Mevolent observed her from behind his helmet. Then he dropped the magic-sucking gun, and held out his hand. For a moment, he stood there like that, and then the God-Killer broadsword drifted down from the rooftops and settled into his grip.

Involuntarily, Valkyrie reached behind her, grabbing for Peregrine. Her fingers grasped at nothing but air, and her entire body went cold.

“Are you there?” she whispered, trying not to move her lips. “Hey!”

But there was no response, and no reassuring pat on the back. The moment Mevolent dropped the gun, Peregrine had moved. She was alone.

Mevolent walked forward slowly, the flat of the broadsword resting on his shoulder. The magic-sucker, on the ground behind him, disappeared, scooped up by the invisible Teleporter.

She couldn’t run. Even if she had somewhere to run to, she was nowhere near fast enough to get there. She couldn’t fight. She didn’t even have her armoured clothes – not that they’d do any good against a God-Killer. That sword was going to slice her in two so cleanly she doubted it’d get any of her blood on its blade.

“Stop!” she screamed.

Mevolent stopped walking.

Fear turned to fury inside her, and bubbled from her belly to her throat. “You think you can kill me?” she roared, and found herself striding forward. “You think I’m going to be killed by the likes of you? I am Darquesse! I have lived inside nightmares since before I was even born! I was always here! I was always meant to be here! I’m going to kill every man, woman and child, every animal, plant and organism in my reality and I’m going to do it because I can! I am a god, you pathetic little man. I am the darkness at the end of the day. I am the cold that overcomes the heat. I am inevitable, you insignificant little toad. Who the hell are you to think you can threaten me?”

When she finished talking, she was standing right before him, glaring up through the eyeholes of his helmet and seriously regretting this course of action. She wanted to pee. Her left leg was shaking so much she thought she was going to collapse. Thankfully, Mevolent’s sword was still resting on his shoulder. He seemed to believe that she was who she said she was, that she was capable of carrying out her threats to—

Mevolent’s left hand rose, unhurried. Valkyrie forced herself to ignore it, to keep her glare fixed. His hand went to her face, cupping her chin. The slightest squeeze would crumple her jaw, she knew, but she was all out of ideas and staying very still and looking very angry seemed to be the best thing to do in her current situation.