TRINITY RAN INTO THE clearing by the house. The bodies of Guards littered the lawn. The Trackers had been through here. No, were here, she amended as screams rang from inside the house.

Gaar had left her behind once they were out of the deepest part of the forest. He was determined to stop Mirra before she did anything that they couldn’t fix. Too late. Something darted out of the nearby trees. It was coming straight toward her. She unsheathed her knife.

“Trinity,” yelled her father.

She shoved the knife back in the sheath and raced to meet him. He caught her in his arms, kissing the side of her face and head.

“You’re okay,” he said.

She hugged him fiercely. She hadn’t truly believed she’d ever see him again. “Where’s Mom?”

“Safe,” he mumbled against her ear. “Safe. We’re all safe.” He loosened his hold on her and looked her over. “I…I can’t believe I found you.” His voice cracked.

“What happened to you?” She gently touched his bruised face.

“It’s not important.”

A scream shattered their reunion.

He grabbed her hand, glancing back at the house. “We need to go. Trackers are here.” He led her back toward the woods.

All the lights were on in the houses down the block. One of the neighbors must have already sent for help. She glanced back at Benedictine’s home.

“Hurry up. We need to leave before the Trackers head this way,” he said.

Gaar had told her not to follow. He’d said that she should go to Hugh’s cabin. She took a step toward the woods. Did Gaar and Mirra realize that more Almightys, possibly armed Almightys, were coming? She stopped, refusing to move any farther. “My friends are in there. I can’t leave them.”

“What friends?” he asked. “Jackson? He’s not your friend. He’s a Guard.”

“So what if he’s a Guard, he helped me.” She pulled back a little.

“He only helped you so that Hugh would give him shelter from Benedictine. He doesn’t care about you.”

She inhaled sharply. Travis been right. Jackson had an ulterior motive. It hurt, but it didn’t lesson the fact that the Guard had helped her free Mirra. “Why is Jackson here? He was supposed to go to Hugh’s.”

“Don’t worry about the Guard. He can take care of himself.” Dad pulled on her arm again.

“Actually, what are you doing here?”

“I arrived with Hugh and his Guards.” He glanced at the house again.

“Hugh is in there too?”

“Yes, but they can all take care of themselves.” He yanked on her arm, harder this time.

He was doing it again, leaving, but this time he wanted her to go with him. Leaving with him had been all she’d ever wanted as a child but she couldn’t do it. She pulled her hand free. “I’m not going to abandon my friends.”

She ran toward the house. She raced inside, jumping over the bodies of fallen Guards and House Servants. She turned a corner and there was Gaar, fighting with one of the Trackers. They weren’t supposed to touch him. The Tracker was covered in blood and there was foamy drool running out of his mouth. He and Gaar leapt at each other, their chests colliding in mid-air. The Tracker slashed and Gaar quickly jabbed with the knife that he held ready. The Tracker’s claws slashed across Gaar’s back, digging in. The Handler’s shoulders bunched and then he shoved and the Tracker fell back, crumpling to the ground. Gaar pulled his knife out of the Tracker’s gut and hurried into another room.

The Tracker lay on the ground, its mouth opening and closing, fighting for breath. She moved closer. For a moment their eyes met and then he bared his teeth and hissed. She started to jump back, but then he stared through her, unseeing in death. She hesitated, studying this creature that had only known pain and captivity. It was a waste of a magnificent life. Gaar’s voice rang out and she stepped over the Tracker, following the sound.

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She turned a corner and froze. Blood was everywhere. Trackers were killing or eating parts of…things, Almightys, House Servants, Guards; she couldn’t tell. Then her eyes landed on Viola’s severed head, sitting on a cart. She staggered backward, hitting the wall and almost falling. That should have been her on that table. Would have been if she and Viola hadn’t switched places.

“I will gut you,” yelled Gaar.

She forced her gaze toward the sound of Gaar’s voice. He was facing off with Jackson. Mirra had Benedictine cornered and the Almighty was already hosting several slashes on his face and arms.

Gaar lunged at Jackson, jabbing with the knife. Jackson dodged and then darted in, sending a savage blow across the side of Gaar’s head.

“Gaar! Jackson! No!” She had to stop them before they killed each other. Well, before Gaar killed Jackson.

Neither one seemed to hear her. Then an Almighty with a knife raced toward Gaar. She crouched and launched herself across the room, hitting the Almighty on the side and knocking him to the ground.

