“Th…they killed them. Why didn’t Jaron—”

“Tools,” he hissed. “I told you. They were nothing to him. He’s left here. Possibly left the city. Whatever protection he was granting you is gone. I have to get you away.”

Malachi and Ava ran down the stairs, leaving the vicious whispers behind, only to be slapped by shouting voices when they left the building.

“This way!” She pointed toward an alley where she sensed them, running toward it and pulling Malachi with her.

“Ava, no!”

“But Rhys and Leo are there! I can hear them.”

With another muttered curse, he followed her, shoving her behind him as they ran. “Stay back, but stay close.” He dropped her hand and pulled out his other dagger when they’d left the foot traffic behind. Ava could hear the humans around them, chattering about the man with the weapons. A few wondered if a movie was being filmed. Their inner voices buzzed with excitement and curiosity, but no fear.

As they reached the back of the building, Rhys and Leo emerged. Leo was bent over, holding his side as Rhys held him up.

“Angelic blade,” Rhys panted. “Damien distracted him. They’re still fighting. There were… so many. Heavens, Mal. Too many. There are too many. Even Max looked shocked. I have to get Leo out of here. He won’t heal unless I can get him back to the fire.”

“The fire?” Ava’s eyes flew to the wound at Leo’s side. It was deep and weeping. The blood was clotted and black around the wound.

Malachi grabbed Leo’s other arm, and the young scribe groaned as the two men lifted him. “Any Grigori left?”

“We killed the six that were here. That blond bastard, Brage, was leading them, but Damien drew him off after he’d wounded Leo. Maxim has seven or so more on the other side, but none of them carried any serious weapons. He’ll be fine.”

They stumbled to the car, easing Leo in the back. Rhys pulled out the keys and opened the front door for Ava. “You keep him steady in the back. Ava, in the front seat.”

“Why does he need a fire?” Ava asked as she slid in the car. They were only a few blocks from the scribe house, but Leo had fallen silent, and Malachi looked grim as he held him.

“Not just any fire,” Rhys said as he drove through the twisting streets. “We need a flame from the ritual fire at the scribe house to cauterize the wound. I can stitch it up, but without that flame, it will never heal. What happened with Jaron? I’m going to assume this is some angelic shite we didn’t know about.”

“Apparently…” Malachi started speaking the Old Language and Ava tried not to scream. They were doing it again, withholding information she knew was important. She wanted to yell at them, but Leo’s low groan interrupted her.

“Malachi…”

“Almost home.” He brushed the blond hair from Leo’s face, holding the man as he would a child. “You’ll feel better soon.”

“Hurts.” Leo’s voice was brittle with pain. “Won’t… Tried all my spells. Won’t heal.”

Malachi held his hand over Leo’s forehead, tracing letters Ava couldn’t read, then the young man fell silent, soothed into a restless sleep.

“Rhys, how much longer?”

“There’s a protest near the square again.” More muttered curses as Rhys turned right, then left, trying to maneuver around the crowds gathered near Taksim Square.

“We could get out. Carry him?”

“Too many police. Too many questions.”

The smell of smoke drifted through the windows, causing Rhys to look over to her. “Close it! There could be tear gas if there are protests.”

Night was descending on the city, and the shops were lit up, taking advantage of the increased foot traffic, even as the police tried to herd pedestrians from the square. Ava could hear the chaotic shouts mixed with laughter and music blaring from the passing cars. The smell of smoke only grew stronger as they turned a corner that Ava finally recognized.

Rhys breathed out. “No…”

“What?” Ava turned her head from watching Leo and Malachi in the back of the car and her stomach dropped.

The scribe house was burning.

“What are we going to do?” Ava asked as they watched the old wooden house being licked by flames. Firefighters were already there, the spray of hoses and shouts filling the already chaotic night. “Malachi?”

Rhys barked something in the Old Language and got out of the car, keys still in the ignition. Malachi followed, the two arguing as Leo began to moan from the back seat again. After a few tense moments, Malachi slammed the back door shut and got in the front seat, putting the car in reverse and backing away from the scene.

“What are you doing?” she said. “You can’t just—”

“I’m taking you and Leo to a safe house, but if Rhys can’t get a piece of the fire, Leo won’t survive the night. Rhys has to save a part of it, Ava. Even if the house survives, the firefighters will douse the fire. He has to keep part of it going for Leo.”

“How on earth is he even going to—?”

“He’ll find a way,” Malachi said. “He has to.”

Ava looked over her shoulder, but Rhys had already entered the house, slipping past the crowds that watched in fascination and horror as the old house burned.

“This is my fault,” she said. “I brought this.”