Over the following weeks, Ecto’s paradoxes unravelled one by one. First, the school started calling my home phone, asking where I’d been these past weeks. My phone lit up with worried messages from family and friends as they remembered me, one by one. I’d had to make up a story about why I hadn’t been in contact with them over the past months. But my parents were still nowhere to be found.

“It’s not perfect, Quinn,” said Vespa. “The cuts and tears in the tapestry of time are healing, but it’s not perfect. The damage has been done. The events of your time with us still happened.”

“But what about mom and dad?”

“Your parents were not part of his meddling. It seems... I was wrong.”

“Wrong? Wrong? What do you mean, wrong? You sold them out to the Demons. I haven’t forgotten that. And now you’re telling me you still have no idea what’s going on?”

“Perhaps there’s more to this than just Ecto.”

On the other hand, the buzz online was unbearable. That video had gone absolutely viral. All over social media, the news, the streets, people were panicking about these insect people. If only they knew the whole story...

And of course, the attention had brought the attention of Mali right onto Sanctuary 73. Though most of the ornithopters had scattered with the breakup of the storm, a handful still sat parked on the roof, patiently waiting to take us back to headquarters. It seemed that Nep had been acting behind the back of the higher-ups in the organization, and all of us were being summoned to Sanctuary 1 for education and discipline. I was nervously optimistic about the prospect. At least I had the opportunity to get more answers.

I looked over the little apartment. Though things had gotten pretty roughed-up by the blizzard, the undoing of all of Ecto’s mess had had the lovely side-effect of restoring most of that damage. Those personal belongings were good and safe and, now, packed neatly into my suitcase. I brought it up to the roof and laid it beside that of my housemates, including Angelina’s suitcase, which Heidi was carrying in her stead.

“How do you feel about all that?” I asked Angelina.

The little chrysalis dangling from my phone case said nothing in return. Three months? Really? That would be a long time. I’d... I’d miss her.

And last of all, there was... well...

“She’s here again,” said Vespa.

Thea stood on the windowsill, folding her arms over her chest. “Are you just going to sit there musing? Or are you going to talk to me? Aren’t you at least going to thank me for breaking his paradoxes? I told you I would...”

So it had been her this whole time. Couldn’t she have chosen a better time to shatter it? Oh well. “You’re still around, then.”

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“Of course. And you killed Ecto. Was it fun? Did you enjoy it? Your Imago was stained scarlet with ichor, dripping the stuff everywhere on the snow. You monster.”

“I had to. He wouldn’t stop. You wanted to stop him, too. You want to bring peaceful liberation for the people, right? Not some torturous death.”

“I wouldn’t have killed him.”

“Then how would you have stopped him?”

She looked down again. “I stopped him e-exactly as I intended. You monster.” I heard the flapping of wings. “You know, prophecy is a funny thing, isn’t it? You had to kill him. You really did have no choice. I suppose we’re all slaves to destiny.” A pigeon landed on her shoulder. Then another. “Did you figure it out already? That he was nobody? That, I... I let him have his free reign, but he’d long outlived his time.”

“You’re the one who controls it?”

She didn’t answer. “I’ll give you another chance to come with me, Quinn. You can make it so easy. I’ll show you everything. We can... we can make things better if we work together.”

“Don’t do it.” Vespa buzzed, to no surprise.

I wanted to say yes, but my body refused. Vespa?

“She’s just controlling you. Don’t fall for it.”

“She’s just controlling you, Quinn. Don’t you see? You never had a choice. And you never will.” My body started morphing on its own, the chrysalis forming around me, my flesh and bones melting away, making room for hardened shells, pneumatic muscles. “The moment you accepted Vespa was the last choice you made.”

The blade materialized in my hands. “Get out of the way!”

She ignored me. “But don’t worry, I understand.” Tears formed in her eyes. “Angels and Demons, both. We don’t have free will. Our bodies simply move as they must, obeying the genetic programming they’ve inherited from the dawn of time.” She fluttered back as I slashed forward. “So even though I don’t want to hurt anyone, soon I won’t have that option.” The mass of birds swirled around her.

“Vespa? What is going on?”

“It’s not me she’s talking about, Quinn. It’s the Imago. Having tasted the blood of a demon, its purpose is fully reawakened.” It felt so natural. So right. Wings roaring to life, blade steadied, flying towards her. My carapace bristled. The Imago wanted to kill her. To feel her ichor run all over its hands and feet. And I was along for the ride.

The pigeons blocked me. She ascended on her own, carried by the rest of the flock. “I wanted to be your friend, Quinn, but it looks like we won’t be able to. Unless we can both find a way erase our destiny.”

Destiny. Wait. “Both?”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? There’s a prophecy among the Demons, too. That when Vespa’s host arises, the seventh time, the final Demon will awaken true power. A seventh Calamity. True success and freedom for all life on earth.” She pointed to herself. “A war that sweeps across the whole world, to soak the earth in the blood of Demons and Angels, with the lives of all else lying in the balance. I wish there was a way around it, but already my body seems to be awakening. Maybe it’s because I let the Echoes devour that Angel, Angelina. She was delicious. I’m starting to want more.” She shook her head to clear her thoughts, drifting up into the sky. “Enjoy the flight to Mali, Quinn. I have a feeling that I’ll see you there.”