She tugged on the Handler’s arm but he brushed her away. She turned toward the Tracker. “Mirra, stop them. Please.”

Mirra glanced at Gaar and Jackson. “Gaar-Mine fine, Little One.” She swayed from side to side, keeping Benedictine in her sights.

That’s when Trinity noticed Jethro, Kim and another older, female Almighty hiding behind Benedictine. Jethro was standing. He could walk. How did that happen so quickly? She shook her head. She didn’t have time to think about that now.

“Mirra, let them go,” she pleaded.

“No.” Mirra swiped out with her hand and slashed another cut across Benedictine’s face.

“Leave my father alone.” Jethro broke free from the women who tried to hold him back, jumping in front of his father.

“Stay back, Son,” yelled Benedictine, shoving the boy behind him.

“Don’t do this, Mirra.” She had to stop the Tracker from killing Jethro and his family.

Mirra ignored her. Maybe, Gaar would help. He and Jackson continued to fight. They had to stop, now. She took a deep breath, pushing between them.

“Stop it. Both of you. Stop it.”

Gaar tried to shove her aside but this time, she clung to his arm. “He’s my friend.” She pointed to Jackson. “He helped me escape. Mirra too.”

The fury in Gaar’s gaze subsided a little. He looked at Jackson and then back at her. “Then he needs to leave, now.”

Jackson puffed out his chest, nodding at Benedictine and his family. “I will protect them with my life.”

“Jackson,” ordered Benedictine. “Take them. Get them to safety.” He waved behind him for his family to go to the Guard.

Trinity grabbed Mirra’s arm. “Please, Mirra. Let them go. They have not harmed you. They are innocent.”

Mirra shook free, knocking her to the ground.

“They helped me escape. You wouldn’t be free if not for them,” she begged, staring up at the Tracker.

Mirra looked from the family to her and then bent and helped her up. “You too many friends.”

Kim and the older woman had already moved behind Jackson.

“Go, Jethro. Now.” Benedictine shoved the boy toward the Guard.

“I’m not leaving you.” Jethro clung to his father.

Benedictine looked at Mirra. She snarled but did not move. Then he looked at Jackson and nodded. The Guard stepped forward, throwing Jethro over his shoulders.

Jackson headed for the door, Jethro struggling in his grasp.

“No,” cried Jethro. “Dad!”

Benedictine started to move and Mirra held up her finger and waggled it. “I show mercy. You accept you death.”

“Mirra, don’t do this,” said Gaar.

The room was in mass confusion. There were Trackers feasting on the dead, and some still playing with the unfortunate beings that they’d caught, be it House Servant, Guard or Almighty.

“Please, Mirra, call them off,” she begged.

The Almighty who she’d knocked away from Gaar approached them. She pointed her knife at him. He held up his hands, one side of his mouth quirked up in amusement.

“Trinity, I presume. I’m Hugh.”

This was Hugh? He was younger than she’d expected and better looking with his dark hair and blue eyes. She looked to Gaar for confirmation. Gaar nodded.

Crazy finished with his kill and turned toward them. He leapt at Hugh and Mirra jumped forward, rolling the other Tracker across the room. Crazy immediately crouched and snarled. Mirra snarled back and Crazy backed down, hair still bristling.

“Little One, Gaar-Mine, you go now. I no protect you. They”—she sniffed the air—“wild now. Later, I control. Now, you hide.”

Hugh grabbed her by the arm.

“Don’t touch me.” She slashed out at him, cutting him with her claws.

“Sorry.” He backed away holding his hand where a thin line of blood formed.

“Mirra, you need to leave. The Almightys will be sending more Guards,” said Gaar.

“We kill them all.” Mirra focused on Benedictine.

“Get out before they can prove that it’s you,” said Hugh. “Right now, we can blame the other Trackers. Maybe, spare your life.”

“Mirra no blame others for Mirra’s fun. Go, now.” She rubbed her head and shoulder against Gaar. “I find Gaar-Mine later.”

“She’s right. We need to go,” said Hugh, glancing around the room.

A couple of the Trackers were eyeing them, no longer interested in the dead. Hugh grabbed Gaar’s arm and tugged. Gaar latched on to her hand and the three headed for the door.

“We can’t leave Mirra.” She dug in her heels, but was no match for Gaar’s strength. She glanced over her shoulder as Mirra pounced on Benedictine. She quickly averted her eyes and the echoes of his screams followed them out of the house.