“I can’t help it,” he rasped through gritted teeth, and then he dropped to one knee, groaning as he fought whatever Ku’Sox was making him do next.

“Yeah, well, sorry then,” I said, gathering my will. “Alta quies simillima mort!” I shouted, flinging half of the curse at Trent, holding the rest in my palm, burning. The curse tore through my bubble, absorbing it and pulling it over and around me like a dirty shirt. It smacked into Trent, and the man went down, his neck nothing but cords of muscle. He gave one spasm, then lay still, his chest rising and falling peacefully.

“You struck him!” Quen said, clearly shocked.

“He hit me first,” I said, then flicked the rest of the charm at Ku’Sox.

The demon deflected it with a hasty pop. I knew it wouldn’t land, but at least he had stopped laughing. Trent lay unconscious. It wouldn’t last long, and I got up, hurting, tired, and pissed. Flee, Trent had said. It sounded like a good idea. If Bis could snatch us from a ley line, then he could by God jump us out as he had the babies.

“Rachel?” Bis said, looking scared as he landed beside me on the rolling chair. “He’s got the only baby left.”

“I’ll get him,” I said as I stood up and tugged my shirt straight. “Get Quen and Trent out of here. Catch me when I jump.” If Trent wasn’t here, then he couldn’t try to kill Ku’Sox using me to do it.

“No!” Quen said, arm up to fend Bis off, and then they were gone.

I took a deep breath, glad Quen was safe. If Bis didn’t come back for Trent or me, then I’d die happy. Ray would not grow up without her father.

“Give me that baby,” I said, shaking as I listed to one side, and Ku’Sox took his pinkie from the now quiet child, charmed to sleep with a curse.

“One step closer, and I squeeze,” he said, smiling down at the sleeping infant.

I froze as Trent stirred behind him. “You want me, not him.”

Ku’Sox raised an eyebrow. “Offering to take his place? But I already have you. Come sunup, I will be pleading to the collective to spare your life. And they will give you to me because otherwise, I’ll kill them all and they know it.”

“Not unless I kill you first.” Maybe Trent had the right idea after all.

Bis popped into existence, right on top of Trent, and I jerked. “You will regret this, little rat!” Ku’Sox shouted, and I flung up a bubble around them as Bis popped Trent out. Ku’Sox’s magic winged into the nursery, quiet and empty. “Enough!” Ku’Sox shouted, throwing the baby from him as if the infant were trash.