Free Captive Heart by Anna Windsor Page B

distinctive, too, like Karin’s stocky build—unusual for an air Sibyl.
    Almost immediately, Jack’s eyes moved to the sword belted at Maggie Cregan’s waist, only partly hidden under the folds of a black cloak she wore to conceal it. Sheila had on a cloak, too, while Karin didn’t need one since her throwing stars —shuriken —looked like belt decorations. But that sword of Maggie’s kept nudging out from under the cloak.
    Of course it was just the wind stirring through the hot summer day. The sword wasn’t moving by itself, but still, something always felt off about that damned thing. Jack didn’t much like being on the same block with it, and he really didn’t like it being only a few hundred yards away from Andy.
    Duncan saw where Jack was looking, and he acknowledged Maggie with a nod. “You’ve heard the rumors about her weapon?”
    “That she’s carrying a sword handed down to her by executioners in her family tree?” Jack made a quick visual check on Andy and Bela, who started walking again. “Yeah, I got that part from some of the OCU officers who work with her.”
    Duncan edged ahead of Jack on the sidewalk as Bela took a lead over Andy in the tracking. “Bela told me that one of the women who used to carry that sword also hung people outside her own window, for the local jailhouse. After the victim died, she’d sketch the swinging body on her bedroom wall. Somehow one of those sketches ended up etched into that sword’s blade.”
    Jack checked Andy. Checked the sword. He’d like more distance between her and that … thing, but the East Ranger Sibyls had responded to his call for backup. He couldn’t very well order them off again and ask for a different group. “John Cole said the sword hates him. Think there’s anything to that?”
    “It tasted his blood. Now it can find him anywhere. I’ve seen the damned thing try to pull out of Maggie’s hand to cut him when he got too close.”
    Jack closed distance with the Sibyls so he could watch Andy and the strange blade at the same time. “Why does she carry it?”
    Duncan gave a quick snort of amusement. “I guess because it kills the bad guys.”
    Jack forced himself to stop monitoring the sword and how close Maggie was getting to Andy. He’d really rather that sword not be a part of this, though he couldn’t say why. And he damned sure couldn’t tell a Sibyl what weapon to carry, not if he liked staying alive with all his body parts still attached.
    Jack figured that from above, this tracking operation looked like a leather-headed snake, with Andy and Bela up front and Sheila and Maggie close on their heels. Karin Maros had backed off and disappeared into the crowd like air Sibyls tended to do, keeping a broader view of the whole situation. Jack and Duncan walked a few steps behind the Sibyls, and four OCU officers kept pace right after them.
    Bela and Andy followed a strange path, up and down different streets, first one way and then the other. Canal to Broadway. Broadway to Nassau. Back to Broadway. Over to Church. Finally they ended up on Greenwich, and the Sibyls made a sharp right behind what looked like an abandoned storefront.
    On instinct, Jack’s hand moved toward his Glock. His nostrils flared, picking up the doughy scent of pizza and, from somewhere close, something sweeter, like pastries. “Anything?” he asked Duncan, who could use his enhanced Bengal senses to pick up threats Jack wouldn’t notice.
    “Not yet. I mean, the monster thing smelled like stink and blood when it left the warehouse, so I’ve gotten a few whiffs of that, but the trail’s old and degrading with every minute we’re out here.” His nose wrinkled as they got closer to the storefront. “Like now. I can smell the bastard, but not strong enough that I think he’s here or anything.”
    As they moved down the small alley beside the storefront, Andy and the other Sibyls turned a quick left and Jack lost sight of her.
    “Shit.” He drew his