“Let me go,” I begin as calmly as I can, “or I will make you let me go.”

“You’re not strong enough to fight me.”

“Yes. I am.” I’m pushing my way into his mind before the words are out of my mouth. He struggles against the intrusion, but I know what I’m doing now, and the territory is familiar; within seconds, I’ve found the right strings to pull. His resistance takes a lot of work to overcome—but I manage it, and after a few moments his grip relaxes and his arms fall to his sides. I’m breathing hard, sweat warming my hairline, but I smile in grim triumph.

I march down the driveway, my head spinning. I’ve used the Corrupter’s abilities before, of course, but I’ve never had to fight so hard to stay in control of them. Finally, I understand what Ximena meant about magic requiring energy.

“This is a really, really bad idea,” Gunnar says, falling into step beside me, his eyes wide and worried. “You may have seen Rasputin in action once, but you have no idea what it’s like to face him, Auggie—and I promise you don’t want to!”

“He won’t kill me.” It’s the one thing I’m actually sure of. I’m safer outdoors than indoors right now, because the undead hordes that have always plagued Fulton Heights need me alive. “And even if he kills me, so what? I’m going to die anyway, right?”

“You’re not the only person he could hurt.”

“I know. That’s the whole point,” I retort. I’ve witnessed Rasputin’s appetite for violence, and I’m well aware that there exists no limit to the blood he wants to shed. At this point, the only way to save innocent lives may be for me to hurl myself straight into the lion’s jaws—and make him choke on me. “If no one else is willing to care about what happens to me, I’m doing it. For once, I’m giving a shit about myself and what I want.”

“Great, so what’s your big plan? You gonna just walk around until his minions show up to snatch you off the street?” Gunnar’s agitation stirs the air. “You don’t know where he is! How do you think you’re going to find him?”

I set my jaw. “Watch and learn.”

Here’s the thing: I actually do have a plan—I just don’t know if it’ll work.