Pierce shrugged, and I jumped from the bench. “You might want to put some space between us if you want to stay alive,” I suggested, forcing myself not to touch my splat gun.

Pierce put his hands on his hips, flicking his duster back. “You might want to put yourself in a bubble to do the same.”

What was I thinking, taking Ku’Sox on without Al? But he had Ivy and Jenks, and I wasn’t going to wait.

A soft scrape of boot on stone pulled my head around and I felt the blood drain from my face. It was Ku’Sox, his arm around Ivy’s neck and his other hand twisting her arm painfully behind her as he forced her down the park steps.

“Let me go, you freak!” I heard her sputter as she strained to break his grip, but it was useless. One of her eyes was black, and she had a split lip.

“Jenks!” I shouted as they reached the bottom, and I pulled out the splat gun, my grip sweaty and the ley line I was connected to seeming to jump in me. “Where’s Jenks?”

Ku’Sox stopped in the middle of the street, his steel gray hair close to his head, shining in the sun like raven wings. Looking as if he was enjoying himself, he tugged Ivy around to be his shield. “Tell her what happened to the pixy,” he said softly, whispering it into her ear as his eyes bored into mine and the wind played with his hair.

My heart almost stopped. Jenks…

“He’s okay!” Ivy said, Ku’Sox’s hand going white-knuckled as he gripped her throat. “Short dick here had to lock him in a box. Jenks kept slicing his ear off.”

Ku’Sox bore down on her, and she choked, falling to one knee.

“Hey!” I shouted, taking a step forward, splat gun raised. “Let her go. It’s me you want.” God, I felt as if I were in a western. Hand over the little lady there, partner, and we’ll settle this like men. I was so screwed.

Ku’Sox grinned, showing his small white teeth. “Does it bother you?” he asked, yanking her up and dragging her through the rubble that littered the street. Her foot got wedged between two rocks, and he yanked her free. My face went blank at her muffled grunt of pain.

Fingers shifting on the butt of my weapon, I said, “Let her go, and come over here. I’ll whisper in your ear how bothered I am.”

Confident and sure of himself, Ku’Sox stopped at the curb. His hand opened, and Ivy fell, her elbow slicing open on a chunk of ragged concrete. Head down so her hair hid her face, she pulled herself together, lashing out with her good foot, making Ku’Sox dance sideways.

I shot at him as he was distracted, but he raised a bubble, absorbing it.

Ivy, though, was free, and my heart quickened. I slowly continued to draw that broken energy into me, pulling it from the jagged lines and trying to organize it.