“Chin up, Rune,” Nïx said. “You don’t really want to kill me. If you do, I will rise in memory and wallow in power. All the factions of Gaia will unite under my banner.”

“Very well, soothsayer.”

Allixta snapped, —Don’t you dare, baneblood!—

“And no qualifiers, if you please,” Nïx said. “This is for your mate’s health and safety.”

Gods damn it. “I vow to the Lore never to target you for death.”

“Excellent.” Nïx smiled. “That wasn’t so hard, now, was it? Perhaps you’d like to go even further? Come, archer, step over to our side. Become one of the good guys.”

“Good? Valkyrie, you have no idea what you’re doing. You’re far too young and confused to understand the ramifications of your actions. You spoke of the monsters we keep in Perdishian? They display more reason than you.”

—Except for Kolossós,— Sian, Blace, and Allixta said as one. Darach grunted his agreement.

As if Rune hadn’t spoken, Nïx said, “Join us, and I’ll give you a signing bonus, tell you what the symbols on your talisman mean, what powers it doesn’t hold. Maybe I could fill in the blanks of your mother’s last letter to you.”

Nïx knew? “I’m Møriør,” Rune said simply. Orion might punish him for making that vow, but he still had Rune’s loyalty.

“I understand,” Nïx said, tucking her hair behind her pointed ear. “You can’t blame me for trying. To win this war, I’ll use every trick in my tricksy little bag of tricks.” She faced Sian and mouthed, Hold on to your ass, demon.

He answered with a killing look.

Then she whispered to her bat, “Evac, Bertil.” With a screech, it flew off.

Rune told Nïx, “Whatever your interest in Josephine is, retire it. She and Thaddeus are with us.”

—Scent.— Darach sounded like he was on the very brink of a full turning. —Mate.—

Rune tensed. —You have Josephine’s scent?—

He nodded. —Close.—

—We’ll start in the city. I’ll trace you all.— They clamped hands on his shoulders and forearms.

—We flee like cowards now?— Allixta said as Darach growled. But those two couldn’t trace, had no choice but to come.

With one hand, Allixta grabbed Rune. With her other, she seized one of Curses’ whiskers in her fist. —Fine!—

—We’ll return,— Blace said. —This fight is young yet. For tonight, we are done here.—

Darach wasn’t.

He inhaled a long breath, his immense lungs expanding.

—Oh, fuck.— Rune and the others braced.

With a gleam in her eyes, Allixta said, —Huff and puff, primordial. Do it!—

The wolf released his roar. A primal blast.

Nïx’s lightning protected her, but beyond . . .

The gust scattered yelling immortals and swept the beleaguered wraiths across the night sky like flecks of dust. The force sent the manor’s roof flying like a disk. Boards groaned, glass shattering. Walls collapsed.

Just as the deafening demolition quieted . . . the chimney crumpled.

Darach had flattened the manor. Val Hall was no more. The Valkyrie leader stood against a backdrop of destruction.

Rune nodded at her. “Good warring to you, Nïx.”

She smiled blankly. “And a happy Accession to you, Rune.”

SIXTY-SIX

A cool cloth bathed Jo’s face. “Please wake up,” said a muffled voice. “I didn’t know it was you!”

Consciousness came by degrees, her head pounding. She blinked open her eyes. “Thaddie?” Her brain felt like jelly after her strangling.

After that memory.

Thad tossed away a washcloth, taking her hand. “I’m here. I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were Jo. I never would’ve hurt you.” He helped her sit up on a couch.

She was in a living room with fancy décor and expensive-looking furniture. “Where’ve you taken me?” Her voice was scratchy.

“To my family’s place in New Orleans. It’s warded. You’re totally safe.”

New Orleans? He’d always lived in a suburban pad in Texas.

Except when he lived in a phantom realm for one day. He and I crossed the universe, held in some kind of stasis. They must be thousands of years old.

She hadn’t unlocked everything from her childhood—only a few other dim snippets. Maybe she couldn’t handle more than a peek at a time. “Thad, I’ve been trying to get to you in Val Hall for two weeks.”

“Earlier, you said you were there to save me. From what?”

“Valkyries. I smelled your fear. I freaked out.”

“Oh.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Actually, I was kinda scared of . . . you and that archer. You two were attacking, and I was inside. I didn’t know who you were.”

“You weren’t a prisoner, were you?” He’d been in no danger, just as Rune had assured her.

“They’re my allies. They’ve been helping me with my powers. Nïx told me a huge threat to the coven was coming, so I was there to protect Val Hall.”

Nïx, getting the last laugh once again.

“She called for all hands on deck.”

So that’s why so many immortals had been there. Jo rubbed her throat. She hadn’t thought things could possibly get shittier for her. Wrong.