going to believe she jumped me first?”

Besides, I couldn’t tell him that I wanted to find Graves and get the hell out of here. The need to get

on the road was itching under my skin in a big way.

“It’s the truth, though.” Dibs gently but firmly grabbed my hand, started manipulating my left wrist.

It hurt. “Shanks saw it. Right?”

“You’re such an optimist.” Shanks sighed, crossed the room to the window. “She’s right. Her only

witness is a werwulf from a reform Schola. Nobody will believe it. On the other hand, you did give

as good as you got, Dru-girl. Maybe she’ll be embarrassed.”

What a cheerful thought. My wrist sent sharp jolts of pain up my arm as Dibs’s long slim fingers

probed and poked and pulled.

My T-shirt was filthy with dried blood, sweat, and stuff I couldn’t remember getting on it. “You embarrass a bully, they’ll just lie in wait for you somewhere. Ouch! Stop yanking on it!”

“I think maybe I should splint this.” A crease deepened between Dibs’s fair eyebrows. He’s all business when he’s patching someone up. Hard to believe he’d barely even talk to me out in public because he’s so shy. “So what do we do, then?”

We? I don’t know about you, but I’m finding Graves once he’s calmed down and making the case to

get the hell out of here. Like, yesterday.

“Leave it alone, I’m fine.” It hit me hard. I put my head down, breathed in softly. He’d said we. He

took it for granted that it was his problem too. We. I didn’t think I’d be so grateful for one little

word.

All at once I felt horrible about leaving him behind.

Dibs shrugged. “Wait and see. All we can do. Graves might have a bright idea. And Jesus, Dru. You

should at least tell Benjamin. He wouldn’t have this job if he didn’t know how to play the game.”

“You keep saying it’s a game.” I let Dibs mess with my wrist some more. The blond wulfen produced a brand-new Ace bandage from the depths of his medical kit.

“Hold still.” He tore the package open with his white, sharp teeth.

Shanks let out an ironic little half-laugh.“Of course it’s a game. Djamphir are like suckers, always

looking to one-up each other.” He gave me a guilty glance, tugged at the window sash. “’Cept you,

of course. And then there’s Reynard. Wonder what the deal is with him and Red. You said she was

trying to get you on her side about him.”

“If I find him I could maybe get him to answer some questions. Good luck with that, though.” It

was weird to have someone else bandaging me up. I usually did the first aid for Dad. I remembered