I signaled the all-clear to the outlying sentries as we sped up Third Avenue. I guess they were getting used to me coming and going by now. Another sunless dawn touched the westside façades with dull silver, the hot air so humid we were practically drinking it. The tide pushed in roughly, like urging us to hurry.

“Up there.” Hannah pointed out a column of smoke lifting above the uptown skyline. “The whole building’s a loss.”

Poppy nudged me. “What we saw earlier, up in the loft.”

My chance to ask Hannah if she flew drones, but answering would require her to acknowledge my existence with more than a thumb jerk. Besides, I wanted her knowing less about me, not more.

“Were you there?” I asked instead. “Any idea who did it?”

“The usual suspects,” Julian supplied. Hannah just watched the smoke rise.

“But who? Is it, like, random destruction?”

Julian was happy to talk, if only to annoy his sister. “Hardly. BlackAdder ain’t the only gang in town. They can call themselves families, they can call themselves the law, but gangs is what they are. Nobody elected them.”

Jenn had it right, then. An uptown power struggle, with the dens caught in the middle, pawns on the chessboard. Seeing a burning high-rise on screen was one thing. Being out here, in smoke so acrid even breathing felt risky . . . it brought the reality home. The Adders might be drunk and partying, but what about all those Storm Worshippers? Where were they now? I felt small and vulnerable. I was glad Julian kept to the east side of Third, cloaking us in deep shadow.

For reasons of his own, he turned west on 11th, running us past the burned-out Ladysmith den, avoiding the half-submerged wrecks of several torched boats. Did he know Poppy was a Smith? Must be the machete told him.

She gazed impassively at the blackened ruin as we glided by, but she loosed the guard strap on her blade. “Don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten.”

“Don’t,” said Julian.

Which reminded me to ask her if Rubio had got back while I was sleeping.

“Not yet. Even the scouts sent after are still out. Hope they didn’t run into trouble.”

I gnawed at my thumbnail.

“Nah, the place is huge,” she soothed. “A full survey will take a while.”

Julian was listening in. “If your den’s planning a move, better get on it quick. This new storm’s said to be massive, and coming up fast.”

“Which is why we need to get a move on ourselves,” Hannah said.

—