Castanne and Silvera haven’t moved. The two priests remain on their knees, gunfire setting the air alight around them. They are caught between the Battle Sisters and the Thousand Sons. Between condemnation and damnation. Castanne must realise this, because he gets to his feet and tries to run. The cardinal-principal doesn’t get far. He is torn apart and spun by bolter fire from both sides. Castanne crashes to the ground unceremoniously, his rich, heavy robes soaked with blood and his jewellery of office scattering like offering coins. Silvera remains on his knees. The Master of Trails does nothing to prevent the approach of the Thousand Sons. He opens his arms wide as if in acceptance, but the Heretic Astartes pay him no heed. They simply crush the Master of Trails underfoot as they march forward, breaking the old man’s bones and body to pulp.

‘Evangeline,’ I shout. ‘The sorcerer!’

The Battle Sister is pacing backwards, too. Firing her bolter. As I watch, she ducks aside, taking cover behind a shattered statue. A bolt of warpfire clips the edge of it, showering her with marble shards. I catch her eyes through the blizzard of stone fragments.

‘Wait,’ she shouts. ‘We go together!’

I glance around the column’s edge to where Sofika hangs above the dais, her arms spread like wings. Her pleading voice echoes over and over inside my head.

Ahri! Ahri! Ahri!

‘Ravara!’ Sister Evangeline shouts in warning. ‘Wait!’

I ignore her. I ignore everything, save for Sofika.

I break from the cover of the column and run headlong at the storm and the steps. My threat-sense screams as warpfire scorches the air all around me. I duck and twist aside with every blare of my mind, moving as quickly as I can. So quickly the traitors have to turn to track me. It’s still not enough to prevent one of the warpfire rounds from grazing my right shoulder, just barely. Even that is enough to send me blind. To make me lose my grip on my pistol. I hear it hit the ground, but I don’t stop running. I can’t. I hit the bottom step half blind and trailing smoke.