“Someone might want to help him before he bleeds out.”

Kaufman was the one who went to his aid. The others just stood there, gazes fixed on the glowing sword. One crossed himself and whispered under his breath.

“Yes, the sword is what it looks like,” she said. “And I’m who I look like.” She leaned over Josef, who twisted to stare up at her, as shocked as the injured officer. “Hey, Josef. I’d say Kris sends his regards, but he won’t be happy about this. He really won’t be happy. Now, Savannah and I are going to walk away and—”

“I can’t let you do that, ma’am,” said a voice behind us.

Floodlights flicked on and we saw another half dozen armed men surrounding us. The officer in charge stepped forward.

“I’m going to ask you to remove that sword and let Mr. Nast up. I’m only going to ask you once.”

“I’m not—”

“Mom?”

She glanced over. A half dozen rifle scopes dotted my chest. She cast a quick blur spell, and I cast a cover spell as I hit the floor.

“Don’t you dare threaten her,” Mom said. “Do you know what this is?” She lifted the sword, her foot still planted on Josef. As half the men flinched, she said, “Yes, you do. You’ve sure as hell never seen one, but you know exactly what it is, and you know that if you touch my daughter, you won’t just lose an arm. I will cast your soul into the deepest, darkest hell dimension, and no one on the other side will stop me, because if you fuck with me, you are damned. Eternally damned.”

A few of the rifles dropped. The rest wavered.

“Lower your guns,” Josef said. “Savannah Levine is under the protection of my nephew, Sean, and I cannot allow her to be harmed.”

The officers who’d heard a very different story two minutes ago shifted uncomfortably, but kept their mouths shut.

“However,” Josef continued. “Miss Levine is also under the protection of the Cortezes, which makes her presence here—interfering with a Nast operation—in contravention of intra-Cabal law. Both Savannah and her mother will be taken into custody—”

“Like hell,” Mom said.

Josef looked her right in the eye. Whatever she read in that stare made her swallow.

Before she could speak, there was a commotion to the side. Two more officers walked toward the circle of light, staggering slightly as they dragged in a man in a T-shirt and jeans, unconscious, head slumped over. In the dim light, all I could make out were muscular biceps and light hair and I thought Clay. Then they took two more steps, coming closer to the light, and my heart rammed into my throat.

I jumped up, breaking the cover spell, ignoring my mother’s shout. The two men dropped their captive. He hit the floor hard, a dead weight, forehead cracking against the cement.

I grabbed Adam by the shoulders and flipped him over. His face was battered, bruises purpling, eyes swollen shut, his nose now bleeding from hitting the floor.

“We found him sneaking around,” one said. “Seems he burned a hole in the wall to get in. He resisted arrest.”

“You bastards,” I snarled.

When one grinned at me, I leaped up. Mom started for me, but Kaufman got there first, catching my arm and whispering, “Don’t.”

I glowered at the officers and knelt beside Adam again. He’d been beaten unconscious, but he was breathing. Thank God, he was breathing.

Josef walked over to stare down at Adam. “I don’t recognize this man. He must be one of the terrorists. Take him outside and shoot—”

“It’s Adam Vasic,” I said. “He’s a council delegate and under protection of the Cortez Cabal.”

He frowned. “I’ve met Adam Vasic. It’s hard to tell with all that bruising, but I’m quite certain that isn’t him.”

“It’s Adam, you son of a bitch,” I said, getting to my feet. “He disintegrated a wall to get in. How many Exustio half-demons are there?”

“Are we sure that’s what happened?” Josef turned to the officers who brought Adam in. “Did you see him disintegrate it?”

One officer smirked. “No, sir.”

I bent, rolled Adam onto his side, and yanked out his wallet. I shook out three pieces of ID.

“Here,” I said. “You want proof? Take this.”

He ignored my outstretched hand and looked at my mother. “Would you like me to take that ID from her, Eve? To confirm this really is Adam Vasic?”

“Kris is right,” she said through clenched teeth. “You are a heartless bastard.”

Josef’s blue eyes chilled. “My brother would never say—”

“No? Really?”

They faced off. Josef looked away first.

“Eve, if you want me to confirm this young man’s identity, you’ll lay down your sword and come along willingly. I’ll take all three of you into custody. Otherwise …”

Mom laid down her sword. Josef took the ID cards and gave them a cursory glance.

“Yes, it appears this is Adam Vasic. Put all three of them in the van. You there—” He pointed to an officer. “Take that sword.”

“You don’t want to do that,” Mom said as the officer walked over to it.

The officer hesitated. He wasn’t much older than me, and I could tell by his expression that he didn’t know exactly what it was, only that a glowing sword capable of slicing off a man’s arm wasn’t natural.

“The Sword of Judgment,” Mom said. “Take a good look, because if you ever see one in this dimension, it’s time for last rites. Very, very fast last rites. The only person who can touch it? An angel.”

The kid looked at Josef.

“Do you really think Eve Levine is an angel?” Josef said. “She’s the daughter of Balaam. Lord demon Balaam. That thing comes from his world. From hell. Now pick it up.”

When no one moved, Mom laughed. “You’re not reassuring them, Josef. Heaven or hell, it’s clearly no toy.” She bent, slid her hands under the blade, and lifted it like an offering. She walked over to Josef. “If you’re so sure it’s safe, take it.”

“Don’t test me, Eve,” he said, so low I barely heard him.

“I’ll take it, sir.”