The flaming garden surged with heat as the energy of the reverie went from anguish to anger, and Kane felt the twist taking shape. One by one the fireworks began to shoot up into the night.

“You said you would help me, but you’re just as bad as everyone else. Just as cruel. He killed her, Augustine.”

Her words choked off as she looked where Adeline’s body should have been. It was gone. So was the blood. Kane realized he had been watching one of Elliot’s illusions, which had worn off at the worst time. Adeline, sneaking away, stood exposed in the flashes from above.

Helena couldn’t make sense of it. “What is this? A trick? What’s going on? Who are you people? Tell me!”

“Adeline,” Elliot said through gritted teeth. “Do something.”

Adeline’s eyes went gray, her corrosive telepathy firing up as booms shook the ground. As though reflexive, a mortar swiveled toward her.

“Adeline! Look out!”

The words left Kane’s mouth before he could stop them, but Adeline heard him. She threw herself down as the firework whistled into the trees. In the aftershock, Helena’s eyes found Kane.

“Willard, you, too?”

Whatever heartbreak Kane had felt on her behalf before, she felt now as the characters of her world turned against her one by one. As her world twisted beyond even her recognition. She groaned, clutching at her head. Dark pulses of energy bustled from her, burrowing through the garden and cracking apart the tree trunks. The sky crowded with clouds illuminated from within by cotton candy explosions as the fireworks continued to go off. Dry crinkling accompanied the garden’s rapid desiccation as all that had once been magnificent withered and grayed.

Elliot knelt by Adeline, dragging her back. Ursula was at Kane’s side.

“This is…a trap,” Helena spat. “Willard was in the nest. You’re all…after the eggs. This is a trap, isn’t it?”

“Eggs?” said Ursula. “There aren’t any eggs.”

“Katherine, too,” Helena sobbed, booms overtaking her small voice. She snatched up her case. “You can’t take them from me. I’ll never let you hurt them.”

“Them?” Ursula glanced at Elliot and Adeline. “This isn’t how it’s goes.”

“It’s too late,” Adeline said, wincing. She could barely keep her eyes open. “It’s ruined.”

“That’s right,” said Helena in a hollow voice. “It’s too late. It’s ruined. But at least we still have each other, right, my hatchlings?”

The case popped open, and up floated the four eggs Helena had been stealing. There was the blue and gold one, and the pink and pearl one. The diamond and garnet egg flared like a match in the firelight. Besides it bobbed the egg of milky opal.

“My beauties. My darlings,” cooed Helena. Her body flashed with dull light, as though she were the clouds obscuring the fireworks.