Airplanes. Many of them. Distant roars. A boom from somewhere far enough away that it couldn’t rattle the glass.

Just his soul.

“God, help us.” Camden had stepped through the door, his head back. Eyes on the skies.

Zivon had only to shift a bit to see what the pilot was looking at. Never in his life had he seen so many airplanes. None seemed to be on a course for them, but he knew that could change in an instant as the English gave the Germans chase. And from every direction, sirens wailed. Some in warning. Others in reaction.

The musicians didn’t launch into another piece this time.

Camden spun, his eyes seeking and finding someone. “Pearce! Where’s the nearest shelter?”

Zivon turned too, in time to see a stranger nod toward the south. “Underground station not far off. We’ll get all the guests to it. Lina! You know the drill, luv. Ellie, Rosie, Retta, do your magic.”

Zivon barely caught a glimpse of a quartet of women before they disappeared into the crowd, touching elbows here and smiling there and somehow turning the cluster of anxious people into neat and orderly queues aimed for the door. But they weren’t his concern. He strained onto his toes, wishing he were a few inches taller, looking for a flash of red-gold.

She appeared a second later, her camera bag on her shoulder. She was still with Hall, who led her his way, both of them grim-faced.

He caught the tail end of Hall’s mutter. “. . . don’t be ridiculous. If anyone is to blame, it’s me. You were but doing what I asked.”

Asked? What had Hall asked of her? Something to do with a photograph, obviously. Something perhaps linked to the planes now flying overhead? Lily’s pale face made him think so.

He hadn’t time to ask, though. Hall all but shoved Lily at him, his look fierce. “Get her to the underground now. If anything happens to her, her father will have both our heads.”

With a swift nod, Zivon took her hand and pulled her into the queue.

She didn’t seem very happy about it. “Arabelle said she was going to try to get to the sites that were hit already. I should go with her—help people. There will be injuries, and I have some training, after all.”

He held tight to her fingers. “I was given a direct order from my superior. Do not try to make me disobey, Lily.” Because the thought of her out there in the thick of it, in danger—no.

“But surely it’s safe where the planes have already struck—”