Kovit hesitated, then looked away. “She would. I know she would. But that doesn’t make it right. I can’t . . . I can’t let my sister share my fate.”

Nita let out a long breath, then grabbed Kovit’s chin and turned him to face her. “Kovit. You’re going to die if we don’t discredit the list. We can hide, and we can fight, but we won’t make it. We can’t go small. We have to go big. You’ve already admitted Pat would do this to save you. I’d do anything to save you. Why won’t you let us help you?”

He blinked watery eyes and gave her a soft smile. “Because I’m not willing to trade my life for yours or hers.”

Nita made a frustrated sound. “Please, Kovit. It’s not a trade. It’s just a risk. She hunts unicorns, for fuck’s sake. You really think associating with you is more dangerous than unicorn hunting?” Nita arched an eyebrow. “High opinion of yourself, huh?”

He snort-laughed, then was quiet for a moment. “Do you really think this plan will work?”

“I don’t know.” She tilted his chin up with one finger. “But I’m not going to sit here and let you die. And I think it has a chance, so I damn well want to at least try.”

He pulled away, and stared down at his fisted hands, his whole body still shaking from fear or adrenaline or someone’s pain on the street, Nita didn’t know.

Finally, he whispered, “Okay.”

“Okay what?”

His voice was heavy but firm. “Send it. Let’s try.”

Nita’s body slumped in relief, and she put her hand on his shoulder and gently squeezed. “You’re making the right choice.”

“No, I’m making the selfish choice.” His smile was small and bitter. “But I don’t want to die.”

Her chest tightened.

“You won’t,” she promised, but she was scared she was lying.

Kovit held out his hand, scrolling through the email, taking one last look at the pictures included in it. All of them taken by Nita as insurance when they were in Toronto. Kovit and his sister hugging in the train station, the two of them smiling and laughing as they chatted. A link to the CBC news segment of the café’s anniversary, with Kovit and Pat figuring obviously in the background chatting. And also the pictures of Kovit’s sister talking on the news, the banner underneath advertising her status as an INHUP agent. And lastly, just now, Nita copy-pasted the link to Kovit’s entry on the Dangerous Unnaturals List.

She didn’t say what their relationship was, didn’t draw any conclusions. Just commented, interesting that an INHUP agent is so friendly with a zannie.