The mystery man seemed to know it as well, since he kept his hand over Devon’s mouth even as he started dragging him toward the library doors.

“Kill her, you idiot!” he hissed at the puppet man.

My attacker blinked and blinked, then shook his head, as though he were flinging off the last of Devon’s magic. Then he turned toward me again.

I gritted my teeth, grabbed my sword, and scrambled up and onto my feet. I raised my weapon, ready to fight as best I could, hoping that I could kill my attacker and chase after Devon and the mystery man—

Suddenly, Felix was there, stabbing his sword into my attacker’s side and yanking it back out. The man toppled to the ground—dead.

Felix and I both turned toward the mystery man, who still had his dagger up against Devon’s throat.

The mystery man let out a disgusted snarl, but he tightened his grip on Devon and kept backing him toward the library doors. Felix and I followed them, our own weapons raised and ready.

“Let him go,” I said. “And we’ll let you live.”

The mystery man let out a brittle laugh, but that was his only response—

Devon drove his left elbow into the mystery man’s stomach, making him gasp with pain. At the same time, Devon shoved his right arm up between his neck and the dagger, so that the weapon only sliced into his wrist, instead of his throat. Devon hissed with pain, blood gushing down his arm, but he broke free of the other man, whirled around, and opened his mouth—

The mystery man stepped up and shoved him as hard as he could, sending Devon flying backward into a bookcase. The mystery man let out another angry snarl, then turned and sprinted out the front doors.

Felix hurried over to Devon, while I limped along as best as I could. Felix helped Devon to his feet, then both guys looked at me.

“Are you okay?” Devon asked.

“Just peachy.”

His gaze dropped to my left leg and the blood that had soaked my cargo pants. Then his eyes went to my sword, which I was leaning on as if it were a crutch. “Are you sure?”

I waved my hand. “It’s just a scratch. I’m fine—”

The last bit of magic that had been keeping me going fizzled out of my veins like bubbles escaping from a can of soda. I sagged and would have pitched forward if Devon hadn’t stepped up to catch me. He was stronger than I thought, and he easily put me back on my feet and held me steady.

“Maybe you should sit down,” he said, his green eyes twinkling just a bit.

“Maybe just for a second.”

He helped me over to a chair in the children’s section and eased me down into it. His hand burned on my arm, hot instead of cold, but feeling like magic all the same. A different kind of magic—one that I had no idea what to do about.

“Thanks,” I said in a soft voice.

“You’re welcome,” Devon replied, his voice as low as mine.

His warm hand lingered on my arm a moment longer before he straightened up and stepped back.

Felix looked back and forth between us, before his gaze moved over the rest of the library, taking in all the dead bodies, overturned shelves, haphazard piles of books, and busted tables and chairs. Finally, he stared at Devon.

“You know, I think Lila’s right,” Felix said. “You should call your mom now.”

Devon groaned.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Claudia showed up about twenty minutes later, along with Grant, Reginald, Angelo, and a dozen Sinclair guards, all wearing black cloaks and carrying swords. They swarmed into the library and started searching the building.

“Clear!”

“Clear!”

“Clear!”

The guards’ shouts rang out from one section of the library to the other.

Devon, Felix, and I had taken refuge in the children’s area, sitting at a kid-size table and matching chairs. Once the guards had cleared the library, Claudia stalked over to us, with Reginald and Grant trailing along behind her.

“Devon?” Claudia asked, her worried gaze locking on to the gash on his wrist.

“I’m fine, Mom,” he said. “It’s just a cut.”

She looked at Felix, who’d escaped the fight with some cuts and bruises and an eye that was starting to blacken, before finally turning to me. She stared at the blood trickling down my leg, despite the paper towels I was pressing to the wound.

“What happened?” Claudia asked. “What are you doing here?”

I opened my mouth to tell her it was my fault, but Devon beat me to it.

“Felix and I came to help Lila pack up the rest of her things,” Devon said.

“Is that so?” Claudia murmured, staring at all three of us in turn.

Devon kept his gaze steady on hers. Felix grinned, but it was a nervous expression. I shrugged.

Finally, she faced Devon again. “Why would you do that? Without bringing any of the guards with you?”

Devon got to his feet. “Because I don’t need the guards. I can take care of myself.”

Claudia started to open her mouth, but she thought better of it when she realized we were all staring at her. Instead, she jerked her head. Devon sighed and followed her over to the checkout counter, out of earshot of the rest of us. But I could imagine the lecture Claudia was giving him.

Reginald and Grant moved off to check on the guards, and I got to my feet as well.

“What are you doing?” Felix asked. “You should be taking it easy until we get back to the mansion, and we can get you healed up.”