I managed to find a spot on the bench with Eliana beside me, and Dagny sat down across from us while Pan went to get us some drinks at the bar. I knew most everyone in the bar, or at least recognized them from the Öhaus briefing. Patrik and Finn were noticeably absent, but I suspected Finn was video chatting with the kids before going to bed.

That was probably what I should be doing, and I would—soon. But with everything that was about to happen, I wanted to spend some time hanging out with my friends, because I didn’t know if I’d be able to do it again.

Eliana linked her arm through mine and rested her head on my shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re here. Jem and Sumi don’t talk to me about everything.”

“Are they here?” Dagny asked.

“Yep,” Eliana said.

Across the room, I spotted Jem. He was laughing at something Knut said, his dark eyes twinkling and his long dark waves flowing free. Sumi wasn’t too far from him, sipping a drink and leaning against the window. She surveyed the crowd with a look that reminded me of an especially snobby lioness, and when she locked eyes with me, she stalked over to join us.

“Oh no, she’s coming over,” Eliana complained.

Sumi stopped at the table but she didn’t sit down. “I thought you might sleep through this too.”

“Hey, it’s been a long . . . summer,” I said, and the truth of the statement hit me all at once. “It seriously has been one long-ass summer.”

“The good news is that it’s going to end with a bang,” she said with a wry smile.

“You strike me as the brutally honest type.” Dagny looked up at Sumi, who just shrugged in response. “What do you think our chances of surviving tomorrow are?”

“Well, the Älvolk and the thrimavolk have been training for this exact scenario for generations, and if a large enough etanadrak gets through, it could easily take out half our fighters.” Sumi took another drink. “But this is the only chance we have to stop them so . . . we must fight tomorrow. Tonight we drink and pray that the gods fight with us.”

Then she drained her glass. “I should get another.”

“Ugh,” Eliana groaned after Sumi left. “She’s always like that.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Dagny said, watching Sumi walk away. “Maybe I should get a drink.”

She got up and went after Sumi, while Eliana remained glued to me. Pan joined us a moment later, taking Dagny’s seat and setting cranberry juice in front of me.

“Did I miss anything?” he asked.

“Sumi told us we’re all doomed,” I said with a crooked smile, and he nearly choked on the drink he was taking.