Darian met Damian's gaze. The White God winked at him, and Darian resisted the urge to snort. He sensed every creature in the room-except maybe the poor messenger-had an agenda. For once, he didn't know what Damian might be thinking.
"Assuming this violation occurred, what is the punishment for breaking this law?" Darian asked, stepping into the center of the room beside the White and Black Gods.
"Life," the Other said. "It becomes ours. The Guardian will be banished to the immortal world."
Darian wanted to strangle the Other. He looked from the creature to Jenn and approached her. Damian stepped out of the way. A look at Jonny sent the Black God back quickly as well. Darian stopped when he was close enough to Jenn for their bodies to touch. She was tense and still, her mind on lockdown.
"Anything I need to know?" he asked for her ears only.
"I freely admit it, ikir," she whispered with an air of formality. "I did what he said. I wasn't there long, but I still went. If I'd known it was off limits, I wouldn't have gone."
"But what drew you? Tell me it was magic by one of them."
Her jaw clenched again. She said nothing.
"You must turn her over," the Other said. "As a God, you are obligated to follow the few rules you barbarians have here."
Darian drew a breath and faced the Other. "I may be obligated, but I also owe a life debt to this particular Guardian. She rescued me from three of your kind. Which means I can forgive any trespass she may have committed. Pretty sure that's a rule, too, right, Xander?"
"It is," Xander agreed.
"Then it's settled," Darian said. "You get nothing, Other."
"There's another matter."
"You're trying my patience," he growled.
"Your Guardian stole something from the immortal world."
"What? Air? Now you'll tell me it's illegal for her to breathe the air down there."
"It wasn't air she stole," the Other replied. "It was an object. I want it back."
"This is getting old," Darian said, pacing. He glanced at Jenn. Her eyes sparked with fury too deep to be mere offense. "Brother, Jonny, Original. If you'll excuse us."
All three hesitated. Damian was the first to show his support by Traveling, taking the messenger with him. Jonny waited for Xander to go before he, too, disappeared. Alone with Jenn and the Other, Darian looked between the two.