She’d always been too rash, and she was worse under Cradle. Even knowing the game at play that Rain had talked about, she jumped the gun. The black sand cape threw out his hand, extending a wall of black sand in front of Valefor.

Her scream didn’t touch him, didn’t bring him into a headlong run. Not quite close enough. She seemed to realize it, and urged Rain and Colt to run.

They had a harder path than Valefor did, and three people moved slower than one. He could close the distance and use his own shout.

Valefor shouted something the others were more likely to hear than I was. I wasn’t close enough to hear it. He continued to shout, closing the distance, while I dove for something else to throw, and was blocked by more black sand. He used his power in two violent bursts—one to knock out the Wretch, the other to hit me. I covered my ears and my face at the same time, rising up and out of reach.

Below, I saw the tableau. Precipice and Love Lost had stopped.

And at the same time, Valefor was no longer running. Mama Mathers was, a blur that raced toward her child.

Love Lost closed in, moving with one arm and both legs, her eyes closed, her other hand pulling her mask away from her face. Rain spoke, giving her instructions. Telling her where to go and where to aim, urging her to be quick, when every step threatened to move a piece of concrete or tile and roll the ankle. She had her power, but she wasn’t weightless.

Juliette stood off to the side, Chastity watching her back.

Valefor was frozen, unable to do anything to get clear of danger, while Love Lost positioned herself.

But Rain was partially blind too. He avoided eye contact with Valefor.

I flew to get closer.

“Five feet to the right, turn to ten o’clock!” I screamed the words down at them.

How far does a scream reach?

She listened. She crossed the distance, stumbling over rubble, turned, and then screamed.

She caught Valefor in the same moment Juliette was forced to break her hold on him due to incoming fire. He began a reckless run in Love Lost’s direction, heedless of the dangerous footing. Mama Mathers turned to run the other way. Her troops, no doubt coordinated by phantom images of her, turned to do the same.

Abandoning her son. Someone I had to assume she cherished.

“Claw out!” I called out. I flew down, avoiding the black sand that was cast out to distract, and flew in so I would be right behind Valefor.

Valefor grabbed a piece of rebar as he ran, moving to attack Love Lost, while she couldn’t be sure she could open her eyes.