He and Colin met their visitors halfway between where the pair had entered and where the fine table was set amongst the elm trees.

“She has him,” Edward said as the four of them came together. “We don’t know how it happened—”

Nigel cut the angel off. “He gave himself so that another could have a chance at life.”

“He shouldn’t have done that. He’s too valuable.”

Nigel glanced in Adrian’s direction and found that the angel was silent for once. Which was a surer sign of trouble than any other.

Nigel tugged at his cuff links, smoothing the sleeves of his silk shirt inside his linen suit. “She shan’t kill him. She cannot.”

“Are you positive about that?”

“There are few things you can trust her on, but the rules were not laid upon us by her. If she kills Jim, she forfeits not just the match, but the game in its entirety. That will keep her in check.”

Adrian’s voice drifted over, thin and hard. “There are some things worse than death.”

“Verily, you are correct.”

“So fucking do something.” The angel was all but vibrating, his body like a Christmas popper on the verge of being pulled asunder.

“We could get him out, though,” Edward said. “That’s not against the rules.”

“Of course you may.”

Long silence.

Edward cleared his throat and appeared to gird his tongue for polite restraint. “The picture she sent us suggests that he is held within her world.”

“He is not upon the earth, ’tis true.”

“So how can we get to him.”

“You cannot.”

As Adrian cursed, Edward clapped a hold on the other angel’s arm, but that didn’t shut the male up. “You said we could get him out.”

“Adrian, I said you ‘may.’ As in, you are permitted under the rules to do so. I did not, however, make a comment upon your ability. In this case, you are unable to reach him without sacrificing yourselves, thus leaving him with no support and no guidance during this crucial, early time—”

“You little prick.”

Before Adrian could do something daft, Edward transferred his hold to the male’s heavy chest and kept him back.

Nigel cocked a brow at the two of them. “I did not make the rules, and I have no more wish to be disqualified than my opponent.”

“Do you have . . .” Adrian choked on his own words and had to breathe deep to finish. “Do you have any idea what she’s doing to him. Right now. As we’re standing on your fucking lawn and dinner is waiting for you?”

Nigel chose his words with care. The last thing he needed was the pair going vigilante. Anew. They’d already been through that mistake once, hadn’t they.