Nigel finally managed to rip off the gag, the magic sticking to his face in places and gumming up his fingers, but letting his voice free. “Let’s go,” he said, and grabbed his companion’s shoulder.

Ronald shook him off. “Not yet.”

He put an arm in front of Nigel, and stepped back, drawing them both further into shadow, whilst the blond cast something on two of the men that was probably a memory charm. He didn’t bother with the one still screaming on the fence, but he did put a gag on him. That left the suspended man staring at him wildly, his mouth working behind the invisible barrier, but no sound coming out.

The blond ignored him, and knelt by the fallen woman. “You won’t remember any of this,” he said, raising a hand to her temple.

Only to have it caught in a gloved hand. “Yes, I will. I’m part demon.”

The man blinked and glanced around. “Then… did I presume?”

“No,” her lips twisted. “I’m not that much of a demon.”

He helped her up, and she seemed all right, only to stumble when she tried to take a step. “You’re hurt,” he said, frowning.

“It’s… I believe I’ve injured an ankle.”

“You had help,” he said dryly, and glanced at the man on the fence. The knives buried in the man’s flesh flew back to him with a gesture, with meaty, squelching sounds. And caused the man to fall to the ground where he landed like a sack of wet sand.

Despite four gaping wounds, he staggered to his feet and ran off, the gag keeping him from the screams that he probably would have been uttering otherwise. The blond let him go, brought out a handkerchief from his coat and handed it to the woman. She stared at it blankly.

“For your temple,” he explained. “You’re bleeding.”

“I have my own,” she said, but didn’t take it out. She seemed mildly stunned. The blond’s frown grew.

“Do you live nearby?” he asked, using the handkerchief to clean the blood off his knives, before neatly tucking them back into his coat.

“I—yes. Not far.”

“Then permit me to escort you? These streets are perilous at night. And not much better by day.”

“I…” her eyes went to the pool of blood her attacker had left. It had splattered when his body fell into it, leaving an odd shape on the ground. She swallowed. “I would not want to put you out, sir.”

“You won’t.” He hesitated, and then said what they were both thinking. “If I wanted to harm you, could I not have done it already?”