There were noises below, in her bedroom. Nina turned her head just as Rosa’s face emerged from the trapdoor. “He’s back! You need to pull up the ladder and keep the baby quiet. They’re sure to search the house.”

“Come here.”

“There isn’t time!”

“There is. Come here—I’m begging you.”

Rosa climbed the ladder, grumbling all the while, and came to crouch next to Nina.

“He’s gone mad, Rosa. Just listen to how he is carrying on. And the children—he has all of them lined up against the wall. I can’t bear it. I can’t.”

“That’s why you must hide. They’ll look, and they won’t find you, and they’ll go away.”

“That man is not going to leave here without me. He’ll tear this house apart, beam by beam, brick by brick, and when he finds me he’ll find Lucia, too.”

“What do we do?”

“Hide here with the baby. Make sure she doesn’t cry. She just finished nursing, so she should sleep for a while.”

Rosa frowned, not understanding. “Why me? You’re the one who needs to hide.”

“No. I’m the one who needs to surrender. Listen to me. He will not give up. He will not leave us be. And there’s no way for me to escape, not now. He has men surrounding the house, and soon they’ll come up the stairs, and they’ll find her.”

“I can’t let you go, Nina. You’re my sister—you’re part of my family. How can I send you away with that man?”

“If we’re to save my baby and the rest of our family, you must let me go. Let me do this for you all.” Now Nina wrenched off her wedding ring. “This is for Lucia. And my other things, too. My jewelry, and my books, and the photographs of my parents. Tell her their names—Gabriele and Devora Mazin. She is the last of my family. The very last.”

Nina crawled to the basket and picked up Lucia. Held her close. Breathed in her milky sweetness. Kissed her perfect face. And then she gave her to Rosa.

“Will you tell her about me?” she asked. “If I don’t return?”

“But you—”

“Promise me you will.”

“I promise.”

Rosa was sobbing now, one hand pressed to her mouth to muffle her cries, and Nina longed to let her own tears fall. But not yet—not until she had faced down her enemies.

“Tell her how much I love her. How much Nico and I both love her. And when he returns,” she added, her voice faltering, “tell him that he is forever my beloved.”

Zwerger’s voice continued to rise and rise, and the children’s cries were growing ever more frantic, and there was only one thing left, now, for Nina to do.