“Well, he didn’t last a week. Now I’m the Great Scala, which is a very sketchy job description that involves everyone trying to control me.” I sniffle into his body armor. “If I’d just listened to Mom, I’d still be fighting Arena matches, skipping school, and living what now looks like a pretty sweet life before I mucked it up.”

Lincoln rubs my hair in long strokes. It feels really-really soothing. “I’m so sorry this happened to you, Myla.”

I loop my arms around his waist. “Maybe after this is all over, we can see if someone else can be the Scala? An Heir must be running around someplace.” I rub my nose with my knuckle. “Oh, I’ve heard of some pretty amazing magic users. Maybe one of them can zap the igni into someone else.” I groan. “I want to get today over with, kick Armageddon’s ass out of Purgatory, and forget any of this ever happened.” I nuzzle into his shoulder. “Except the you part, of course.”

He kisses the top of my head. “Let’s get through today. We can discuss everything else later.”

I let out a long breath. “You’re right.”

He cups my face in his hands, guiding me to look in his mismatched eyes. “Are you ready to go back now?”

“Nope.” I point to my lips and grin.

Lincoln kisses me once, gently. “And now?”

“Yup.”

Smiling, he slips his hand in mine, then steps toward the door.

“Oh, Lincoln?”

The Prince turns to me and pauses. “Yes, Myla?”

“Thank you.” My chest fills with warmth. “No one else thought to ask me how I was after, you know.” Getting zapped with enough supernatural electricity to power a universe.

Lincoln gives my hand a little squeeze. “We’re a team, right?”

I nod. “Absolutely right.”

27

I sit on a metal chair in the bunker’s main chamber, one of ten that have been dragged into a makeshift circle. Lincoln sits beside me; the Oligarchy ghouls sit in the four chairs after his. We wait for Verus, and no one even pretends to make small talk. Occasionally, a huge boom sounds as Armageddon tries to break in. Other times, we’ll hear soft chatter from the antechamber as Mom, Cissy, and Zeke sift through the bunker’s inventory, looking for useful stuff. Adair waits in the antechamber too, not making a sound. It’s unclear if she’s sulking or in shock, but as long as she’s quiet, who cares?