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power, I would have felt it had her energy been added to my realm. I raised an eyebrow as she looked up.
    She cleared her throat. “I was simply reminding you of your promise to me regarding the continuation of life for my children.” She glanced down at my arm.
    I stopped rubbing it, which was when I realized there was a dull throb where she’d touched me. The same dull ache there had been last summer when she made me promise to save her children from death and Mab. That deal should have been complete, but unfortunately, she’d inadvertently linked it capital-D Death, my ex-lover who fully intended to capitalize on that loophole to get me to cooperate, but that just meant I couldn’t let him kill them. This reminder was bullshit.
    “That deal’s done. Now remove the reminder.”
    She laughed. “You agreed to protect my children from Mab and death. You can never let them die by anyone’s hand—even your own.”
    “Oh, hell no. I didn’t sign up for that. I can’t protect them twenty-four seven. Remove the spell. I demand it.”
    Gizelle looked affronted. “And let you kill them.” She waggled her finger at me and made a tsking sound. “What sort of fool do you take me for?”
    A green shine ran across my eyes. “As long as they stay out of my way, why would I kill them?”
    Sorrel stepped forward. “You threatened to kill Mace. You said that if you ever laid eyes on him again, you’d kill him.”
    “So?” I shrugged, remembering the time we’d all been at the Great Museum. It was after Mace had tried to kill me—again—and I’d had enough of his bullshit.
    Sorrel glanced back at his mother. “I told you she wouldn’t understand.”
    I narrowed my eyes. When had he told her? When he was texting earlier or had they discussed me before? Sorrel slid his phone into his back pocket.
    “What don’t I understand?” I demanded, staring at Sorrel. “You already know I can’t hurt you—not really—so why the hell do you think I’d decide to push my luck with Mace?” Everyone knew Mace was stronger than the twins.
    “My queen,” Gizelle said in a very condescending tone. “I forget how young you really are. You made the threat when you had Harry’s blood in you.”
    “So?”
    “Let’s just say that it makes your idle threat more of a curse.”
    I still didn’t understand. “Okay, obviously I’m missing something here. What does that mean?”
    Gizelle sighed. She was really starting to piss me off.
    Sorrel explained. “It wouldn’t be as hard for you to kill Mace, even in your weakened state. And you’d be somewhat compelled to carry it out—no matter the cost.”
    I glared at Sorrel and then at Gizelle.
    She smiled. “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t accidentally hurt him before you realized it would kill you as well.”
    I was livid. “So you’re saying I can’t kill Mace, or let anyone kill him—or any of them—or I’m dead. And apparently I’ve cursed Mace, so not only would it be easy to do, but I’m going to be compelled to do it. Do I have that right?”
    She nodded.
    “No deal. I saved them from Mab and death once. I won’t be tied to them so closely again. Remove your fucking curse and I’ll swear never to kill them.”
    She shook her head and smiled, but I wasn’t done with my threats.
    “Try to hold me to the other promise and I’ll go out of my way to see your curse broken and your children dead before year’s end. And before you toss away this offer as if it means nothing, you should be aware that the first thing I’ll try is killing you.”
    Her smile vanished. “You wouldn’t, Mab will go to—”
    “What, war , for you ? I doubt it would even register on her shit-to-care-about list. We all know I hold the trump card with her. Do you think she’d risk me going after Thanos for you? Test my threat against your gift and tell me who wins.”
    Her lips pressed into a hard line, but she closed her eyes. She told me once before that she had only one