“So, how does this trap work?” Gabriel asked Sergio conversationally. “I’m not familiar with Convocation conniving. What happens next?”

He sounded so cool, even as his magic flickered like sharp silver knives in the air, that Sergio shifted uncomfortably, closing the book he’d been reading and setting it aside. “Now you die,” he declared, sounding even more like a parody of a villain than Sabrina had. “Never fear, however,” he added with a leer at Nic, “your familiar won’t be widowed for long.”

Sergio’s magic lashed out, a whip of intended agony Nic remembered well. She flinched despite her resolve—and it bounced off Gabriel’s shield. Gabriel smiled mirthlessly. “Was that supposed to hurt?” he inquired, drawing his sword. It was the enchanted blade he and Jadren had crafted to defeat the hunters. Gabriel advanced on Sergio, who took a step back, sly gaze flicking behind them. He nodded.

Sabrina launched herself at them, bursting between their linked arms, separating them with a hoot of laughter. Faster than Nic had expected from Sergio, he blasted Gabriel with power, the screech of it almost audible as it hit the shield of moonlight. Sabrina grasped Nic’s arm, sending a jolt of agony into her. Though Nic fought not to show a reaction, the pain screaming along her nerves was too intense, and Sabrina cackled with glee.

“Now what will you do!” Sergio shouted. “Separated from your familiar, you cannot stand against me for long.”

Nic mustered her strength, supplemented by Gabriel’s cooling silver, drawing herself up to glare at Sabrina. “Bad girl,” she gritted out, and slapped her across the face, hard enough to draw blood. Sabrina staggered, putting a hand to her bleeding lip, stared at the blood in confusion, and began to cry.

Whipping around, Nic moved to help Gabriel, but found she wasn’t needed. Gabriel had slowly, mercilessly, backed Sergio against the wall, the point of his sword at the hollow of the Sammael wizard’s throat. Their clashing magic fulminated visibly in the air, Sergio desperately trying to reach Gabriel, who remained impervious.

“You can’t kill me,” Sergio gasped, seeming to finally understand his peril. “The Convocation won’t stand for it.”

“You abducted my wife and familiar,” Gabriel said in a lethally quiet tone.

“It was legal!” Sergio nearly shrieked, trying to worm away, immediately pinned as the point of the sword pressed into his skin, eliciting a trickle of blood.

“I don’t care much for Convocation laws,” Gabriel mused.

“Sergio!” Sabrina cried, starting to climb to her feet.

Nic pinned the girl down with the simple expedient of stepping on her silken skirts. “Sit,” Nic commanded. “Stay.” And earned a simmering glare full of impotent fury.

“Regardless, what the Convocation considers legal is not something that concerns me,” Gabriel continued softly. “I only care about what is right. You’ll die for what you’ve done.”

Sergio’s eyes bugged out. “My father will kill you.”

“He’s welcome to try,” Gabriel replied, and sliced Sergio’s throat.

The motion was so fast, the blade so sharp, that Nic didn’t fully process what had happened until the blood poured out, Sergio’s lifeless body sagging after it like detritus swept over a crimson waterfall. Nic held her breath in shock, Sabrina’s wails a distant sound. Gabriel stood over Sergio’s corpse, bloodied sword in one hand, the tip pointing at an angle to the floor, the dark side of his moon magic dense in the air, the water magic deep as a bottomless ocean. Dangerous, as she’d known long ago. Also hers.