Trey called me at seven on the dot, saying he was waiting out front. I rose from my chair and picked up the sword, taking a deep breath. “Wish me luck.”

“I’ll walk you out,” said Adrian.

“Adrian,” warned Dimitri.

Adrian rolled his eyes. “I know, I know. Don’t worry. I promised.”

Promised what? Nobody elaborated. There wasn’t far to walk since he lived on the ground floor, but when we stepped outside, he caught hold of me, his hands resting on my arms. A jolt went through me, both at the touch and the unexpected gesture. His only displays of tenderness were usually with Jill.

“Sage,” he said. “For real. Be careful. Don’t be a hero—we’ve got plenty of them back there. And… no matter what happens, I want you to know that I never doubted what you’re going to do. It’s smart, and it’s brave.”

“You sound like it’s already happened and failed,” I said.

“No, no. I just… well, I want you to know that I trust you.”

“Okay,” I said, feeling a little puzzled. I again had the feeling that I wasn’t being told something. “Hopefully my plan will work.”

I needed to walk away, out of Adrian’s grasp, but couldn’t quite do it. I was hesitant to go, for some reason. There was safety and comfort there. Once I left, I really was walking into the lion’s den. I lingered a few moments more, safe in the circle we made, and then reluctantly slipped away.

“Please be careful,” he repeated. “Come back safe.”

“I will.” On impulse I took off my cross necklace and pressed it into his hand. “This time, keep it for real. Hold onto it until I return. If you get too worried, look at it and know that I’ll have to come back for it. It goes really well with khakis and neutral colors.”

I worried he would give it back, but he simply nodded and squeezed the cross tight. I walked away, feeling slightly vulnerable without it, but hoped it reassured him. My discomfort suddenly seemed like a small thing. I wanted Adrian to be okay.

I got into the passenger seat of Trey’s car and immediately gave him the sword. He looked about as miserable as he had earlier. “You sure you want to go through with this?”

Why did everyone keep asking me that? “Yes. Absolutely.”

“Let me see your cell phone.”

I handed it over, and he turned it off. He gave it back, along with a blindfold. “I’ll trust you to put this on yourself.”

“Thanks.”

I started to slip it on and then, on impulse, looked back toward the building one last time. Adrian was still standing there, hands in his pockets, face concerned. Seeing my gaze, he managed a small smile and raised one hand in… what? Farewell? A benediction? I didn’t know, but it made me feel better. The last thing I saw was the flash of the cross in the sunlight, just before I covered my eyes with the blindfold.