To Kaylin’s surprise, what she saw was a young Barrani woman. Hair a spill of black, the usual four limbs, the usual two eyes. The eyes were the wrong color, if they could be said to have color at all. All of the embellishments Azoria had made had faded. She looked young, to Kaylin’s eye.

This wasn’t justice. So many people had died because of this one woman. She struggled once again with her anger, her need to see Azoria punished.

Mrs. Erickson laid a hand on Kaylin’s arm. “You’re a Hawk, dear. Justice—imperfect as it is—is your duty. But there is no justice you can hand down when the criminal is dead. And I don’t want to keep the children waiting any longer. There is also someplace they have to be, and I want to be able to say goodbye.” She turned to Azoria. “Come with me,” she said, her voice gentle. “It is time for you to go where you must.”

“Where is that?”

“I don’t know. I won’t know until I’m dead. But I’m certain there’s a place beyond this one.” She offered Azoria a hand. There was no command in the gesture, but Azoria took that hand, and Mrs. Erickson turned toward her familiar front hall. “I don’t know what will happen to this house,” she said. “But I suggest that we leave it. I think, when Azoria crosses the threshold, things might collapse.”

Terrano said, “I doubt it. But it won’t be connected to our world in the same way.” He had that I’m really curious look. Sedarias grabbed him by the shoulder, her eyes a martial blue. “What? I could find my way back!”

“No.”

Kaylin looked to Bakkon and Serralyn, the two late arrivals. Bakkon clicked a bit, and then found his Barrani. He seemed to be shuddering. “Let it collapse.” His eyes were red. “It is an evil place; can you not feel it? It has the atmosphere of the birthing place, but no new life will come from it.”

Serralyn nodded. There was genuine regret in her expression, but it blended with a quiet determination.

Sedarias wanted to argue, but Mrs. Erickson was a wall. A wall that Kaylin would defend with her life, if necessary. She acquiesced. Kaylin imagined the cohort would get a figurative earful about the wasted opportunities and possibilities later.

Oh, well. People were allowed to complain.

Bakkon returned to the Academia. Serralyn went with him. Terrano, Mandoran, Sedarias, and Teela left by the front door, because when they opened the front door it once again led to Orbonne Street. Hope, in his small form, was flattened across Kaylin’s shoulder as if exhausted.

Severn said, “I’ll wait on the porch,” and left the house.

Kaylin turned to join him, and Jamal said, “We want you to stay.”