That was why Bone had called Jordan, and why he waited now for the end to come.

Looking down into the stark grey valley, he tried to catch sight of any movement that might indicate what Mallian would do next. He felt an urgent, deep guilt at letting his father and the other two infected Kin loose from their containment. If the Kovo infection transferred to other Kin, Mallian’s forces would be boosted even more. And with the fairy under his control, his capabilities were already difficult to gauge. Seeing what she had done to Lilou made Bone sick with dread.

He glanced at his watch, looked at the sky. Dusk was falling, and in darkness the Kin became more confident. He knew that from experience. Mallian’s confidence was already boosted, and there was no telling when he’d be ready to emerge from Longford valley to reveal himself to the world.

He’ll have a plan, Bone thought. He won’t just march across the countryside. There are small communities nearby, but no city for twenty miles. He’ll have an aim in mind. And he was patient. If what Vince and Angela said was true, the Nephilim had been trapped in the Fold for two years or more, and he would not rush his plan for Ascent. He’d make sure it went just right.

Reinforcements. He’ll make sure he has an army, not only for the power it’ll afford him, but for the spectacle. He didn’t know a lot about the Nephilim’s intentions for Ascent, and Angela and Vince hadn’t revealed much about it, but a revelation of the Kin would surely require an event that would shake the world. The more reinforcement, the better.

He paced along the defining line between green grass and trees and dried grey reservoir bed, knowing he should head back down to confront the danger, but terrified to do so.

His father had given him one of his last breaths to escape and survive. The last thing he’d have wanted was for Bone to return and die in that desolate place.

He’d wait and see what happened, and for the army to arrive. He’d wait for death to come to him.

* * *

When Bone saw movement, it wasn’t from the direction he’d expected. He caught the glint of fading sunlight on glass from the corner of his eye, then spotted the vehicle moving slowly along a road higher up the valley side. It crested the top and started down, and Bone set out at a steady jog to meet it.

He edged uphill so that the colourless valley was out of sight to his left, but he could still smell the dust of that place, and still feel the weight of danger influencing his every move.