“You wouldn’t hurt me, would you?” Ellen said.

She leaned in, standing on tiptoe, to kiss him. The Garret-thing’s hand came up, fast as a snake, and grabbed her by the front of her shirt. Ellen’s eyes went wide as he lifted her without apparent effort.

“Please,” she said, eyes streaming with tears. “Please.”

He tilted his head, his movements suddenly utterly inhuman. Ellen tried to scream but couldn’t find the breath. Something began to flow between them, a stream of brilliant light bursting from Ellen’s eyes and mouth, crossing the few inches to flow into the dark void that lurked under the Garret-thing’s eyes. It was life, swirling away like water down a bathtub drain.

The stream lasted only a few moments, and then Ellen slumped. Garret tossed her aside like a rag, and she landed on her back on the dusty floor. Thick white smoke rose from her eyes and mouth, as though something inside her had burned to a crisp.

“Like I said.” The Garret-thing’s voice had a strange buzz to it now, like radio static. He reached into Ellen’s pocket and pulled out the green book she’d shown Alice. His grip tightened, and he ripped it in half, leather cover and all. “Let’s get things started.”

Dex was the first to react. Her caryatid armor flashed into being around her, and silver swords dropped into her hands. Isaac, standing beside her, raised one arm and sent out a stream of fire. Garret made no effort to avoid it, and Alice could see his hair burning, the fire spreading to his cloak. But when Dex came at him, sword swinging at his neck, he moved as though the flames didn’t bother him at all. His hand closed around her blade. The bright silver warped and vanished, sucked away inside him. His other hand grabbed her wrist, wrenching her close to him.

“Dex!” Alice shouted.

Dex’s second sword bit into his waist, but that bothered him no more than the swarmer had. He grabbed Dex by the chin, and her silver mask melted away. Before the deadly streams of energy could form, though, Spike slammed into Garret at full tilt, knocking the two of them apart. One of his horns sank six inches into Garret’s chest, and the dinosaur’s momentum picked the boy up and carried him into a nearby shelf, which toppled in a thunder of dust and falling books.

“Are you all right?” Alice said, falling to her knees. Dex nodded, coughing, the rest of her silver armor fading away.

“I am, Sister Alice,” she managed, “but—what’s wrong?”