“—and terrible.” So many people slaughtered, victims of a war they knew nothing about. Had law enforcement treated Vale like a perpetrator or a victim? “Is—is she locked up?”

“Yes, but she won’t be harmed. She’ll be freed. Soon. When she killed Celeste, she somehow absorbed the combatant’s ability to enchant the people around her.”

Really? “Do all combatants absorb the abilities of their victims?”

“No. She’s the only one. Everyone else is granted access to the defeated soldier’s weapon, no more, no less.”

So why was Vale different? And how could Nola help her? “Who ambushed our safe house?”

“Erik and his men,” Zion said. “They are following you and are currently stationed outside this house. Or they were. I dispatched them.”

And she hadn’t had a clue!

“Erik has realized you are special to the Adwaewethian,” he added. “He plans to use you against Bane. And me, since I’ve expressed interest in your care. At the next Assembly of Combatants, I must convince him—and everyone else—that you are dead. Your sister included. Her reaction to the news must be genuine.”

“No way.” She shook her head. “I won’t hurt her, even to save myself a bit of trouble.”

“A bit?” he asked, brow lifted. “How do you suggest we proceed, then?”

She thought for a moment, an idea crystallizing. “Do you have the cell phone I gave you?”

“I do. I plugged in your address, just as you taught me, and found shockingly detailed photos of your house, allowing me to portal here.”

“Let’s give the cell to Vale. I’ll send a text message to it, telling her not to believe anything you say. That way, she’ll reason out the truth after her initial reaction to your death bomb.”

Before he agreed, she started typing a message, the number already programmed into her address book. Sorry our convo got cut short. Do whatever you must to survive, & don’t worry about me, ok? I’m good as pie & gonna stay that way. Lady Carrie’s girls forever! Oh, & don’t believe Z. I repeat. Do NOT.”

Lady Carrie’s, the name of the gourmet donut shop they would—or would not—be opening. Proof of her identity.

Send.

Deciding to use her “fragility” to her advantage—a girl had to use the weapons in her arsenal, right?—Nola batted her lashes at Zion, saying, “Please do this for me. You’re so big and strong, and I’ll owe you one.”

He pursed his lips but nodded. “I will do this, and yes, you will owe me. As payment, you will help me recruit Bane to stop Erik. The viking preserved the base camps he knew about, and planted bombs and other traps. When we escaped the ice prison, he watched as we portaled away. He and his people had placed cameras throughout the mountains. That’s how he found my dimension.”