“What about you?” Kelly asked, and Amber turned. Kelly stood there, arms folded across a Dark Places T-shirt. “Don’t know where we’re headed next, but if you want to tag along …”

Amber hesitated. “I can’t,” she said at last. “I’d love to, really I would, but I can’t. Not yet, anyway.”

“We could help you,” Kelly said. “I know we’re not exactly a match for whoever the Shining Demon sends after you next, but there’s safety in numbers, Amber. If you and Milo hook up with us, we’d be able to watch your backs.”

Linda nodded. “It’s what we do.”

“And first order of business,” said Warrick, “is using that fancy key of yours to go kill us an uppercase-d Demon. Let us cleanse this town of his stanky, stanky evil so Hell Night shall never happen again, what say you, fine warrior?”

“I … I appreciate that,” Amber said. “I appreciate the offer. But things have … they’ve changed. My circumstances, I mean.”

“Changed how?” Ronnie asked.

“I can’t … I’m really sorry, but I can’t allow you to kill Naberius.”

Kelly frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Astaroth wants him to suffer.”

“So? Who gives a crap?”

“Astaroth was going to hand Milo over to be killed,” Amber explained. “I couldn’t just stand by and watch. I couldn’t let it happen. It’s my fault he got hurt in the first place. If I hadn’t come here, Virgil would probably still be alive. All of this, all of it, is my fault.”

“Amber, slow down. What are you talking about?”

“Astaroth,” Amber said. “He’s made me his new representative.”

Kelly paled, and stepped back.

“Bullshit,” said Ronnie. “That’s just pure bullshit. Amber, come on, that’s … You can’t seriously have …”

Warrick shook his head. “But then that’d mean you’re … you’re working for him. You’re working for the Shining Demon.”

“He didn’t give me a choice.”

The slap came hard enough to bring tears to her eyes, and the stinging that followed burned her cheek. Kelly dropped her hand back to her side.

“You’re the enemy now,” she said. “You’re his lackey. His henchman. You’re the one he sends to collect his offerings. You’re the one who drags people back to him.”

“No,” said Amber. “Kelly, no, that’s not what this is.”

“Then what is it? Come on, explain to me, explain to us all, how this isn’t you joining the other side.”

“I … Kelly, I didn’t have a choice.”

“Jesus Christ …”

“I didn’t. He was going to hand over Milo to be killed. He was going to torture me for a hundred thousand years. That’s what he said – a hundred thousand years. What did you expect me to do?”

“I don’t know,” Kelly said angrily. “Not agree to it, maybe?”