“With three hundred more in the outpost behind us,” said Kira. “They’ll be arriving tomorrow.”

“Wow.” Gage flipped more pages, studied one for a moment, then gestured to his companion. “Tell Kyle to get the West Twelfth open, we’ll start putting them there.” The man ran ahead, and Gage asked them more questions: how much food they’d brought with them; how many injured; how many who could care for the sick or crew a boat. Kira was reassured to see the evacuation being managed so efficiently, but it didn’t lessen her concerns—efficient wasn’t the same as safe. She walked faster, spurring Gage to hurry, and he led them through the snowy, soot-stained streets to an old construction warehouse in the center of town, which the refugees had converted to a command center. Haru was inside.

“Kira! Marcus!” He ran to them, wrapping them in a hug. “Madison will be so glad you’re alive. She’s already crossed with Arwen—we didn’t want to risk losing our little girl, she’s practically the species mascot at this point.” He looked at Heron and the others, and his voice became more serious. “I don’t know the rest of you, but welcome to Breezy Point. We think we have another good four days before we’re all across, and there are already scouts pushing south and west, looking for the best routes to—don’t move!” He barked the command abruptly, drawing his handgun so fast Kira barely even saw it. Haru was staring at Samm, pointing the gun straight at his chest. “Dammit, Kira, you brought a Partial?”

“I brought several,” said Kira firmly, watching a group of surprised local guards draw their weapons. “Haru, this group has more Partials in it than not—including me.”

He stepped back, giving himself a wider angle on the group as a whole, but his grim face faltered. “I . . . heard as much from Nandita.”

“Nandita’s alive?”

“She was traveling east, before the snow, trying to save Isolde’s baby—”

“Isolde had her baby?” Kira cried. “Where are they?”

“They were headed east, to Plum Island,” said Haru. “Hobb and Kessler and Xochi were with them. Nandita thought she could save the baby, but we haven’t heard anything since. I . . . At this point we have to assume they didn’t make it.”

“Three minutes ago you didn’t think I’d made it either,” said Kira. “They’re resourceful; they’ll make it through.”

“Can we have this conversation when they’re no longer pointing guns at us?” asked Marcus. “I am just as fascinated as you are, but it’s hard to concentrate with a gun in my face.”

“How many of you are Partials?” asked Haru. Samm, Ritter, and the three others raised their hands. Calix stepped forward, directly in the line of Haru’s fire.