“Enough punishment? You had Shudder killed. You murdered Ghastly with your own hands. You started a war that killed hundreds of sorcerers. You’re seriously telling me that a just punishment for all that is you feeling lonely?”

“I’m not going to stand here and justify my actions to you.”

“Good.”

“But you’re not going to stop me. Darquesse is still out there, isn’t she? She’s your concern. Worry about her, not me. I’m not your enemy.”

“Your hand is lit up. Are you going to fire? How will I fight Darquesse if you kill me? What if we fail, and she goes after you?”

A glimmer of cold determination flashed in Ravel’s eyes. “I’ll be ready for her. If she comes after me, she’s going to have to finish the job. No more torture. No more taking her time.” He raised his hand. “Go on, Valkyrie. You’re not wearing your jacket. If I fire, you’re dead.”

She didn’t have time for this. Didn’t have time for him. “OK,” she said. “But when we’re done with Darquesse, we’re coming after you.”

Ravel smiled sadly. “You’ll never find me.”

His hand stopped glowing and he stepped back, and Valkyrie hurried back the way she’d come.

She got to the Ops Room just as Fletcher teleported the Sensitives away. China stood with Tanith and Sanguine at the table. Apart from them, the room was empty, the monitors abandoned.

“Valkyrie,” Sanguine said. “You look dead.”

She ignored him. The badly-flickering Roarhaven hologram showed the devastation the explosion had caused. Smoke rose from rubble. She could even see little bodies lying in the streets.

China gave her the Deathtouch Gauntlet and she pulled it on. It felt heavy and cold.

“Use the sigil to activate and deactivate,” China said, indicating the symbol burnt into the black steel. “When it’s activated, whatever you do, do not scratch your nose.”

Valkyrie flexed her fingers. “It kills without pain?”

China nodded. “Instant, painless death, whatever you touch. Are you sure you’ll be able to get close enough to use it?”

“Shouldn’t be a problem,” Valkyrie murmured. A cough rose in her chest and burst painfully. She wiped blood from her mouth.

“Jesus, Val,” Tanith whispered.

“I saw Ravel,” Valkyrie said. “He’s running. He said if Darquesse finds him he’ll be ready for her. I think he’s going to use the Accelerator.”

China’s eyes narrowed. “One more use could overload it. Very well. Tanith, Mr Sanguine, you go with Valkyrie. We can’t detect Darquesse on the map, but the odds are she’s still in the blast area. I’ll head down to the Accelerator and deal with—”

She stopped, frowning over Valkyrie’s shoulder. “Where the hell have you been?”

The Black Cleaver stood in the doorway.

“How can you be my bodyguard if you’re never around?” China continued.