have

human combustion,’ and thought it might have something to do with astral travel.” The young man shook his head, much wearier than Sam had ever seen him. There were dark circles of exhaustion beneath his eyes, and his hair was limp and flattened-looking. “Nobody ever told Fort that going up in heatless flames is what happens when you get the Folk pissed off at you.”
“But I was protected,” Sam protested, sensing a flaw somewhere. “You said I had shields, and you said other mages would know that.”
Tannim nodded, and rubbed his eyes. “Exactly. He knew bael-fire wasn’t going to touch you. He’d have to be blind not to know those shields were there. I don’t think he intended you to be hurt directly, Sam.”
“What, then?” Sam asked in fatigue-dulled apprehension. What worse could the Sidhe have had in mind? “Or was that just intended as a warning? A bit extreme for a warning, seems to me.”
“Heh. The Sidhe are always extreme.” Tannim cocked his head sideways. “I think he was trying to scare you to death. I think he wanted it to look like you died naturally.”
Sam took another sip of Irish, thinking about that for a moment before replying. “He did then, did he?” His apprehension turned to a slow, burning anger. “Sure, and that’s a coward’s way, if ever I saw one.”
“Attacking a human with bael-fire is just as cowardly, Sam,” the young man pointed out. “Or going after a ­human with elf-shot. In either case, it’s like using grenades against rabbits. The target hasn’t got a chance. I think he must have assumed that since you’re retired, you’re frail, and he was going to use that.”
“Can I assume the blackguard was Unseleighe Court?” Sam asked, the anger within him burning with the same slow heat as a banked peat-fire.
Tannim nodded, and finished the last of his Gatorade. “That’s their way, Sam. They never take on an opponent of equal strength if they can help it. I assume they came after you because you’re hooked in with Fairgrove and Keighvin. I told you before that if you wanted to back out of this, you could.” He capped the bottle and slowly tightened the lid down. “You’re still welcome to. Nobody is—”
“Back out?” Sam exclaimed. “Bite your tongue! If the blackguards want a fight, they’ve come to the right place, let me tell you! Sam Kelly never started a fight, but he always finished them.” He bared his teeth in