When they were directly across from Rune’s hideaway, they crept along the side of the bungalow, watching as Anne and Con approached the door.
“This is crazy,” said Catriona, squeezing Broch’s arm.
He squeezed back. “It’ll be fine. They ken whit they’re doin’.”
“Do they? How do we know?”
“We don’t but...ah dinnae ken whyfur they would lie.”
“To lure us to Rune?”
Broch turned. “Ah hadn’t thought o’ that.”
Catriona’s eyes grew wide. “Now you look concerned? I thought you were positive she’s telling the truth? I thought your Spidey-sense said she was one of the good guys.”
“Ah dinnae ken what Spidey-sense means—”
“It’s the thing you have that lets you sense danger. You said you could feel she was safe.”
Broch checked himself. Aye. Ah ken ah felt it right. He set his jaw and nodded to Catriona so she could see how sure he was.
“Aye. Ah did. Ah dae.”
She stared at him.
“Bit, ah mean, ah dinnae ken...” He found his words failing him.
Am ah positive?
He felt sure they were safe with Anne and Con, but…
“Mebbe ah kin sense trouble, bit they hae the power tae hide it?”
“Oh come on.” Catriona dropped her forehead onto his shoulder and then lifted her chin again, looking concerned. “Oh no.”
“Whit?”
“I just remember you were in love with Fiona when she first showed up.”
He gasped, horrified. “Nae ah wisn’t! Ah ken she was ye.”
“Yeah, but you were wrong. That’s the point. You didn’t sense she was evil.”
“Mebbe she’s nae. Mebbe she’s juist an actress. She did stab Rune.”
“True.” Catriona sighed and motioned toward Anne and Con. “They’re knocking.”
He saw Con raise his hand to the door and a loud boom! echoed across the street.
The door of the yellow house exploded into splinters.
Con flew through the air as if he’d leapt backwards from the yellow house’s tiny porch, landing on his back on the path he and Anne had traversed a moment before. Anne, already standing to the side, spun against the steps’ metal railing, her arms raised to protect her head.
Broch jerked Catriona against him, covering her head as he watched Anne’s fists explode with orange light.
“Let’s go, we have to go help!” said Catriona struggling to rise to her feet as he held her down.
“He’s git a musket,” said Broch, doing his best to keep himself between her and the street.
Another shot rang out and Anne pushed through the door. Con remained still on the ground outside.
“We have to get Con out of there.”
She’s richt.
“Stay here.”
“Like hell.”
Unable to stop Catriona from following him, Broch did his best to stay in front of her as they scurried across the street toward Con. Broch slowed as he saw the pool of dark red blood on Con’s chest. The blast had struck him squarely in the ribs. If he wasn’t already dead, he would be soon.
“Cat, wait—”
They’d nearly reached Anne’s fallen partner when Con’s form flickered. His flesh disappeared, replaced by crackling maroon energy that reminded Broch of Luther’s demonstration at Anne’s house the day before.
A moment later, the Irishman was back in his more familiar form, struggling to rise to his feet. He turned as they approached, his fist raised, eyes wild.
Broch threw out his arms.
“Easy. We’re here tae help.”
“Are you okay?” asked Catriona.
Con blinked, his fist still poised in the air, and then seemed to shake off his shock. “Annie?”
Both Broch and Catriona pointed to the house. “Inside.”
Without another word, Con spun and shot into the house, his body blurry with speed.
Chapter Thirty-Four
The man Anne recognized from photos as Joseph Almos fell back from the door, fumbling with his shotgun, as she kicked her way into the house. He raised the weapon again but Anne was on him by then, knocking it aside before he could fire another blast. The gun clattered to the ground and slid out of reach.
Teeth gritted, Joseph spun away and grabbed a katana from what Anne realized was an entire wall of weapons. He tore the hooks that held the sword from the drywall as he jerked it free and waggled it at her from the opposite side of a sheet-covered sofa.
“Get back.”
Anne manifested her own swords and Joseph’s eyes flashed white, his eyes locking on the glow radiating from her fists.
I don’t need these.
She absorbed the light back into her hands. No sense wasting the energy it took to engage her most powerful weapons. She could already tell Joseph wasn’t like the experienced, powerful Perfidians she’d battled before.
Piece of cake.
“Look. We’re here to help,” she said, which was true, though she didn’t imagine he would see it that way.
Joseph spat a laugh, spittle flying from his lips. He swung at her with the sword, but she was too far away to even flinch.
Anne sensed an energy behind her and turned in time to see Con appear at the doorway.
“Find Rune,” she said.
“It was this bastard who shot me,” he said, gesturing at Joseph.
“I’ve got him. Go find Rune and Fiona.”
Con growled and stabbed his finger at Joseph. “Fine. But I’ve got somethin’ for you, Boyo.” He shifted into his energy form and ran straight through Joseph, who stiffened and screamed out as if he’d been electrocuted. He dropped his katana before collapsing to the ground.
Anne sighed. She’d been looking forward to a little sparring.
She walked around the sofa and straddled the thick little man where he lay shaking on the ground. Lowering to one knee, she placed one hand on his neck and one on the bit of bare arm protruding from beneath
