There was no right path. Not in Thólos.

It was so cold his fingers were losing feeling, the rebels around him buried under layers for warmth—because, unlike him, they had known what to prepare for.

It was as Brigadier Dane had said: Leslie had purposefully concealed the details of her battle plans from the pair of puppets she used to distract Shepherd’s men.

What else had she hidden? Was it as Shepherd’s second-in-command claimed? Was she Svana?

Had she been the one who’d assaulted Claire all those months ago?

The seed of doubt had burst and blossomed. It was hard to admit, but Corday believed the Beta who’d invaded his house, and he hated himself for it.

He had helped the woman seize power. He had helped her plan, gathered items used to craft the very bombs that had shattered two segments of the Dome. She had used him, and he had come to where the rebels mustered, knowing Shepherd’s second-in-command was still out there somewhere, watching him.

“Where is Leslie?” The words came in a rush, Corday pulling his body up the last segment of the ladder. The roof before them held ten men, Leslie’s men, all standing atop their perch, watching the city devour itself.

“We were told to hold position.” A man grizzled in appearance and unruffled by the situation said, “Lady Kantor will arrive once her mission is complete.”

“What mission?”

Jaw covered with a red, bristled beard, the man turned his eyes to Corday, and said nothing.

His reply, it was something Dane would have barked. Mouth in a firm line, Corday chastised a man who’d only recently been recruited, “I will remind you of your rank in our forces. While you were warm and fed, protected in the Premier’s Sector, I was running missions, risking my life so this day might come.”

There was a brief instant the man’s composure slipped. He stood abashed. “Her mission was classified. We don’t know where she is. All communications went down twenty minutes ago, so we wait. Chances are, she moved to another position.”

As if it were his place to command, Corday pointed to the youngest in the group. “You, climb down and run to the team at sector G. If she is there, update us immediately.”

“I am afraid that man already has his orders, Corday.”

Corday rounded, looking for the source of Leslie Kantor’s voice. She had snuck up right in the midst of their collective, not one of them having heard her crest the roof. “Leslie?”

She smiled to see him, remaining at a distance. “Our plan is advancing exactly as expected. Every rebel was prepped and knows their duty. The disruption of the communications network changes nothing.”

His fingers were so close to the gun holstered at his hip. “Leslie, why didn’t you tell me our men were going to blast holes in the Dome?”