“What?” Chastity asked. “What? But Cassie.”

“B. I don’t like it either, but it’s the simplest.”

“It’s not simple at all!” Chastity raised her voice, with an emotional hitch. “Cassie.”

“Chastity,” Rain said. “You can’t—”

“I can,” Chastity said. “She’s my most important person. If you all vote to kill her, then you’re kind of killing me too.”

Rachel reached out. Chastity pushed her ‘Aunt Rachel’s’ hand away.

“The first option is bad,” Rachel said. “Undersiders die, city goes to shit, more people die, only good thing is Teacher is dead. Last option is bad, if we let him go, he will hurt others, and Tattletale says he always steps up his game, steps up his scale. He will keep doing what he’s doing fucking worse until we catch him. We made the choice to let him go when we fought him last time. Now this. We can’t do it again.”

“We don’t have to. I picked A,” Chastity said. She dropped her eyes. “Imp picked the same thing, told me to pass it on. I know it means Undersiders die. It might mean you or Imp die, or Foil or Parian. It might mean Heartbroken die, maybe me included. But I can’t sacrifice Cassie, I agree Teacher needs to be stopped now, and this gets less civilians hurt in the short run. I can’t conscience the choices that let me and my loved ones get off scot-free.”

“B,” Juliette said. “I can conscience it.”

Byron was already unfolding one paper. Ashley’s hand went to her shoulder, where she’d written it and then covered it with her dress strap. Sveta reached out to cover Byron’s paper.

Love Lost and Colt settled into cover. Noting the conversation, Love Lost pointed at Rain.

“What?” he asked. “No. I don’t make your vote for you.”

She tapped the side of her head.

“I know you have Cradle’s tokens. I know you’re not yourself. Pick yours. Just… work at it. Colt said you can fight through it.”

“Yeah,” Colt said.

Love Lost dropped her hand, hiding one claw beneath the other. She made a sign with only the barest pretense of hiding what it was. Colt made her own choice, glowing fingers extended and pointing down much as Love Lost had done, just a different set. Love Lost glared at her, then looked away. Colt barely reacted, staring down at a point on the ground, fingers unmoving.

This would divide us.

Putting all of her feelings aside, because she didn’t trust herself under Cradle’s influence.

I peeked, and the dust was starting to clear more, flashlights were out to better illuminate the battlefield where the red lights in surrounding areas didn’t reach, and thralls and capes were making their way across.