactly?"
"You're my wartime captain. In the old days, I would have called you my champion. As far as the coming war is concerned, you're in charge. You make all the decisions, you give the orders and your word is final. I'm available to advise you, at your discretion."
"My discretion?"
Rashan sighed again, but this time he sounded more impatient than old. "Yes, your discretion. As I said, your word is final. Even if I'm the one disagreeing with you."
"What if I want to change the name of the Men's Room?"
"Don't even think about it. That has nothing to do with the war."
"Just kidding, boss. Okay, I'm in. So advise me. What do I do next?"
"You tell me. You're in charge."
"Okay, I'm in charge." It felt good. I took a deep breath. "Well, the Seelie Court is still going to try to come through. We don't know exactly when, and we don't know exactly what they'll do when they come, but at least we know where. The gate in Hawthorne is the key. That's where we have to attack."
"And how will you attack?"
"I'm too tired to dick around with them. We mobilize in Crenshaw and fight our way into Hawthorne. We hit the gate. If we can take it down, the Seelie Court can't come through. That way we don't have to fight them block by block, house by house, down on the street."
"Yes," Rashan agreed. "But you have to move quickly. King Oberon will send small tactical teams through to seize territory and lay down their own tags. He won't send an army at first, and you must use the window of opportunity that gives you."
"Why won't he send an army?"
"For the same reason we avoid such overt action. Think, Dominica. This world is changing, but it's not ready for that change. How do you imagine the U.S. government would react if a fey army invaded L.A.?"
I didn't know. I couldn't even imagine it. It would escalate slowly, because the politicians and generals wouldn't be able to make any sense of it. Maybe just the National Guard at first, to deal with a wave of "illegal immigrants." The Marines would follow, and then…who knew? What would happen when they had to admit the illegal aliens weren't human and they were using magic? What would happen when the lid was finally popped off the underworld for everyone to see?
"It could get pretty ugly," I said finally. "Like, total breakdown of society ugly. But it would get even worse. Once it became clear L.A. had really been invaded by magical beings from another plane of existence…no options would be off the table."
"Exactly. And King Oberon didn't wait all this time to eat a nuke the moment he finally makes it back."
"So, no army."
"Right. Not at first, anyway. Not until he's established himself here and consolidated enough power to sit down at the negotiating table as an equal among the nations of this world."
"That's what he wants?"
"Of course. Long ago, even before my time, Arcadia was an empire that stretched from what is now Greece to the British Isles."
"Arcadia. I thought that was just the fairy name for our world."
"It is. For King Oberon, our world and his rightful kingdom are one and the same."
"That's ambitious."
"Yes, but he has to bide his time. His kingdom will not be built in a day. As you've discovered, he is exceedingly patient."
"Is he evil, boss? I mean, what he did to you…"
Rashan was silent for a time. "You will drive yourself mad trying to answer such questions," he said finally. "You've learned how difficult it is to apply such categories even to sorcerers. Let it suffice that different rules apply to King Oberon, just as they do to us. Never doubt, he is capable of great cruelty-but also great kindness and beauty. Perhaps such balance is the only thing to which any of us can aspire. Perhaps we must leave good and evil to mortal men."
"If you say so. Anyway, we just have to take out the gate. That's his Achilles' heel. It's the only reason he really needed Papa Danwe. For everything else, he could have used his own minions if he'd had to. But he needed someone in this world to throw open the door and let him in." Just as Honey had needed me.
"I concur," Rashan said.
"I'll take a few guys to hit the gate. I'll mobilize the rest of our soldiers and hold them in reserve, just in case some of those tactical teams slip through."
"I think I chose well, Dominica."
"I better get down to Crenshaw, boss. When he finds out his changeling is dead and his plan has gone sideways, Oberon will move fast."
"There's one other thing."
"What's that?"
"Perhaps you didn't tell me the truth about your relationship with Adan, with the changeling, because you thought I wouldn't approve."
I didn't say anything.
"You should know that if you're good enough to be my champion, you're good enough to be my daughter. It would have made me proud."
"Thank you, sir." I had to fight against the sudden tightness in my throat to get the words out. I thought there might be a lot of other things I wanted to say, but I didn't have the guts. I switched off the phone and put it away. Thirteen "I'm coming with you, Domino!" The pixie dust was flying off Honey like Kansas topsoil in a tornado, and most of it was deep red.
"I said no, Honey. This isn't your fight. I could never have made it this far without you, and you know how much I appreciate it. But I'm going to war with your king. I can't let you put yourself in the middle of that."
"I'm already in the middle!"
"You can stay here-all of you-for as long as you want. I'll protect you and your family. But you're not coming with me."
Honey started singing in that strange language of hers. I couldn't understand any of the words, but suddenly I understood why she had to come with me.