“Actually no,” said Heron, looking surprised, “that’s . . . I knew it was bad, but that’s . . . surprisingly bad. Either way, I hate being right.” She looked at Calix, still groaning in pain and thrashing on the floor. “Seriously, let me put her out of her misery.”

“No more killing!” said Samm forcefully, and Kira and Heron both looked at him. He’d muscled past the pain from his wound and stood up. Kira nodded. “Absolutely, no more killing. Help me hold Calix down so I can look at that wound.”

“Why do you want to save—this human?” asked Heron. She looked at Samm. “I suppose I don’t even have to ask you anymore, though, do I?”

“She’s a hunter,” said Samm. “She’s not an enemy combatant. They don’t have soldiers—until we showed up, they didn’t even know war still existed. And no one but their leader knew about the Partials in the basement; I won’t punish Calix for something Vale did.”

Kira felt a surge of emotion in her chest. “Exactly.”

“Then we won’t kill any of them,” said Heron. “We can slip in at night, when their guard is down, and Samm and I will cover you while you get the prisoners. You’re the only one of us that’s immune to the sedative.”

Samm spoke before Kira could. “We’ll free them,” he said firmly, “but we’re not leaving—or at least I’m not.”

“What?” asked Kira and Heron at the same time.

He looked at Kira. “That’s the answer to the impossible choice. I’m doing what you said: I’m staying with them.”

“That’s stupid,” said Heron.

“I can’t sacrifice anyone’s life,” said Samm, “anyone’s freedom, if I’m not willing to sacrifice my own. We’ll free the Partials who have been imprisoned, and the humans can get the pheromone from me.”

“You . . .” Kira was stunned. She cast about for some way, any way, to argue with him. “You only have a year,” she said. “You can only help them for a year before you expire.”

“Then you have one year to solve it,” said Samm. “Better get to work.”

“This is all very heartwarming,” said Heron, “but it’s meaningless. You’re not staying here, Samm.”

Kira opened her mouth to argue, but stopped when she saw the look on Samm’s face. He must have sensed something over the link. Heron wasn’t disagreeing with him. She was stating a fact.

“Heron,” Samm said slowly. “What did you do?”

“What I should have done a month ago,” said Heron, her expression dark and penetrating. “I reported back in.”

Utter silence fell over the room. Even Calix was quiet, gritting her teeth as she clutched her wounds.

Kira looked at Samm, but she already knew exactly what he was thinking. His confusion, heavily mixed with anger, burned so brightly on the link Kira could feel it clearly.