“I saw … a lot of things.” I can’t catch my breath, and I turn back around, embarrassed. The bowl is still there, the oath—if that’s what it really is—but what was the rest of it? It wasn’t the same as before, so does that mean the future has changed? Is that why it was Gunnar with his shirt off this time, instead of Jude?

“Auggie?”

“It’s cool that the League of the Dark Star isn’t a bunch of Batman villains,” I say, fumbling for a glass of water. “I can’t think who else I’d rather have ruling the world once my soul gets evicted—or incinerated, or whatever happens when Azazel takes the wheel.”

“Auggie—”

“Did Daphne tell you that Rasputin has my parents?” I’m so unsteady that I don’t realize I’ve called her Daphne until it’s too late to take it back, until the fact that I still think of her as my friend is on the table between us, where Gunnar can use it against me if he wants to. “He’s given me until the equinox to join Northern Wolf, or…”

Or … I’m not really sure, because he didn’t say—but he didn’t exactly have to. I’ve seen him with my own eyes, and just the thought of him anywhere near my parents makes my pulse go berserk. Soberly, Gunnar says, “She did. I’m so sorry. I wish—”

“Help me get them back.” I blurt it quickly, my hands trembling. “They haven’t done anything. Their lives are going to be hell anyway when I … when this thing Ascends, and they don’t deserve any of this.” Coming closer, I make Gunnar look me in the eye. He’s not in love with me or anything, I know that … but he’s attracted to me, he likes me, and he wishes he could have a chance to fall in love again. “Please, just … help me?”

He squirms, wincing, and I flip from desperate to furious before he even opens his mouth. “I’m sorry, Auggie, but I can’t go behind Viviane’s back and jeopardize my place—”