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“He’s okay, he’s okay.” A hand stroked my brow. “He is okay, right?”

“Yes. He wasn’t wounded, he just used too much energy.”

The hand stilled. “What do you mean he used too much energy?”

“We should discuss this when we’re alone.”

I blinked and opened my eyes, then winced at the headache I had. I felt as weak as a lamb.

Kara gazed down at me, and I realized I was lying on the road with my head in her lap. She had tears in her eyes, but she smiled when I looked up at her.

“Just a standard patrol, huh?” she said.

I sat up and winced again, tightening my eyes. My head was pounding, like I’d been on a week-long bender.

“Let me get that.” Iyoni stepped forward to do her Advil-magic thing on my head. The pained lessened significantly, and I sighed with relief. Some of my strength returned too, enough to push myself to my feet.

“Thanks,” I said, leaning a little on Kara for support.

The two Humvees burned in the center of the road, sending black smoke into the air. One box truck had been shoved aside. More SPAR units, NPPD cruisers, and ambulances had arrived, their lights strobing off smashed glass. Paramedics in dark blue and high-vis jackets moved among SPAR healers.

Max leaned against a Humvee, and gave me a tight nod. His skin was back to its usual color, and showed no signs of his injuries. I was relieved to see Lavender on her feet too, being treated by a dryad in SPAR uniform.

Turner was being treated by a couple of paramedics, despite no obvious wounds.

Myas’ body lay where she’d fallen, amid smashed glass stained with her blood. I straightened, staring at her, my anger returning and giving me strength. “Who’s in charge here?” I asked, not looking away from her.

“Er … you are, I guess,” Kara muttered, tugging my arm to draw attention to an approaching SPAR agent.

He stopped before me, his expression stony. “Good to see you up and about, Assistant Director. I’m Lieutenant Michaels, patrol three.”

“Status?”

“The assailants are all accounted for. Seven supes.”

“And the norms with them?”

“Dead too, I’m afraid. We couldn’t save any.”

I crossed my arms. “Let’s be clear, Michaels. The armed norms were working with the supes. They were all part of the ambush.”

He frowned. “Ambush? This was a one-eighty-seven.”

“No, it was an ambush. The one-eighty-seven was the trap. I want all the bodies tagged for identification, especially that one.” I pointed to the headless corpse of Moreau’s man.

Michaels braced. “I’ll see to it, sir.”

“Lieutenant Myas gave her life here, and more of us would be dead if it wasn’t for her.”

“I’ll see to that too,” he said grimly. “We lost good people today,” he went on. “Our dryad is healing the remainder. We have another patrol enroute, and NPPD has dispatched more squad cars. Director Marlow is sending a helo for you.”

“Good. Make sure they get back safely, Lieutenant. I need a bit of time, so I’ll see myself back. We’ll take one of your Humvees.”

“No, sir … The helo is for you , not for your patrol.”

I looked pointedly at the tree-lined narrow street, utility poles with their web of overhead cabling. “Where are you going to land it?”

“There’s a field near the river, five minutes away.”

“We just survived an ambush. I’m not about to stroll through the back streets of Fox Point. We’ll take a Humvee.” I turned and started walking, giving Myas a last look, Kara and Iyoni falling into step.

“It’s a half-hour drive,” he called after me. “But the streets are blocked.”

“We’ll manage.”

We climbed into one of the Humvees, Kara up front with me and Iyoni in the back, and I drove us out, helped by the NPPD as they held back a gathering crowd of onlookers, their phones out. We’d barely made it a half block before we hit the traffic Michaels had alluded to.

Kara reached across to rest her hand on my thigh. “I got there as fast as I could.”

Her words carried her concern and apology, and I laid my hand over hers and gave it a squeeze. “No one expected this to be another ambush.”

“It wasn’t an ambush,” Iyoni said, “it was an assassination attempt.”

Kara glanced at her, then frowned at me. “Meaning?” she asked, like she was ready to go and kill the supes all over again.

I sighed. “One of the supes was Moreau’s man.” I found Iyoni’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “You recognized him?”

“Yes, he was at Moreau’s estate.”

“Why would Moreau try to kill you?” Kara said.

“That makes no sense. He had plenty of opportunity on Saturday.” She frowned and shook her head as she worked it through.

“He has men inside SPAR, they knew where the patrol was going and had plenty of time to get into position, but I don’t get it.

You’re not going to cooperate now, are you? ”

I shrugged. “I guess he changed his mind about working with me.”

Kara tensed. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but … you need to figure out how to bond more demons and grow stronger.”

