There was a hand on her wrist, then. Orfeus stared down at it, thick fingers and a heavy gauntlet. Her eyes traced up the burly arm to the person standing beside her. “Faolan?” she said stupidly.

Standing there like she hadn’t left to chase down demons and finally given him the perfect excuse to let her stop being a problem for good. Faolan, standing strong in his wolf mask and armour, the most familiar imaginable nightmare, except it didn’t feel like a nightmare any more.

He gently tugged her hand down. She let him, frowning.

“This isn’t a kill contract,” Faol said. She paused. “Maybe tomorrow,” she said, because Faolan was honest to a fault.

Orfeus bit back an unnecessary laugh. She kept half her eye on Significance, standing very quiet and still like xe hoped to be forgotten.

Faolan met her gaze. She’d always liked those deep brown eyes. “You don’t like killing, Fox,” he said.

Just like that, the energy ran out of her, and she sagged against him. “No,” she agreed. She added, “Xe would deserve it.”

Faol took the knife from her unresisting hand. “Don’t we all?” he said. He turned his gaze, focusing instead on Significance.

Orfeus rested her weight on him a little harder. She hadn’t quite realised how much everything hurt. Her head was dizzy and spinning, her nose felt broken, blood in her mouth, aches in every muscle she had, burns at wrist and ankle, so many things. Faol’s body was warm against her, more than enough to hold her up. “No, you’re very brave,” she said.

Faol made a small noise, halfway between indrawn breath and inquiry, but shook his head. He gently pushed her away to one of the chairs. “Sit down.”

She didn’t want to go in the chair. And there were reasons, things she still must do. “I have to…”

“Sit down, Orfeus,” Faolan said. Her voice was warm, but her eyes stayed fixed on Significance O’Hallow, which Orfeus appreciated. “Healer, heal yourself.”

That sounded nice. Orfeus let out a long breath and tried to muster up whatever of her Blood was left. She flicked her fingers in heal. She didn’t get the gesture right until the second time, and tried not to notice the worry and dread that pressed down at her chest.

Faolan prowled forward, and Orfeus tipped back her head to watch him blearily from where she sat. “That’s not how the saying goes…” she said.

The Wolf walked up to Significance and stopped just short of xem. Orfeus bit back her warnings. Faol would know better than to treat xem as no threat.

Faolan said, “You’re under arrest, likely.” He sounded neutral to it. “Eldergrove authorities should be here soon. Harm anyone and I’ll harm you worse.”

Significance nodded and sat down, arms wrapped around xyr knees.