vanished, but I wasn’t worried about that. “Be still.”

“I want to go with him.” I glared at Christophe, my throat full of dry rocks. “Where were you?”

“Keeping watch on your window. I told you I wouldn’t leave you unprotected. I also told the wulfen

to take care of you. When I get my hands—”

Which brought up another question. I tried to slide away again. “Shanks. Did you see him? Is he—”

Christophe grabbed my shoulder. “Robert? He’s wounded but otherwise hale. Where is the loupgarou? I would have thought he’d be with you. Now please, Dru. Be still, calm down, let me work.”

“Work? Jesus Christ, those were vampires! Ash—is he—”

“He may live. I would never have believed a werwulf could do this. But he’s Broken, and . . . well.

In any case, you’re safe. Everything else is immaterial.”

“Reynard!” A familiar voice. Benjamin rocketed around the corner, his sneakered feet slipping in

greasy crud and rotting vampire blood. He took in the scene, dark eyes passing over everything in a

brief, contained arc. “What the hell are you doing here?” He looked like hell. He was beat up and

battered, bruises puffing up along one side of his face, his hair wildly disarranged. His clothes were

torn, too, and I saw with no real surprise that he was holding a single malaika in a white-knuckle

grip. He saw me, too, and almost choked. His eyes blazed.

“There you are!” He took a single step forward. “Where were you? What were you doing? How did

you escape? We were about to—”

“Leave her be,” Christophe said mildly, and Benjamin turned white and almost swallowed his

tongue. “Your cadre?”

“Still efficient. Some slight wounding.” But the djamphir’s shoulders straightened, and he actually

looked proud.

“My faith in you is restored.” But Christophe didn’t look away from my face. His eyebrows drew

together. I swallowed hard and slumped against the wall. “Assess the damage to Milady’s chambers,

if you please, and send me Leontus. Thank you.”

I think it was the first time I ever heard a djamphir actually dismissed, though not in so many

words. Benjamin made a curious little salute with his free hand, glanced at me. “Milady.” And he

vanished back down the hall, running flat out.

“Have you been sparring hard?” Christophe’s hand came up. I flinched, but he rested his fingertips

against my cheek. I’d almost forgotten the shadows of bruising on my face, thought that maybe the

confusion would cover it up. I should have known better; he didn’t miss much.

“Anna.” The single word blurted out, and I instantly regretted it. Christophe’s face hardened, and he

let go of me.

A swarm of djamphir filled the hall now, mostly older students. They were making certain the vampires were out of commission, and the cracking and tearing sounds made my gorge rise. The hall