Coalbelcher would’ve been near Natalie, if he’d been protecting her or watching out for her as part of the deal. Had he taken some candy? Had he eaten some, or did he have it saved for later? Was that why Goddess didn’t like her sense of him? I could see him being loyal but not aligned, or aligned but carrying tainted candy. More the former, since he didn’t seem the type to save something for later.

I reached the first large group, near the interim portal.

“Chips or candy?” I asked.

“What?”

“There’s a big fight brewing,” I said. “We need to get energy up, and there’s not much food. Do you want chips? Candy?”

“Chips, fuck yeah,” a guy said.

“Share,” I said, with emphasis.

With luck, he’d have one or two, it would kick in, and he’d start sharing out of spite.

I sure was.

Another group. It might have been Auzure, though it wasn’t members I recognized. They’d come to help defend the portal and stall for time.

I just threw them the candy. The woman who caught it saluted.

“Share!” I said.

Goddess should be getting pinged pretty hard right now, if this is working like I hope.

Another hero group. I tossed them two small bags of chips.

Hopefully it got us another set of non-Goddessed allies.

There was a chance that some of this wasn’t treated.

I just had to hope that most or some of it was. We were picking a massive fight.

A small gang of criminals. I threw them something, and I didn’t wait for a response.

Rain streamed down around me, drumming against my costume, loud against the plastic of the chip bags and the bags and boxes that had the candy.

I saw my team.

“No computer?” Lookout asked. “Were they all broken?”

“Something better,” I said. I tossed her a bag of candy, then tossed another to Rain.

“Uh,” Rain said. “The sentiment’s appreciated but…”

“Eat. Energy,” I said.

“Mind trading, Kenz?” Rain asked.

“You don’t like grape?”

“Not this type, no,” he said.

“Only because I like you,” she said.

I felt like my heart was beating so fast it would give everything away. I focused on the distance.

“It’s bad,” Byron said. “You can’t see it right this second, but she’s altering landscapes.”

“Yeah,” I said. “I heard.”

There was another blast. Another sound like a mountain was being uprooted. The ground shook, and this time my feet were touching it to really feel the impact.

Not a mountain—a building, with some foundations. I saw it move. From a distance, it seemed to move very slowly. I knew that it would be moving at a dangerous speed if one was actually at the scene.