Serina squeezed her arm. “Hopefully it is Malachi.” She looked down at Anika, still clutching her stomach, her face taut with pain. Everyone looked exhausted. Defeated. This moment should have been a victory.

“We need time and a place we can defend while we catch our breath.” Serina wiped her clean hand across her forehead. “I don’t know the palazzo very well. Maybe—”

Nomi put a hand on her arm. “I know where we can go.”

There were as many women lying on the ground as there were men. A trail of bodies led into the hallway. Serina saw Gia, Tremor, and Cliff among the dead. The women who’d survived stood in clumps, their clothes streaked, their hair mussed. Blaze stood at the edge of the patio, looking out at the water and the path of moonlight.

Serina’s bruised face ached, and her head pounded. She hadn’t eaten anything in a couple of days, and her stomach suddenly felt this was the moment to twist and complain. But there was no time to worry about any of that.

“Most of the injured are over there,” Renzo said, pointing to several tables upended at the edge of the patio. Serina went to see. Helena and Maris huddled together, and Mirror was there. She looked rough, but somehow she managed to spare Serina a smile.

“Renzo, you and Val help the wounded,” Serina ordered. “Maris, you and Nomi collect as many firearms and as much ammunition as you can carry. Get the others to help you. Quickly, as fast as you can.”

As soon as Nomi’s hands were full, Serina helped Anika out of her chair. Her head lolled a little before she steadied herself. Serina tried to look at her wound.

“No,” Anika snapped, brushing away Serina’s hand. “Later.”

Nomi led the way inside. Serina took a rough count of the women who followed—about seventy women had survived. They’d lost more than a third of their number in the battle.

Serina swallowed painfully. Many women had died tonight for a freedom the rest of them might never see.

Please let the troops be Malachi’s.

What she didn’t share with Nomi were her doubts. What would Malachi do about her little army? Could he really let them back into Viridia, free, after all this bloodshed?

“We all fought,” Anika said, her voice hoarse.

“What?” Serina asked. They brought up the rear of the procession with the rest of the injured.

“I see you looking around, taking stock.” Anika winced. Cleared her throat. “And I’m saying at least we fought. Thanks to your brother, we didn’t have to wait for Asa to parade us out and kill us one by one. Even if we all die tonight, at least we fought for our lives.”

Fight back. Always.

Petrel walked with Serina, even now.

“You’re right,” she said as they entered the hall.