I smiled at that, thinking of Declan. “Things are a little complicated right now. I’d better stick to Clarence’s.”

“Fair enough,” she said, “especially with those dhampirs of yours around. I like you having that extra protection, just in case Alicia attempts something we don’t expect. In fact . . . well, I have another suggestion to help you out. I’d like you to stop by Malachi’s home on your way back. You remember how to get there, of course?”

“Malachi Wolfe?” I asked, as if she could be referring to any other Malachi.

She nodded. “I’ve already spoken to him. He’ll lend you a weapon—just in case. I trust your magic but would feel better with something extra guarding your back.”

I didn’t like the idea of a gun, but Ms. Terwilliger had a point. When it came to Alicia, we couldn’t take any chances. I glanced back at my gathered friends. “No need for all of us to go—especially since one of us should get home and check on your mom, Adrian.” I could tell from his expression that he understood my meaning perfectly—that it was actually Declan we needed to check up on.

“Well, as much as I’d love to see Wolfe, it’s probably better you go to him, in case he demands another ‘skill test’ before letting you borrow a weapon,” said Adrian. “I’ll get back home to Mom. You guys . . .” He glanced at the dhampirs.

“I’ll go with Sydney,” said Eddie. “I want to finally meet this guy.” He’d taken our lack of results today hard, so I was surprised to see him enthused about anything.

Of course, Malachi Wolfe had become legendary among my friends—most of whom had never met him and were only going off of the stories Adrian and I had told about our time in the Wolfe School of Defense. In fact, it was clear from Trey and Neil’s faces that they wanted to come with Eddie and me, but Trey needed to pick up Angeline and had come out to the Salton Sea in Neil’s rental car. The two of them decided to get that straightened out while Rose and Dimitri went with Adrian. That left Eddie and me, and after telling our friends goodbye, we set out for Malachi’s compound on the outskirts of Palm Springs.

“Are the Chihuahuas really trained to attack?” he asked.

I couldn’t help but grin. “That’s what Wolfe claims. We’ve never seen them in action, though.”

“I can’t wait to see his nunchucks.”

“Do not touch them,” I warned. “Or any weapon, without permission. If he approves of you, he might lend you something too.”

Some of Eddie’s humor faded. “I really hate that it’s come to you needing to borrow a weapon. I hate that it’s come to any of this.” He sighed in dismay. “I know Ms. Terwilliger warned us Alicia might have moved on, but I was really, really hoping we’d find some sign of her today.”

“I know,” I said in dismay. “I wanted that too. But if she had to scramble and change her plans, the odds are good she got careless. We just need to take advantage of that and beat her before her next move.”

“And each day we wait is another day of God-knows-what for Jill.”

The despair in his voice made my heart ache. “I know,” I told him sadly. “I know.”

Malachi’s compound was a series of stark, industrial-looking buildings on a large, grassless lot well off the highway. We pulled into the long gravel driveway, and I saw some of Eddie’s earlier enthusiasm return as every fantasy about Malachi’s bizarre lifestyle slowly unfolded. The sun was just touching the horizon, making everything even creepier as shadows fell. I smiled to myself, remembering the first time Adrian and I had visited, unsure if we were walking into a self-defense class or an abduction.

I knocked at the door of the main house and wasn’t surprised to hear the frantic pitter-pattering of little Chihuahua feet, followed by a cacophony of frenzied yelping. “Oh, man,” breathed Eddie. “There really is a herd of them.” I’d seen Eddie fearlessly face down an attacking Strigoi, but he took an uneasy step back at the sound of the canine charge.

I grinned and turned toward the door, waiting for Malachi Wolfe himself to answer. Slightly unstable and very unorthodox, Wolfe had nonetheless been a good friend to Adrian and me—and more than a friend to Ms. Terwilliger. That last part still made me squirm a bit, but after everything Adrian and I had endured, I was more convinced than ever that everyone needed someone to love—even scattered sorceresses and eyepatch-wearing self-defense instructors.

When no answer immediately came, I knocked again. This drove the dogs into a louder frenzy, but Wolfe still didn’t materialize. “Weird,” I said.

“Didn’t you text him before we left?” asked Eddie.

“Ms. Terwilliger did,” I replied. I glanced over at the other buildings, looking for movement. “He said he had some weapons in mind for me. Maybe he’s getting them out.” I stepped back to the ground and headed toward where I knew Wolfe kept a stockpile of weapons. “I hope he’s not going to try to pass off that blowgun again.”

Eddie’s face lit up as he followed me across the sandy ground. “Blowgun? Are you seriously—”

His words were lost as a mailbox suddenly exploded beside us. Without missing a beat, Eddie pushed me down and rolled us away from the worst of the heat and flames. Gravel and hard ground scraped at my skin, but it was certainly better than the alternative. Eddie kept himself positioned protectively over me as we both carefully lifted our heads and peered around, taking in the fiery wreckage.

“What the hell?” he asked.

Another explosion erupted from the ground beside us. No flames this time, but the rocks that flew up from it were as good as shrapnel, and I cried out as a particularly sharp one bit into my arm. I pointed at the closest building.

“There!”

Before he could stop me, I ran toward it, casting a spell of unseen force that shattered a window. An ear-piercing alarm blared out. No surprise Wolfe would have this place wired. The question was whether his paranoia would extend to having that alarm system monitored by the police or not.

Eddie followed me through the window, and I found we were in the building that had served as a training area for my self-defense class. It was wide and open, lined with mirrors and cases of weapons. I sized up the room, looking for the safest position. Eddie, meanwhile, ran straight for one of the cases. After waffling between a bola and some brass knuckles, he went with the bola, swinging it around with practiced ease as he warily backed up and kept an eye on the window we’d broken. I called up my favorite spell, summoning a fireball to my palm.