“Nice,” I say. “You don’t even have to hit anyone, Marina. You just have to make them think the attack is coming from all sides.”

Now that we’re finished, there are only two Skimmers left on the runway: the one we came down here in that Adam’s been trying to repair, and the one that’s got Phiri Dun-Ra tied to it. I’m satisfied with our setup so far. It feels good to be doing something, at least.

“This is good, Six,” Marina says, her arms crossed, looking at the Mogadorian ships now arranged like guards in front of the Sanctuary. “Perfect if Setrákus Ra sends in his warriors. But what if he’s out there on the front line himself? Hurting him would mean hurting Ella. We can’t risk that.”

“You’re right,” I reply. “We’ll have to figure out a way to at least slow him down.”

I start towards the passageway that leads into the Sanctuary and pretend not to notice when Adam lags behind, touching Marina gently on the elbow as he does. They slow but only walk a few steps behind me. With my enhanced hearing, it’s pretty much impossible for me not to eavesdrop.

“I’m sorry about before,” Adam says to her quietly. “I got carried away.”

“It’s all right,” Marina replies kindly. “I shouldn’t have called you a monster. It just slipped out. I don’t really think that.”

Adam laughs once, self-deprecatingly. “No, you know, I’ve wondered a lot over the years if that—if that’s not a good word for us.”

Marina makes a noise, about to say something more, but Adam cuts her off.

“It’s okay—I’m sorry again, about everything. I know what it’s like to lose someone you care about. I shouldn’t . . . I won’t be so cavalier about leaving this place again. I get why it’s so important. What it means.”

“Thank you, Adam.”

I turn around, pretending not to have been listening to their entire conversation. We’re in front of what used to be the Sanctuary’s hidden door. It’s a narrow stone archway leading to stairs that run all the way down to the hidden chamber beneath the temple.

“So,” I say, hands on my hips. “How do we stall the most powerful Mogadorian in the universe without hurting him, while at the same time stealing his warship out from under him?”

Adam raises his hand. “I have a question.”

I can see the wheels turning in his head. “Shoot.”