On the broken edge of the bridge where the rebar sticks out into the air, my sister sits with her legs dangling over the edge. Two of her scorpion-tailed pets lie curled up beside her while the third flies in loops in front of her. Maybe it’s catching fish. They are the only ones with space around them, as everybody gives them a wide berth.

I feel sick about having her here when I know she’ll be in danger. But as hard as I tried, both Mom and Paige refused to leave me. It twists my insides to have them be part of the fight, but on the other hand, I’ve learned that when you separate from people you love, there’s no guarantee you’ll ever see them again.

Raffe’s face pops into my head like it’s done a thousand times today. In this memory, he has a teasing look in his eyes as he laughs at my outfit when we were at the beach house. I shove the memory back. I doubt he’ll have a teasing expression when he slaughters my people.

My mom is nearby with a group of sheet-draped cult members. They all have amnesty marks on their shaved heads.

My mother tells me they are committed to making up for their sin of betraying me, but I wish they weren’t here at all. Still, if they want to show their commitment to the cause, sticking with my mother is a good way to show it. It keeps them out of the way, and I’m pretty sure my mom is making them pay their penance.

It looks like the only group that could use my help is the stage crew. I pick up a hammer and get on my knees to help build the stage.

The guy next to me gives me a rueful smile and hands me some nails. So much for the glory of leadership.

I don’t know what all those power-hungry people like Uriel are thinking. As far as I can tell, a leader ends up doing all the worrying and still needs to pitch in for the regular work.

I hammer, trying to settle my mind and keep from freaking out.

The sun is beginning to set, adding a golden glow to the water. Wisps of mist begin creeping over the bay. It should be a peaceful scene, only my blood feels like it’s freezing by the second.

My hands feel cold and clumsy, and I keep expecting to see vapor from my breath. It feels like I don’t have enough blood in my body, and I can feel my face turning pale.

I’m scared.