“Here you go.” The server slid her breakfast on the table and Marina smiled at the eggs and bacon and practically salivated over the vanilla croissant.

“This looks great,” she said. “Thanks!”

“I’ll be back with more coffee in a sec.”

Marina mulled over what she knew about the ring while tackling her eggs and bacon. Since she had more breakfast than facts, mulling took her about four bites in. She held in a sigh. When she’d agreed to do this, she hadn’t thought it would be so difficult. She’d thought it would be more like hide-and-seek for adults.

And she hadn’t really bought into the whole end-of-the world scenario. She’d thought Alexios was just being dramatic. And in all fairness, he did strike her as someone who Avery would label “extra.” But now, with communication cut off from his world and the way he looked yesterday, Marina was convinced that Alexios had been telling her the truth. It wasn’t just a story to get her to move faster. Things were really dire.

How in the world was she supposed to accomplish in a matter of days what others hadn’t managed over the course of their lifetimes?

But somehow, she had to do it. Because in few days—give or take—the world as she knew it might end. No more Avery, Halcyon, or Snooze. No more breakfasts at the café. No more opportunities to ride naked on a four-wheeler. Granted, there would also be no more Harold, her mother, Chastity, Patricia, or Preston, but that wasn’t the way she wanted to rid her life of those people. The price was too steep.

“Are you out celebrating your newfound insanity?” Adelaide’s voice cut into her thoughts.

“Maybe,” Marina said, and motioned for her to sit.

Adelaide slid into the booth and snagged a piece of her croissant before she could protest.

“If you’re going to try to talk me out of going to that charity thing with Luke, don’t waste your breath,” Marina said. “My mind is made up and nothing short of death is going to change it.”

Adelaide nodded. “I figured as much. I don’t pretend to understand why you want to walk into the lion’s den, but if it’s something you’ve got to do then I can respect that. You’re not a woman who does things by the seat of her pants. You said you’ve got reasons. That’s good enough for me.”

Marina studied Adelaide for a bit. “Why are things so easy for you to accept? I almost never see you flustered, unless it’s over your cats.”

Adelaide shrugged. “No point in making a fuss over things I can’t change.”

“You can’t change cats.”

“God, isn’t that the truth. My one weakness, I suppose.”

“I wish I could do it. Stop worrying so much, that is. It’s exhausting.”

“It’s easy enough to do.”

“Is it really that easy for you? How?”

“Because I don’t care what people think of me and I don’t have to consider anyone else when I make decisions.”