Four out of six of Colita’s guards fell to the floor with gulfing wounds in their chests, eyes, and necks. The remaining two would soon join them.

Sweat beaded against Tameka’s topaz skin as she stood over a prone Colita. The Progeny girl held the swordpoint to the Icarean woman’s chest. The realization this was the end dawned in the alien’s sky-blue eyes. Those same eyes sought mercy in Tameka’s expression who gave her nothing but icy justice in return.

Colita licked her lips before pleading for her life. “Nox is here for Celindria; not you. Do you really want to go any further? Do you have any idea what he’ll do to you?! He wants her blood and her soul. He’ll spare you for her!”

Tameka knelt, straddling Colita’s waist. She enjoyed the exaggerated show of pointing the sword against the blond murderer’s sternum.

This was for Merit.

As if Colita saw it in Tameka’s eyes, more begging followed. “I wouldn’t wish that fate on even my worst enemy. Not even on you!” The last she screamed with a glance at Rayne. “You should try to escape this place! Do you really believe that you could defeat him? That you could kill him?!”

Rayne finished defeating an Icarean soldier before she knelt, put her lips to Colita’s ear, and said, “Yes.”

With a deep sense of satisfaction, Tameka’s fiery curls bounced as she pushed the sword until the point punched linoleum. Colita’s eyes were wide open with shock. Tameka stood withdrawing the sword, drenched in fresh blood. She passed it back to Rayne.

Her best friend accepted it with a smile and a pat on Tameka’s shoulder. She said, “Thanks.”

Kyle nudged Colita with his foot, staring as she shifted without response. He asked, “Do you think she’s dead?”

Nikki’s eyes widened. “Can they come back?”

Sagan shuddered.

Rayne glared at Kyle, who gave a casual shrug. He seemed unconcerned by the death of his dream lover.

Andrew spoke up, “It’s time to go.”

Rayne turned to the others, saying, “They’ll patrol the area outside the cafeteria. I want everyone to spread out, but not so far that you’re out of hearing range. Make sure you can see at least one of us at all times.”

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Even Tameka nodded along in agreement with no questions and a sense of anticipation. She said, “Let’s go.”

As Rayne took point, Tameka glanced at her best friend’s hand where it held the sword. Tiny red droplets fell from the soaked bandages. Their leader turned and stepped over Colita’s body.

As they walked away, Tameka spared a furtive, longing glance at Colita’s head.

“What the hell?” Rayne halted outside the south entrance to the gym.

“What is it?” Tameka strained to see around Sagan, who also stopped short and stared at something on the ground. She squeezed through them.

Someone had laid out a black sign on the blood-soaked tiles.

Stamp Out Smoking.

Tameka frowned.

Sagan hissed, “He knows we defeated her.”

John asked, “Did that Sephiroth-looking dude really just leave this here for us to find?!”

Andrew snarled, “He’s messing with us. Focus on the priorities. Remember?”

Rayne squeezed Sagan’s shoulder. “Are you good?”

Tameka felt a little left out. Why was Rayne so worried about Sagan every time Korac came up? She wanted to press, but it wasn’t really the time.

Sagan gave a weak smile before saying, “I’m fine. We can do this.”

Rayne patted her hand and went ahead. Tameka and the rest followed.

“Are we going straight in there?” John whispered.

“I am,” Rayne announced loudly to anything that might overhear.

Tameka wondered why Rayne was acting so reckless. She and Sagan were keeping secrets, and it was affecting their A-game.

As they finally reached the end of North Hall, the group spilled into the school center and froze. In the open space separating the school offices and the cafeteria’s main entrance, someone with an artistic inclination had gotten very busy. In blood, they drew a heart impaled by a dagger surrounded by a spiraling vine. The emblem of the Pretiosum Cruor.

A human head marked the center, unlit beyond the reach of the emergency lights.

Kyle circled the emblem, saying, “You’d think in the middle of a war zone they’d have better things to do than leave us all these love notes.”

Tameka hated agreeing with him.

Andrew said, “They don’t think they’re in a war zone. This is a playground to them.”

Sagan walked by Tameka and Rayne and stepped over the lines of blood.

“Do you really have to know?” John asked.

Nikki scoffed, “If your loved ones wanted a list of this battle’s casualties or survivors, you’d want your name marked so they could mourn you.”

Sagan knelt by the head and gasped. “It’s Justin!”

Tameka wasn’t surprised when John murmured, “Good riddance.”

Even Kyle rubbed his neck and looked off elsewhere. No one wanted to comment on how little Justin’s death affected them. But it affected Sagan.

She picked up an object beside Justin’s head and shoved it into her skirt pocket. Tameka almost didn’t catch the movement, and she supposed Sagan wanted it that way. Tameka would ask her about it later in private. They needed to press forward.

Behind her, Kyle said, “I don’t know about you guys, but severed heads are more disturbing than they make them out to be in the movies.”

Andrew grunted his agreement.

Tameka just shook her head.