Book Eight: Chapter 199

“If that’s the case, then I hope Aunt Yuki tracks you down and rams an iron rod straight up your ass before freezing you in a block of ice.” Callisto balled up his fists, his anger barely contained. Was it a spell that compelled him? “Your magic is a violation of--”

“It isn’t. Making you overtly honest does not count as harm as long as I do not act in a harmful way in response to your words.” The Fae woman stood and walked across the water until her feet reached the beach. She had webbed toes with bright orange nail polish. “You may know me as Mara.”

Mara reached out and touched the head of the centaur closest to the water. It was a young centaur named Thyone. “You can go,” she whispered, and the child walked toward the water.

“What are you doing?” Callisto asked. “I thought we were trading!”

“We are,” Mara replied. “But I bore easily and am retracting my original offer.” Thyone wordlessly stepped into the water and vanished beneath its surface. The pond itse