Which was an odd statement if he did truly have someone in PIT. Or did his source simply not know about the state of the cloaks, and that they were all dead or dying? Rinaldo actually couldn’t follow through with his threat—and not just because the majority of the cloaks were dead and he didn’t appear to have the scientists.

“And how do you intend to do that, given Frederick is dead?” It was a guess on my part, but a safe enough one. As Adam had noted, it was unlikely Rinaldo would risk his thrall giving us too much information, no matter how useful Frederick might have been over the years. “He was your access point in controlling the cloaks, wasn’t he?”

“It would appear you gained entirely too much information from that man. I should have killed him the minute I noticed his absence.”

Meaning he was dead, and that the rats would be feasting off his flesh if PIT hadn’t gotten around to retrieving him—and I really hoped that was the case. And that desire did come from the vicious part of me.

“If you keep killing off your lieutenants willy-nilly, it will eventually put a crimp in your style.”

“Not when there are so many more able-bodied witches in this world—some of whom, apparently, have the means and the power to create a spell capable of restricting the magic of others.” He paused. “That is something Frederick wasn’t capable of.”

“Actually, he was, because his last spell did succeed in fully curtailing my fire.”

No one else in the apartment, Jackson said. I’ll go check the remaining apartments on this floor.

Watch your back.

You watch yours.

“And yet,” Rinaldo said, “here you are, still annoyingly alive.”

“Which is just as well, considering I can hardly get the information you want if I’m dead.”

“True. I have, however, reconsidered my position. It seems Frederick was correct in his summation of you.”

And with that, Amanda went limp in my grip. I spun around and withdrew the ropes of fire containing the guard—and none too soon.

He made an odd shuddering sound and then somewhat groggily looked around. “What the fuck just happened?”

“You tried to shoot us.”

His gaze jumped to mine. “No—”

“Yes.” I pressed two fingers against Amanda’s neck. No pulse—which wasn’t really surprising. We’d already gained information from his thrall; he wouldn’t take a similar risk with Amanda, even if her mind and body were his to control. “The woman you know as Felicity Hocking we know as Amanda Wilson. She’s not only a wanted killer but also an extremely strong telepath. She took your mind over.”

He scrubbed a hand across his jaw. “Well, fuck.”