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“He’s notcrazy,” Luke said.

“He’s a little strange,” Ira confessed, thinking about ‘apparently my diagnoses suited the guild well enough.’ “But that doesn’t make him a bad man.”

“Acrazypaladin?” Shadrach repeated, going to the concession counter and grabbing a beer from the drink fridge. “And here I thought they were all paragons of mental health.”

Alex snorted. “What, them? With their minimalist-style healthcare and love of confession booths? Why wouldn’t they be?”

“The club?” Ira asked, looking to Wolf. “Is everyone okay?”

Wolf shrugged one shoulder. “Our people are all fine,” he said, gesturing to the group behind him. “Some other halflings didn’t make it, but no one you knew. Most of the paladins didn’t make it. Xyra called in some people to deal with the clean-up, and we all got the hell out of there before Lilith could show up and go on the warpath.”

“What are you going to do? You can’t just hide from her forever, can you?”

“That might be the wisest thing to do right now,” Talon said, wincing even as he said it. “I don’t like the prospect ofhidingfrom anyone, but with the paladins on one side and Lilith on the other, keeping our heads down and staying out of the way until the waves die down might be our best option.”

Ira nodded. “I think so, too.” He fisted the back of Wolf’s shirt. “That means no more bartending.”

Wolf rolled his eyes. “Like I’ll be so heartbroken without it. Besides, the club needs repairs after the fight. It took some fire damage. I’d be out of a job until the repairs were finished, anyway. And if you think I’m letting you out of my sightever againafter tonight, you’ve got another thing coming.”

Ira smiled. “I’m fine with that.”

“Good.” Wolf circled around Ira so he could hug him from behind and still see everyone.

“And Lilith?” Ira posed the question to the room. She was something of a wild card, even for him.

“I’ll handle her,” Talon said. “I started this—technically. I won’t let Wolf take the brunt of her anger over this.”

Ira relaxed. “Okay. Thank you.”

Talon inclined his head.

“What about them?” Wolf asked, jerking his head toward Storm and Shadrach, hovering by the snack bar and drinking. They would need to start a liquor fund to keep the fridge stocked with drinks for all the self-indulgent demons they’d been acquiring.

“They can come here,” Ira said. “I trust that they won’t betray us.”

“Youdo?” Shadrach asked eagerly.

He sighed. “Not everything I say is some declaration about the future, you know.”

“On the contrary, when you’re espousing your trust in abunch of demons, that’s exactly what it is,” Shadrach said. He gestured to Storm. “Does he find love with a human, too?”

Storm’s eyes widened, like that was a possibility he’d never even considered.

What was it Isaac had said?

“No spoilers,” Ira replied coolly.

Shadrach smirked, rolling his eyes lightly and taking a sip.

“You hungry, seidhr?” Wolf asked softly, fingers stroking Ira’s cheek and calling his attention back to him. Warm affection and relief filled Ira. It had been so hard to have faith while he was locked in that cell. He never wanted to take Wolf for granted. He’d felt far too close to losing him forever tonight.

“Tired,” Ira said. “I don’t even know what time it is.”

“Almost six in the morning,” Luke supplied, leaning against the partition wall. His shoulders sagged, and he looked as tired as Ira felt. They’d all had a very long night.

With a groan, Ira let his head fall against Wolf’s chest.

“Want me to take you home?” Wolf asked, his fingers carding up through Ira’s wild curls to massage his scalp.

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