He was in his forties, average height, but above average build, if his broad shoulders and stance were anything to go by. His black robe, tattered and tied with a length of rope, probably hid the build of a weightlifter.

His face was perfectly ordinary: short, dark blond hair; short beard; dark eyes under sloping eyebrows. His face had a ruddy tint, just short of a sunburn, the kind pale-skinned people got when they were forced to spend time outdoors. Clever, Derek decided. If Adams walked into a bar and ordered a beer, Derek wouldn’t pay him a second glance.

“I have to know,” Adams said. “What the hell is it? Who hired you? Why are you following me all around the damn city? I just can’t shake you two off.”

Derek unhinged his monster jaws. “Your people killed the Iveses.”

“So that’s it?” Adams frowned.

“Kids,” Julie said. “They killed the kids, too. You don’t get the rock. You don’t get the power. You get to answer for the family.”

“This is what comes from sending idiots to do a job.” Adams sighed. “There are ten rules to delegation. The first one is pick the right people. Clearly, I picked the wrong people.”

Either he was obsessed with middle management or he was stalling. He had some sort of plan. Derek glanced at Julie. She looked back at him, her face unreadable. If she had seen any magic, she would’ve shook her head or nodded or given him some sign.

“You win.” Caleb raised his hands, backing off to the left. “I know who the two of you are. You’re the Grey Wolf, and you’re Kate Daniels’ little witchling. I’ve seen the two of you around. I thought the Hunter would take of the two of you, so I could do my thing, but clearly he didn’t. I give up. There’s the rock; go and get it.”

Neither of them moved.

“You do know what it does?” Caleb smiled. “The glowing star, falling from heavens at sunset on the last night of spring? A nightingale wasn’t singing—we don’t have them here—but a mockingbird was. It’s close enough. Normally they don’t break like that, but magic is still weak in the world. You should know this, little witchling. This is one all Slavs fear. Or did Evdokia not teach you yet?”

“Derek!” Julie cried out. “Run!”

The first ray of the rising sun broke free from the horizon. The glowing rock shone with brilliant, cold light, fusing into whole. The light shot up and coalesced into a woman.

He took a sharp breath.