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up?”
     
    I nodded.
     
    So did she.   “So there are more Sekutar.”
     
    “At least one and he’s one tough bastard.”
     
    “There may be more.”
     
    “Could be.   Look, I need you to watch over Naomi.”
     
    “Hell no.”
     
    “Show a little sympathy.   She lost both her parents in the past twenty-four hours, and now someone’s trying to kill her.”
     
    “If the Sekutar was sent to kill her, she’d be dead.   Someone wants those crystals, and they think she has them.”
     
    “Must be a wizard.   A strong one.”
     
    Kelly nodded.   There was no way a Sekutar would align him- or herself with anything less than a powerful wizard.   Kelly siding with me was an exception, but that’s a different story for another time.
     
    I eased myself into a chair and winced.
     
    Kelly raised an eyebrow.
     
    “Ribs,” I said.
     
    She walked over and pushed on them.   It hurt like hell. “Don’t be a baby.   They aren’t broken.”
     
    “They hurt like a son of a bitch.”
     
    “Just bruised.   Want me to tape them up for you?”
     
    I shook my head.   “I just want you to take care of Naomi until I get back.”
     
    “Where are you going?”
     
    “The office.   I need to pick up my gun.”
     
    “Like that will do you any good.”
     
    “Might slow him down a bit.”
     
    “Might just make him mad.   You’re better off with a sword.”
     
    “Oh yeah, that will be inconspicuous.”
     
    “Nobody will mess with you.”
     
    “Except the cops.”
     
    She shrugged.   “So after you get your little toy, what’s your plan?”
     
    “The usual.   Kick a few hornets’ nests, see what flies out.”
     
    “You don’t think Al is involved?”
     
    “Oh, I know he’s involved, but I can’t see him sending a Sekutar after Naomi or after some crystals.   He’s an old friend of the family and wouldn’t need to recruit anyone.   He could just go get them himself without the extra fuss.”
     
    “And the murder/suicide?”
     
    “I suppose it could be unrelated, but that seems unlikely, so it has to tie in somehow.”
     
    “I should go with you when you start kicking the nests.”
     
    I cocked a thumb toward Naomi in the waiting room.   “What about her?”
     
    Kelly looked over at Naomi.   “She’s not too bright.   She’s on her cell phone.”
     
    “Shit.”
     
    I started to get up, but Kelly motioned for me to stay put.   She opened the office door.   “Naomi, hang up the phone.”
     
    “I’m just trying to get someone to help Jonathan,” she said.
     
    “He doesn’t need your help.”
     
    “He needs a healer.”
     
    “He needs more training.   Don’t bring any of your wizard friends over here.   Any of them could be in league with whoever sent the Sekutar.”
     
    “I’m not stupid, Kelly.   I’m calling a healer friend of mine who is not associated with DGI at all.   And she’s available to help Jonathan tonight.”
     
    “I don’t trust you wizards.”
     
    Naomi approached the door.   “You probably don’t trust anyone.”
     
    “I trust Jonathan.”
     
    “In spite of what happened to you, not all wizards are evil.”
     
    “I don’t care.”
     
    I pushed myself to my feet.   The effort sent shards of pain shooting through my ribs.   Even breathing hurt.   “That’s enough, you two.”
     
    “Lina can help you tonight, Jonathan.   You remember her, right?”
     
    I nodded and looked at Kelly.   “Lina’s cool.”   I turned to Naomi.   “But she won’t be able to do me any good.”
     
    “She won’t be trying to hurt you,” Naomi said.   “So maybe she can help.”
     
    “It doesn’t work like that.”   I knew from experience that direct magic in any form simply doesn’t affect me.   I wished there were exceptions, but I didn’t make the rules.
     
    “Can we at least let her try?”
     
    I looked at the cut on Naomi’s forehead and thought about how her back must be hurting from being slammed into