We sprinted for our lives. The Emim were in the city. Just like Bone Season XVIII. “How long?” I called to Nick.

“Not long.” He grabbed my hand, pulling me faster. “What was that things? What’s Scion done to this place?”

“A lot.”

We took a side street, one of several that led into the ghost town. A figure came racing down from the opposite side, panting. Nick and I both reacted at the same time: Nick tripped the boy, sending him flying into the pavement, and pressed my hand against his Adam’s apple.

“Going somewhere, Carl?”

“Get off me!” Carl was drenched in sweat. “They’re coming. They’ve let them into the city.”

“Who?”

“The Buzzers. The Buzzers!” He shoved at my chest, almost in tears. “You had to ruin it, didn’t you? You had to try and change everything! This place is all I’ve got—you are not taking it—”

“You have a whole world. Don’t you remember it?”

“A whole world? I’m a freak! We’re all freaks, 40! Freaks that talk to dead people. That’s why we need them,” he said, stabbing a finger in the direction of the city center. “Don’t you see? This is the only place that’s safe for us. They’ll start killing us soon—jumping us—”

“Who?”

“The amaurotics. When they realize. When they realize what the Rephaim want. I’m never going out there again. You can keep your precious world. You’re welcome to it!”

I released his throat. He scrambled to his feet and bolted. Nick watched him go.

“You’ve got a long story to tell when we get home.”

I watched Carl disappear around the corner.

It was less than a mile to the meadow, but I wasn’t counting on getting there without a fight. Nashira was out there somewhere, and it was possible that not all of the bone-grubbers had taken Duckett’s concoction. We kept to the edge of the street, working our way through the ghost town.

There was an explosion in the distance. Nick didn’t stop. The windows of the buildings rattled. I couldn’t think straight. Were people trying to flee across the minefield? They must be panicking, wondering where the flare was, running through the trees to get away. I had to call them to safety. We ran all the way down the blasted street, then veered off on the path toward Port Meadow. I could see the fences, and the sign. A few voyants and amaurotics had gathered outside. They must have thought they could leave the city this way.

And Warden. He was there. He was filthy, covered in cinders, but alive. He caught me in his arms. “Where the hell did you go?” The words heaved out of me.

“Forgive me. I was sidetracked.” His gaze shifted toward the city. “You did not plant that incendiary device under the stage.”