Serina swore under her breath.

They came to the hotel’s open-air lobby, still framed by a couple of cracked urns, the decorative plants they’d once housed long dead. A group of women surrounded Lion’s still form. Serina felt tears build behind her eyes.

Twig bent and picked up the girl’s body, cradling her protectively against her chest. Lion’s legs dangled bonelessly, and Serina’s stomach turned over.

Anika said quietly, “The other sentries picked up a trail for a while before they lost the track near the stream. They can’t figure out how the guard managed to double back without them seeing him.”

Serina’s heart sank. “All right, bring everyone in, except for the women guarding the prison compound. We’ll stick close to the hotel tonight, tighten up our defenses here, and pray the boat comes tomorrow.” They were already stretched too thin. No one was getting enough sleep. “Make sure no one goes out alone. Everyone gets a weapon. But no firearms. I don’t want to risk Nero and Diego getting their hands on one. Except you, Anika. You take one to the southern gate like you planned.”

Anika nodded. “That boat better come soon. We need to get off this rock.”

Serina went to find Ember. The older woman had been helping in the infirmary when she wasn’t leading combat training. She didn’t sleep much or stop moving, as far as Serina could tell. Val walked with Serina, and she couldn’t decide if it was comforting or concerning, the way he scanned the scrubby trees with narrowed eyes.

“I want to be part of the next watch at the prison,” she told him. “Ember, you, me, Cliff if I can find her. I can’t shake the thought that Nero and Diego are going to go for the other guards.”

“Or they’re just trying to pick us off, one by one,” Val said grimly. “They got Lion near the amphitheater.”

“What about firearm training? Are we ready if the boat does come tomorrow?” she asked. They were still trying to get ten girls who could use the firearms reliably.

Val shrugged. “It’s going. Maris hasn’t wanted to train, so I picked another girl to fill her place. She’s not as good, but she’s getting better. The rest are picking it up.”

Daylight was fading, and the infirmary teemed with shadows. Most of the wounded were recovering, though a girl had died that morning and one more would likely follow. A third woman, from Beach crew, had lost feeling in her legs. Val had told Serina privately that he suspected she would never regain it.

Serina was surprised to see Maris in the corner, huddled with Helena. She headed over to them, her pulse dancing a little faster. “Are you all right? I heard you haven’t been training.”