Athena slipped out from behind her hiding spot and rushed over, only pausing to pick up Glamazon’s Aser on the way.

Glamazon coughed, then rolled over. “What the hell is wrong with—” she began.

Then Athena fired the Aser right into the Hero’s chest. She convulsed, twisting this way and that.

“S-stop!” Emily said. “Stop, Athena.”

“Ah, but this is kinda fun,” Athena said.

Glamazon coughed and raised a hand. Sparks appeared around her.

Athena pulled the trigger again.

“Um,” Emily said. She swallowed, took in the confident, almost smug look Athena was giving her, then moved up to stand above Glamazon. “I’m sorry about that,” Emily said. She was surprised that the quiver was gone from her voice. “That was my bad.”

“Did, did you just double-cross me? What the fu—” Glamazon spasmed again. “Stop that!”

“Swearing is rude,” Athena said.

Emily doubted Athena cared all that much. “I’m really sorry. I think my . . . sisters mistook you for a Villain.”

“What?” Glamazon said. She rolled over, trembling arms going under her so that she could get to her feet. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She glared as she stood. “You’re just trying to get the Villain for yourself, aren’t you? And who the hell is that?”

Athena glared right back. Teddy growled, filling the factory with the low rumble of her anger. “Look, you sparkly, no-good Hero,” Athena said. “We’re the only ones who know you’re here. Big Sister said that it was all a mistake. So you shut up and accept her apology, all right?”

“Or what, you brat?”

“Does anyone know you’re here?” Athena asked. “’Cause the way I see it, it would be really sad if people learned that some Villain got rid of you while you were off on your own.”

Glamazon swallowed.

Emily placed a hand on Athena’s shoulder. She tried on a smile for Glamazon, to reassure her. “It wouldn’t come to that, right?”

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

Imposing

Glamazon’s expression shifted, from a bit of reluctant fear, to a sort of arrogant sneer that immediately made Emily’s stomach twist. “You wouldn’t dare,” she said. “You have any idea how much your morality would drop if you pulled that kind of thing?” Glamazon pointed a finger right at Emily’s face. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but it won’t work with me.”

Emily almost took a step back to move out of the way of Glamazon’s finger.

Almost.

Instead she smacked the hand away, the pain in the back of her wrist nearly as surprising as the flash of anger that ran through her. “D-don’t,” Emily snapped. She swallowed, reining in the sudden outburst of anger. “Don’t poke at me like that. And don’t . . . do whatever it is you’re doing.”