Leo held his breath, waiting to see if this would work, if somehow Crayt’s imprinting as the robot’s master overrode whatever deep-seated protocols the Aykari had instilled in her. Every robot has its priorities.

With a pull of the trigger, Number One made hers clear.

The energy bolt from Zennia’s rifle hit Zirkus Crayt in his left side, spinning him around. The elemental nullifier slipped from his hands, thudding onto the table, rolling and then dropping to the floor with a heavy clang.

Landing right by Leo’s feet. He didn’t dare move to grab it.

Crayt stood up straight again, hands pressed to his wound. The Aykari’s eyes burned a bright orange now.

“You can kill me. And you can take the device. But you cannot stop what is coming. You tell them. Tell the Council that the Djarik are not the only ones who have seen through their hollow promises. They are not the only ones who will rise up and resist. Sooner or later, one way or another, a reckoning is coming.”

Leo’s eyes darted from Crayt to the robot to the nullifier at his feet, wondering if he should help the Aykari, try to stop the droid, or save the device—wondering if he could actually pull off any of these—when he caught sight of movement in the corner. A twitch of a leg. The blink of a light.

If Crayt noticed it, he didn’t let on. He continued to stare down his attacker, who was threatening to finish the job. “The days of Aykari dominance in the galaxy are numbered. It will not be long before other worlds are finally granted the choice to give you what you want or make certain you never get it. This device will set things in motion that even they will not be able to stop.”

Another twitch. Even with two smoking holes in his chassis, there was still some life left in the heap of metal sprawled on the floor. Leo took a deep breath. Readied himself.

“Except you are currently the only one who knows how to create such a device,” Number One said mechanically. “And you have been deemed expendable. You have all been deemed expendable.”

The first rule of magic, taught to him by his mother. Always give them something else to look at.

The robot readjusted her aim. It was now or never.

Leo lunged for the rifle in One’s hands. He hoped she would see him coming. And that she would try to stop him.

She did.

The robot struck just as Leo got close, her free hand lashing out, a metal fist landing hard against his jaw, sending him reeling. Now Leo knew why Baz wished Kat had used her human hand that time she punched him. The blow was dizzying, the whole left side of his face suddenly on fire.

But it worked. Leo’s feint caused just enough of a distraction that One didn’t notice the compartment in Number Nine’s twisted and smoking torso sliding open, revealing his blowtorch, still operational. A click. A hiss of gas.