“No, we’re going to be sensible and wait for backup.” We had much bigger fish to fry. Running into a herd of carnivorous unicorns would be very brave and ridiculously stupid. Why risk getting a horn through your side and being taken out of the fight when there were reinforcements around the corner?

A large shadhavar pawed the ground with his hoof.

Derek glanced at the concrete roof above our heads. “I’ll boost you.”

“Go.”

He grabbed me by the waist and hurled me up. I caught the edge of the roof and pulled myself up onto it. The shadhavar charged.

Derek leaped up, bounced off the building, and dropped by my side.

The shadhavar reared, baring long triangular teeth at us, yellow against their blood-red gums. That was a sight enough to give you nightmares.

“Yes, yes, keep smiling.” No worries. Our backup was coming.

The winged horse circled above us.

I glanced up. “When we’re fighting, keep an eye on him for me, please.”

“Sure,” Derek said. “Why?”

“Some people are natural killers. Curran is one. I am, as well. He isn’t. Bahir is what happens when you force murder on a decent, kind human being. He is fierce and he’ll kill if he has to, because he thinks it’s his duty, but he doesn’t have enough experience to make calculated decisions. He may try to sacrifice himself for our greater good.”

“Pot, kettle,” Derek said.

“I sacrificed myself after I’ve weighed all of our options and realized there is no other choice. He may not see all of the options. He has taken a life, and the guilt is gnawing at him. He may see his sacrifice as atonement. I want him to survive this, if we can make it happen. He and Eduardo deserve to have a conversation.”

The winged horse swooped low and Bahir jumped onto the roof. Amal beat her incredible wings, soared above us, and landed on the crumbling wall of the building.

“Do you need assistance?” Bahir asked.

“We’ll wait for the vehicles to get here,” I told him.

“Oh. In that case I will wait with you.”

He sat by me.

“Do you know my son well?”

“I know that he is honest and brave. He doesn’t hesitate to put himself between his friends and danger. He is devoted to George and he worked very long hours hoping to build a family with her. I’m proud to call him a friend.”

Bahir remained silent.

“Did you speak with George?” I asked.

“Yes. She said she saw him burning. Shakush is torturing my son.”

“We saw him burning during one of the ifrit’s attacks. I don’t know if it was real or another illusion.”

“Do you think my son is still alive?” he asked.

He was looking for reassurance. Sadly I had none.