“We have to go,” Crayton says, rushing to the back of the room and grabbing a large black suitcase. He flings it open, revealing ten different guns, a handful of grenades, several daggers. He shrugs his coat to the floor and reveals a leather vest, and he rushes to strap every piece of weaponry to it before slipping his coat back on.

The Mogadorians ram the door below with a heavy object, and we hear footsteps enter the stairwell. Crayton removes one of the guns and snaps a clip into it.

“The burning symbol on the mountain,” I say. “Was it you?”

He nods. “I waited too long, I’m afraid, and when you opened the Chest it became impossible to slip away under their gaze. So I created the biggest beacon I could, and now we have to hope the others have seen it, and that they’re on the way. Otherwise . . .” He trails off. “Well, otherwise we’re out of options. We have to get to the lake now. It’s our only chance.”

I have no idea what lake he’s talking about, or why he wants to go there, but my whole body is trembling. I just want to get away.

The footsteps are closer. Ella grabs hold of my hand, back to her eleven-year-old self. Crayton pulls the slide on the gun, and I hear a bullet clicking into place. He aims it at the belfry’s entryway.

“You have a very good friend in town,” he says.

“Héctor?” I ask, suddenly understanding why the two of them were talking in the café this morning. Crayton wasn’t spreading lies, but rather telling the truth.

“Yes, and let’s hope he keeps his word.”

“Héctor will,” I say, certain that’s true regardless of what Crayton has asked him to do. “It’s in his name,” I add.

“Grab the Chest,” Crayton says.

I reach down and take the Chest in my left arm just as we hear the footsteps reach the last curves of the stairwell.

“Both of you, stay close to me,” Crayton says, his eyes moving from Ella to me. “She was born able to change ages, but she’s young and hasn’t developed any Legacies yet. Keep her close. And don’t let go of that Chest.”

“Don’t worry, Marina. I’m fast,” she says, smiling.

“You two ready?”

“Ready,” Ella says, tightening her hand around mine.

“They’re all going to be wearing body armor that would stop almost every bullet here on Earth,” Crayton says, “but I’ve soaked mine in Loricyde, and there isn’t a shield here that could stop them. I’m going to mow every damn one of them down.” His eyes narrow. “Keep your fingers crossed that Héctor’s outside the gates waiting for us.”

“He’ll be there,” I say.

Then Crayton pulls the trigger, and he doesn’t let go until every bullet’s been fired.