Millie appeared at the entrance to the passages, a little out of breath.

“What happened?” Her skin was pale in the moonlight. “Finn ran so quickly; I thought—”

At that moment, Lariel made her move.

Finn saw the threat before I did. He lunged toward his sister with a warning shout. Not fast enough. Lariel grabbed Millie from behind, locked one arm across her chest, and shoved the point of a stolen crossbow bolt up against her windpipe.

“Stay where you are!” she shouted.

Finn froze. My stomach clenched—I had no lace; I had not restored my supply since breaking the Pillar.

“Don’t move.” Lariel looked unstable and weak. Her eyes were bloodshot. “I don’t want trouble, and I don’t want to hurt anybody. I just want to leave, okay? So go back inside and wait; I’ll take her—”

Millie drove her elbow into Lariel’s ribs. The sudden movement dragged the bolt across her neck, drawing a shallow gash. Blood welled from the cut; I cried out and involuntarily took a step forward. Lariel yanked Millie back into a chokehold.

“I told you to stay back!” she yelled.

I raised my hands helplessly. In my mind all I could see was the sharp metal spike of the crossbow bolt piercing Millie’s neck, the dark bloom of her blood. Don’t hurt her, don’t hurt her, don’t hurt her. But Millie continued to struggle, heedless of the danger.

“You’re too much of a coward to do it,” she panted. “Because if I’m killed, who’s going to protect you from Finn? Didn’t consider that, did you?”

“Shut up!”

“You never did think further than the step right in front of you. That’s how you ended up working for the Councilwomen, wasn’t it? That’s how everything starts with you.”

“I said, shut up!” Lariel dug the tip of the bolt into Millie’s skin.

“Please don’t,” I said desperately. “Please, we can work this out.”

Millie stamped down hard on Lariel’s foot.

“You are not going to take me anywhere,” she snarled, eyes blazing. She wrenched her arm free and grabbed the bolt, dragging it right out of Lariel’s grip. Lariel scrabbled to keep purchase, but instead lost her footing and fell over. Millie turned on her, teeth bared like an animal.

“I am done with you,” she hissed.

Lariel started to get up, her expression stricken. But then she seemed to lose all conviction. The change was shocking: her ferocity disappeared like a fire doused in mud. Her shoulders slumped, and she sagged back onto her heels.

“Don’t give me to the Order,” she whispered. “I’m begging you.”

For a moment, none of us spoke. Millie loomed over Lariel, her breathing loud. She threw aside the bolt, and it clattered against the passage wall.

“Did your victims beg?” she demanded. “Did you ever listen to them?”

Lariel hung her head. “Their deaths were swift.”

“That does not absolve you of anything!” Millie balled her fists, her expression anguished. “Why, Lariel? Why did you have to do this?”