Valkyrie stepped away from them both. They were in a small village. People hurried by. She could hear the sea. She could smell fish on the evening air.

Peregrine disappeared, and Serpine turned to Valkyrie and smiled. “Hello, Valkyrie.”

“What do you want?”

“That’s all the thanks I get?” he said. “I just saved your life. A little gratitude would be nice.”

“What do you want?”

Serpine didn’t seem overly wary of the stick in her hand at all. “Valkyrie, this may come as a shock to you, considering the history you’ve shared with both me and my counterpart from your dimension, but I’m not altogether a bad guy. I have my good moments. I have my redeeming features. In the time since you were last here, I’ve taken over as leader of the Resistance. Are you shocked?”

“I don’t care enough to be shocked.”

“Not caring is a sign of shock. After China Sorrows was so tragically killed during Mevolent’s attack on Resistance territory, I put myself forward for—”

“You killed her.”

“Eh?”

“You killed China. You broke her neck.”

Serpine frowned. “You saw that?”

“Darquesse did,” said Valkyrie. “Which means I did.”

“Ah,” said Serpine, “well, it was a chaotic day. Lots of people did lots of things. It was very confusing. Who knows who did what?”

“I know you killed China.”

“Let’s not get bogged down in specifics,” he said, speaking quietly. “Yes, I killed China, but in a more general sense, China was killed and I was nearby. That’s just a lot softer to say, isn’t it? It isn’t nearly as spiky as I killed her. So let’s stick with China was killed, and I was nearby, and let’s not tell anyone the rest. It’d just complicate matters – for you, as well as me. And now here I am, striking a blow against tyranny by releasing you, Valkyrie Cain. You’re welcome, by the way.”

“Why?”

“Because I am in need of you. Come. Walk with me.”

“No,” said Valkyrie.

He sighed. “You’re stubborn. Some people might find that admirable. I find it annoying.”

Valkyrie looked around. “Are all these people sorcerers?”

“Hmm? Oh, no.” He chuckled. “Not at all. Look at them. What a sorry state we’d be in if they were.”

“So this is a mortal village?”

“Yes. It’s the perfect hiding spot. There’s enough depressing mundanity here to frighten off even the most ardent of Sense-Wardens before they get too close.”

“Isn’t it dangerous?”

“We can handle it.”

“Not for you,” she said, glaring. “For them. The mortals. If Mevolent finds out your base is here, all these innocent people will be caught in the crossfire.”

Serpine nodded. “So?”

“So these are the people you’re supposed to be protecting.”

“Who told you that? It’s not our job to protect them. Our job is to fight Mevolent.”

“And if you beat him?”