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you were going to ask the Council to have me assigned to Quinn’s case with you—not for you to go all AWOL on me and get yourself removed from the case altogether.”
    A tortured expression appeared on Quinn’s face. “What the hell, Evie? So that’s it? Dylan steps in, and you just—just up and leave me?”
    “No! Quinn, how could you ever think I’d agree to that?” I exclaimed, exasperated. “Look, both of you need to take a deep breath and hear me out.”
    They both did as directed, and I took a deep breath as well.
    Dylan spoke out first. “So, what’s this grand plan of yours?”
    “You know the Rules. Two Shepherds can’t be assigned to any one human because there aren’t enough of us to go around.”
    “Yeah,” Dylan interjected, “but the Council has to realize this is a really messed up case. They’ve got to be willing to make an exception and cut us some slack here.”
    “They are making an exception,” I replied. “Officially, Quinn will have one Shepherd—you. Unofficially, however, he’ll have two because I’ll still be here.”
    Dylan flashed me a look like he didn’t get it. Quinn, on the other hand, flashed me a look that said he just plain didn’t like my plan and wasn’t willing to hear anymore—period, end of story.
    “Quinn, listen to me.” I sighed. “I’ve run through it hundreds of times and this makes the most sense. This has the best chance of actually working. I can’t be here to protect you and me—especially when I can’t physically be here with you every minute of the day. So Dylan and I will both protect you. Dylan’s focus will be on daily protection detail while mine will be on doing everything else to ensure you no longer need a daily protection detail.”
    “Yes!” Dylan exclaimed. “I’m the muscle of the operation, and you’re the brains behind the scene. Excellent, K.C.! Really sweet!”
    Quinn didn’t look any happier.
    “Quinn, there’s just too much for me to do all alone. I can’t always stay here by your side, and I can’t always take you with me when I’m trying to investigate new leads and find out new information. I need a partner to help safeguard you while I figure out how to stop the Servants.”
    “I thought we were partners—that we were in this together—or did you just tell me that to make me feel better,” Quinn said bitterly.
    “We are partners,” I reassured him. “We are in this together. I just don’t know what all of ‘this’ is exactly, and unfortunately, I’m the only one of the three of us who can figure that part out at the moment.” I sighed in frustration. “What am I supposed to do? Leave you here to defend yourself while I’m who-knows-where, unable to hear or feel if you’re in trouble? Don’t you see how that’s an impossible situation for me—for us? I’d never leave your side. And what if I get attacked while I’m with you? Who’s going to rescue you?
    “Besides, Dylan and you have been all buddy-buddy this summer anyway. And since Dylan is strong enough, and not to mention all too willing, to kick the crap out of some demons, I couldn’t think of anyone more perfect for the job. I mean, who better to help us than someone who knows you—someone we already like and trust to protect you from the dangers you’re unable to see?”
    “And what about you?” Quinn asked skeptically. “Suddenly, you’re a free agent. Won’t you get assigned to a new case?”
    “No.”
    “How can you be so sure?” he challenged.
    Because the Servants want me almost as badly as they want you, I thought to myself.
    “Because the Servants want K.C. out of the picture— bad ,” Dylan jumped in, putting a voice to my words. “And as long as they’re after her, she’d be nothing but a liability to any human under her protection.”
    “That true?” Quinn asked me point blank.
    I nodded.
    “And you were going to tell me this when?” Quinn looked irritated.
    “You gave me three days,