“Sorry,” Josh muttered as I came even with him, but whether he was talking to me or Officer Levy, I didn’t know. Disappointment slipped into me, tinged with desperation. The hair on the back of my neck prickled as I heard Officer Levy behind me. We’re not going to go quietly, are we? I thought, but the wink and sly smile I caught from Barnabas when I looked at him brought me straight with anticipation.

“Keep walking,” he mouthed, then tugged Nakita’s arm to bring her even with Josh and myself. I couldn’t help but smile at her muffled complaint as Barnabas put his head next to hers and convinced her not to smite the woman.

“I saw what you were going to do,” he said, his hand upon his amulet as it started to glow a faint green. It used to be ruby red, but since he’d abandoned his light-reaper status and gone grim, it had shifted up in the spectrum—much to Barnabas’s embarrassment. “Smiting her has the finesse of a rhino, Nakita,” he added.

“You need to learn the art of minimization. Just watch.”

Then, softer, to me, Barnabas whispered, “Madison, start to drop back until Officer Levy walks right past you.

Josh, I’m sorry; I can’t cover you. The woman has to take someone in. The best I can do is make it so you don’t get in trouble.”

Josh sighed, glancing at me as he took my hand. “I’ll see you later,” he said softly, his expression both unhappy and resigned. “I knew it was too good to be true.”

My fingers slipped from his, and I winced. “Get my assignments for me?”

“Yeah. I’ll stop at your house after school. Got my number?”

I touched my pocket, feeling for my cell phone. “Always,” I said, and Nakita made a huff of sound, not understanding at all. Most everything was logic for her. That was the difference between her and Barnabas. For all his sourness, he was ruled by his heart.

I felt like dirt for ditching Josh, but what else could I do? Slowly I started easing my pace, both Nakita and Barnabas dropping back with me until Josh continued on ahead of us, his head down and his hands in his pockets. I held my breath as I shifted to the side and let Officer Levy walk right on past. Barnabas touched my elbow, and I stopped. His other hand was around his amulet, and his eyes were silver as he touched on the divine, changing Officer Levy’s memories to not include us. It was a minor task, but one I think they were both reluctant to teach me because of what I might do with it. Sure, I was their boss, but I’d gotten the job without the lifelong apprenticeship and discipline that usually went before it.