I had to get this blocking spell done now. I cast about for an additional energy source. Couldn’t do it from the trueborns or practitioners in the castle. Magic bonded to its owner. But there was something near . . . yes, the pond! How did I not think of drawing energy from water before now? Being drunk sucked.

I was pulling everything I could from the nearby pond when Ian came into view. He was covered in blood and dirt and his tuxedo was ripped in several places, but what really puzzled me was the bundle in his arms. It was the size of a burlap bag and smelled like demon and the shot glasses of Red Dragon I’d drunk.

“What’s that?”

He gave a brief, admiring look at the carnage beyond me before answering. “The source. Weren’t exaggerating about painting the walls, were you? And what is that?”

“Vampire slinky,” I said dismissively. “Or centipede. What do you mean, the source? It was a baby?” Horror filled me and I nearly vomited all the Red Dragon I’d consumed.

“Not a baby,” he said with a grunt. “Not human, either. Looks like a winged dog demon.” Then he shifted so he had one arm free to haul me up. “Can you walk?”

I stood but immediately sagged. My strength had been spent between the spells and drinking myself stupid. Ian caught me before I hit the ground, then hoisted me over his shoulder.

“Faster this way, anyway,” he muttered.

He ran out of the tunnel right as I finally finished the blocking spell. It sealed the tunnel off so no one could enter or leave it. It also formed a seal over the hidden bridge and the magical castle. Now no one could leave any of those places for at least an hour. We should be long gone by then, unless . . .

I hoped I hadn’t underestimated the supernatural juice I’d put into the spell. If so, it might only keep everyone trapped for minutes. I was so drunk, I couldn’t tell how much I’d put into it. I actually thought I might pass out, and that was with being repeatedly bounced on Ian’s shoulders as he ran over the uneven ground. He made good time, though. Within moments, the Fifth-Avenue entrance of Central Park was in view.

Then Ian stopped so abruptly, I was catapulted over his shoulders. I didn’t hit the ground, though. I was caught midair in what felt like a giant, sticky spider web.

“What fresh hell is this?” I demanded.

“My thoughts exactly,” a cool voice answered in Mandarin.

I froze. I knew that voice, could pick it out from thousands. “Xun Guan. What are you doing here?”

Chapter 19

Ian didn’t wait for a response. He held up his hand, ignoring my scream of “Stop!” and flung a spell at Xun Guan.

I threw a protective spell at the same time. She flew backward from the impact of Ian’s spell, and for a few horrified seconds, I didn’t know if he’d succeeded in killing her. Then Xun Guan sat up, her waist-length black hair falling out of her normally impeccable bun. A large, rapidly healing hole was in her chest. I could smell the burning scent of silver, but my protection spell must have protected her heart.

“You,” she said to Ian with icy fury. “For the crime of using magic to attack a Law Guardian, I sentence you to death.”

“No!” I shouted. “It’s not what you think. He’s with me!”

She tilted her head and gave me a look that normally heralded someone’s instant decapitation. “And you are?”

Right, she had never seen me in this appearance before. “Veritas,” I said, straining against the invisible web that held me, but unable to move. “It’s Veritas, Xun Guan.”

Winged black brows went up. Then the smallest of frowns touched her mouth. “The Veritas I know would never allow herself to be caught in so obvious a trap.”

“That’s true, but I’m really, really drunk.” Then I caught one of Ian’s hands sliding behind his back. He was about to use tactile magic to hurl another spell at her. “Don’t,” I said. “She’s a friend, Ian.”

“She set a magical trap that nearly caught all of us,” he replied in a silky tone. “And she just threatened to kill me.”

“She didn’t know you were my partner in tonight’s secret raid,” I said in the strongest tone I could muster. “We just shut down a major Red Dragon supplier and killed its source,” I lied. “That’s why I’m drunk. I had to sample lots of the product in order to get to the right people.”

To Ian’s credit, not a hint of disbelief showed in his features at my string of lies. Instead, he gave a jaunty bow to Xun Guan. “Always happy to do my civic duty.”

“And this?” Xun Guan said, gesturing to the bloody, blanket-clad bundle. “What is this? It reeks of Red Dragon.”

Ian must have dropped the source right before he flung that spell at Xun Guan. I didn’t know what sort of creature was in that blanket—winged dog demon, Ian had called it?—but if Xun Guan saw anything she deemed threatening, she would kill it. Or she would bring it to the council and the creature’s fate would be the same. Either way, I couldn’t allow that.

“Someone had a baby there, probably to use its blood to mix with the source’s,” I said quickly. “It smells like Red Dragon because the source bled all over it when he died.”

While speaking, I pushed through my inebriated senses to direct a single command toward that swaddled bundle as Xun Guan approached it. Baby, I thought fiercely when she was almost close enough to pick it up. Turn into a human baby!

An ear-splitting shriek sounded when Xun Guan reached down and picked up the bundle. Then I almost whooped in relief when she drew back the bloody blanket and revealed pale human skin and two tiny, babyish fists waving in fury.

Xun Guan winced as the baby kept screaming. “One of you, take this,” she said, with a jerk of her head. That’s when I realized she wasn’t alone. Two Enforcers came out from behind the trees about twenty meters away. Neither looked anxious to take the squalling baby, but they didn’t dare refuse her.

“I’ll take it,” I said at once. “There’s a baby drop at the fire station not far from here. I’ll leave the child there.”

“Until then, do I have permission to stop it from screaming?” the dark-haired male asked Xun Guan.

She let out a short laugh. “You could try, but you would fail. Babies’ wills are too focused to be affected by our mind control. Humans are only susceptible when they’re older.” Then her dark brown gaze swung my way. “Prove to me you’re Veritas beneath that glamour. What birthday gift did you last give me?”

Even though I was still reeling, I didn’t need time to think. “A jade bracelet from the first Imperial dynasty.”

Ian whistled through his teeth. “You two must be special friends to warrant a gift like that.”

Xun Guan stabbed a finger at him even though she didn’t take her eyes off me. “Unless you don’t want to live long enough to appeal your death sentence before the council, be silent.”

“Xun Guan, I told you, he was with me—”

“He shouldn’t have been,” she said curtly. “Only Enforcers or Guardians are allowed on raids of this level.”

“Think you can take me somewhere against my will?” Ian’s smile was an open dare. “Try it and I’ll kill you.”

Xun Guan drew her sword and the ancient, elegant steel caught the moonlight. Then she tilted it and a pale line appeared across Ian’s throat. As was her custom, she’d marked the spot she intended to sever.