Some had left already, Mom said. When the killings first began, a few members of the Kin who weren’t tied to jobs or houses had decided to take extended vacations. A few would stay. For others, leaving simply wasn’t a possibility. That was why it didn’t happen often.

There had been only one other evacuation in living memory.

I knew it without asking. The Harrowing begun by Verrick seventeen years ago.

Finally, sitting with my hands curled on my knees, I said, “What about me?”

“I’m sending you away from the Circle,” Mom answered.

I’d been anticipating that, and preparing my argument, however useless it might be. But first I asked: “And Leon?”

“He’s a Guardian, but he’s your Guardian. He goes with you.”

I nodded. Leon had left earlier, and Mom and I were alone in the waiting room. “Is that your decision or his?” I asked.

“It’s the way it works. I need you not to argue with me on this.”

“I’m not a liability anymore,” I said. “I’m an asset. I’m not weak, even if I’m not a Guardian. I can amplify. Leon and I can help fight. I want to help fight.” And as long as I was in the Cities, there was still a chance I’d find a way to help Gideon. To stop him without killing him.

“You were never a liability, honey. And I’ve never thought you were weak. But you are my daughter. I need to know that you’re safe. That’s what I’m fighting for. That’s what’s most important to me. Not the Kin. Not myself. You.”

A lump formed in my throat, and my eyes were moist, but I had to keep trying. “I’m needed here. You can’t send me away.”

“Audrey—”

“You can’t. Iris told me the reason the Beneath is awake is because of Gideon. He’s connected to the Astral Circle, the same way I am. She said I have to find a way to sever the connection.”

“Iris can’t be trusted,” Mom said. “You know that better than anyone.”

“She told the truth about the Beneath, though. And Daniel said the same thing earlier. He said I’m the one that causes Val’s vision. Not Brooke.”

Mom sighed. “I know you want to help, but you can’t take this all on your shoulders. The best thing you can do is get out of the Cities and stay safe. Okay?”

“Where are we even supposed to go?”

“To the cabin, for now.” Her voice was firm, and the look she gave me told me she would probably tie me up in the trunk if I didn’t agree. “Stop by the house and pack a bag, but do it quickly. I’ll call you as often as I can.”

Our family cabin was in the outskirts of Nevis, a small town some three hours north of the Cities. We’d gone there often when I was little, usually just Gram and me, though sometimes we brought Gideon. Mom had considered selling it or renting it out, since we didn’t use it often, but she’d never gotten around to it.

“What are you going to do?” I asked.

“I’ll stay at the house, or with Mickey.”

“I meant about Shane. The Beneath.”

“I’ll figure out something.”

“But if Iris is right—”

“I’m not risking the welfare of my daughter on the claims of a girl who has previously placed the entire Kin in jeopardy. You’re not staying.”

I tried arguing further, but she wouldn’t hear it. She set a hand on my shoulder, then rose from her seat, telling me she had to make a few more phone calls. Leon arrived shortly after. He had Mom’s car out in the parking lot—Mom thought it better we drive instead of teleporting, since we’d need to take supplies—and when I tried to ask if he was happy about getting kicked out of the Cities, he didn’t answer me. He just told me to let him know when I was ready to leave.

Furious and frustrated though I was, I didn’t have much of an option unless I wanted to sneak out of the hospital and hide out somewhere, like Iris. Maybe I could crash her hotel room, I thought, clenching fists. But Leon would still know how to find me. And he was certain to do as Mom wished. I heaved a breath and finally just resigned myself to the fact that I had no choice in this.

Then there were good-byes: Elspeth’s quick hug, my grandfather’s wobbly smile. I called Tink but got no answer. Esther was still unconscious, but I sat beside her in her room for a minute, took her hand, and squeezed it gently.

“Thanks for looking out for me,” I whispered.

I found Mom waiting for me out in the hall. This time I didn’t argue. I told myself not to snap at her. Not to part angry. I scrutinized her, taking in details, trying to silence the little voice that told me I should remember exactly what she looked like, exactly what she said, in case I never saw her again. Her hair was pulled out of her face in a messy ponytail, and her eyes looked tired, somewhat watery. She was trying to smile at me, but not succeeding. She touched my arm.

“I guess Esther is getting what she wanted,” I said. “You leading the Kin.”

“I’ll be happy to hand the reins right back.”

“Remember to eat on occasion.”

“I’ll stick a note to the fridge.”

“And don’t get hurt.”

She pulled me in to a tight hug. “I’ll be fine. I love you. I’ll call you tonight.”

She walked with Leon and me to the elevator, then turned back at the end of the hall. I watched her there as the doors closed, walking down the hall beneath the hospital’s fluorescent lights, the area around her shrinking and shrinking until finally she was gone.

We left the Cities as afternoon slipped into evening. We’d stopped by my house for me to pack a bag, but since my luggage was at Esther’s, I just grabbed my old camping backpack and threw whatever was left in my drawers into it. I hesitated in the doorway of my bedroom. Mom had stapled a plastic covering over my broken window, and cleaned up most of the glass, but I saw a few shards still glittering within the fibers of the carpet. A smear of dried blood from Gideon’s knuckles marked the floor near the back wall. My eyes fixed there, seeing him huddled there in the dark, dripping rain.

“We should get going,” Leon said from behind me. I nodded, following him back down the steps. He had his own backpack tossed in the backseat of the car. It was the same backpack he’d brought with him from Two Harbors, somewhat worn now, one of the straps broken and hanging loose.

I turned back toward the skyline as we headed out onto the highway. Above, in the thickening dark, the stars were glowing red.

Tink finally returned my call an hour later to let me know she was still in the Cities.

“You’re not leaving?” I asked. “Mom said she told you to evacuate.” It would be safer, Mom had explained, since Tink wasn’t fully trained yet—though I suspected Mom just wanted her protected, too.

“She left it up to me to decide,” Tink said.

“You can crash with us at the cabin, if you want.”

“No. I—I’ve thought about it. And I’m staying. If we’re all about to die, might as well go down fighting, right? So if this is the last time I ever talk to you—”

“Do not say that. Whatever grim confession you’re about to impart can wait until I get back.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to say. It wasn’t grim. I was just going to say thanks. You know, for helping me with the whole Guardian thing.”

“Oh. Well, you can save that, too.” I hesitated. “If you see Gideon…”

“I’ll kick his ass and knock some sense into him,” she said quickly. She didn’t believe it, I guessed. Neither did I. But there wasn’t much else to say.

“Good,” I whispered.

“I’ll check in later.”

“You’d better.”

It was close to midnight when Leon and I reached Nevis. The cabin had been closed up since last fall, and when we stepped inside, everything smelled like dust and mildew. The quilt I’d left on the bed had a collection of dead bugs in it, and a toad had taken up residence under the bathroom sink. Leon propped the door open to let in fresh air—and even more insects—while I moped about searching in crevices and under furniture for any other trespassers.