Hugh held his hands out and began to chant under his breath. Magic moved, slow and sluggish at first, then faster and faster, winding around Hugh and raining on Ascanio’s body. The crushed ribs crawled under the boy’s skin, re-forming.

Hugh stopped chanting. The flow of magic stopped as if cut by a knife and I almost cried out.

Ascanio lay on the table, pale and smeared with blood. He looked so young. So young, just a child dying slowly on the metal table.

“So what will it be, Kate?”

Hugh held his hand out and Ascanio’s wounds began to knit themselves closed. “Yes?” He closed his hand into a fist. The healing stopped. “Or no?”

“Don’t.” Robert’s voice vibrated with urgency. “Don’t take the bait.”

“Yes?” Fractured shards of ribs slid into place.

Ascanio had trusted me to keep him safe. I had promised Aunt B. I’d promised her on her grave that I would look after her people.

“Or no?” The flesh stopped moving.

“Perhaps you’d like me to do it in reverse?” Hugh raised his eyebrows.

“No.” The word escaped before I could catch it.

“Don’t!” Robert’s voice snapped like a whip.

Hugh grimaced, his face jerking with effort. Ascanio’s bones crunched. Oh God.

“Make up your mind,” Hugh said. “Because I’ll splinter every bone in his body. He’ll be soft like a rag doll by the time I’m done.”

I couldn’t let Ascanio die. It wasn’t in me.

It felt like the words cut my mouth on their way out. “Heal him and I’ll open the cage.”

“This is a mistake,” Robert said.

Hugh smiled.

I held up the keys. “You have my word. Heal the boy and I’ll open the cage.”

Hugh turned to Ascanio and raised his hand. Magic built around him like a wave about to break. A steady blue glow slowly flared around his body.

The magic plunged onto Ascanio’s body in a deluge. He cried out.

Ted struggled to say something. His big body shook. The tough old bastard refused to die.

Hugh ignored him, his magic streaming from him into Ascanio.

Ted’s voice was a hoarse rattle, as if an anvil rested on his chest and he couldn’t draw enough air. “Your . . . mission . . .”

Ascanio’s rib cage expanded back, the bones moving slowly back into his chest.

“. . . is . . .”

Ted gasped. Blood poured from his mouth. “Aborted.”

What?

“Effective immediately.”

Ted’s legs convulsed. He gripped the edge of the desk, holding himself upright by sheer will. “Central, acknowledge.”

“Acknowledged,” Maxine’s voice said in my head. Robert looked around, startled. Hugh stopped and raised his head. Everyone in the room must’ve heard it. “Knight-crusader Nikolas Feldman, you are hereby ordered to return to regular duties.”

I knew only one Feldman. Greg, my deceased guardian.