Book One: Chapter 75

“I see.” Naia clenched the ruby in her fist. “Mike. You trust me, right?”

“Of course.” How could he not?

“Okay honey, I’ve decided exactly what I’m going to do with you.” Naia held up the ruby.

“Am I right in assuming that if someone else were to take this from us, you would belong to them?”

Lily nodded. “Possession is nine-tenths of the law to demonkind. You lose the ruby, I belong to someone else.”

“And it’s up to us if we lock you up or release you? You can’t let yourself out?”

Lily shook her head. “No. Not even if my vessel is being destroyed. I can put myself in it unless commanded otherwise.”

“Good.” Naia popped the ruby in her mouth, swallowing it. “Then your first command is this: you are not allowed to return to your vessel.”

Lily looked at Mike, who shrugged.

“I intend to take this gem down into the deepest part of my spring and leave it there. So I recommend that you never go back to it, if given a choice. Your second