“About that—”

She held up a hand. “I know what you’re going to say. But this proves it’s only going to get worse, and I can’t be with you all the time. You need to be stronger, Master. If Iyoni hadn’t been there …”

“Kara,” I said firmly, and she fell silent. “That’s not all.”

I focused my senses, looking within myself. I now had two strong tendrils extending outward: one black, toward Kara; one white, reaching behind me to where Iyoni sat. My white aether had swollen and grown, happily suffusing through my chest, melding with my black aether like yin with yang.

Another mystery to solve.

“Yes?” Kara prompted when I said nothing.

“I … er … bonded Iyoni.”

“Funny.” She glanced between us, her brow furrowing. “You’re joking, right?”

“I believe he did,” Iyoni murmured, like it was a mild curiosity. “He certainly used my powers.”

“Oh, my God,” Kara breathed. “You said he used too much energy.” She stared at me. “You bonded Iyoni ? But she’s not a demon! How is that possible?”

“A good question,” I said.

“I have no idea,” Iyoni replied, “but the results speak for themselves.” She cocked her head, giving me one of her serene smiles in the rearview mirror. “I would like to know who your parents are, Xan.”

“That makes two of us,” I muttered.

“Who else knows?” Kara asked.

“Another good question,” I said slowly. “Most of the people who saw me are dead.” I thought of Max, fighting the supe I’d hit last. “Some are not, but they may have been too busy to see what happened. It was … chaotic.”

“If the secret’s out, we’ll hear soon,” Iyoni said. “Something like bonding a celestial won’t stay quiet for long.”

Kara thumped the dashboard. “Marlow’s going to freak. Washington will be running scared.” She twisted to glare at Iyoni. “And last time they sent you . What will the celestials do? What of the judgment now?”

“I judged him already,” Iyoni replied. “When he bonded me, at first I …” She sounded bashful. “ Overreacted. ”

“You tried to kill him,” Kara said flatly. She gave a humorless laugh. “I know how that feels.”

I said nothing, feeling somewhat picked on.

“Well, whether it was the bond or not, my judgment amounted to nothing. The celestials will accept that.”

Kara stared at me. “I can’t believe you bonded a celestial. It won’t just be Moreau gunning for your blood, now.” She turned to Iyoni. “He’s still so weak if we’re not with him.”

“I’m right here, you know,” I muttered.

Iyoni leaned forward between the seats. “One of us will have to stay with him, all the time.”

“Or both of us.”

I grimaced, glancing away. Iyoni had seemed like a temporary fixture in my life, but now she was here to stay. No longer just a warlock, I’d apparently become some other kind of supe. As bad as it had seemed, things were so much worse now.

“You’re getting that haunted look again,” Kara said. “You’re feeling trapped, aren’t you?”

I said nothing, just clenched my jaw. She wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t just that. Kara and I had only recently achieved some point of balance … and now the bond with Iyoni had thrown a spanner in the works.

I clenched the wheel. “What about you, Kara?”

“What about me?” She leaned back toward her window, watching me. “I’m the one that’s been pushing for more bonds, remember?”

I glanced at her in surprise. “You want this?”

“I want you safe, and stronger is how to get there.” She shrugged one shoulder. “I’d rather it was Iyoni than a random demon off the internet. She might be the crazy kind of hot, but at least her clothes never get dirty.”

“Wait,” Iyoni said. “What do you mean by crazy?”

“The bond doesn’t allow for choice,” I said, ignoring her. “What if Iyoni doesn’t want to be here?”

“I do,” the celestial said softly. “I can’t think of a more worthy cause than fighting by your side.”

“That’s a bit of a one-eighty,” I muttered.

“Not really,” she said. “I’ve judged you now, and … well, without meaning to sound melodramatic, you’ve been found worthy.”

Kara slapped my arm. “See? Worthy. Told you!”

“Ow.” I rubbed my bicep.

“He gets these broody moments,” Kara confided to Iyoni. “He doesn’t like being backed into a corner.”

“Who does?” Iyoni said.

“Exactly.” I slowed as we hit traffic again, and took the opportunity to turn to face them both.

“Now there’s not just one bond, but two.

Moreau’s out to kill me, and he won’t care if you get in his way.

Dacien’s threatened the same if I don’t deliver to him.

And the whole world’s about to learn I’m not just a warlock, I’m something so much more.

So yeah. A bit of brooding feels justified. ”

“On the flip side,” Iyoni said, “you just doubled your power. You have a demon who’s besotted with you, and a celestial in your corner. If this does come out, you’ll have those who rally to your banner, and SPAR backing you.”

I looked inward, sensing my aether. She was right: my white magic had doubled in power too, just like when I’d bonded Kara. Now I was top of the bottom quartile—maybe. Still not even midrange, and a long way from Kara and Iyoni’s levels.