"Lani?" Natalie called out nervously.

  She stood on an upper branch across the clearing from her castle, but she couldn't see anyone inside, or nearby. The castle door was pressed closed, surrounded by scorch marks from the fires long-past. Her reading chair with the folded umbrella still sat on top of the second floor, and every wall seemed strong and intact. Everything looked exactly how she'd left it, on the night she'd spotted her dad, and ran to tell Lily and Kendra.

  I should've just gone after him that night. Maybe I could have—

  Jackson might have killed you. You did not have Gwen or Scrappy with you, and you had not yet learned electricity magic. Be grateful you stayed away.

  Maybe he wouldn't have. He knew me, and my dad was there. What if—

  You did not know it was Jackson. You couldn't see him clearly. Wondering what might have been will lead you nowhere. You must focus on the present.

  ...I know. I just wish… I wish I could talk to him again.

  We will. Someday. Perhaps soon.

  Yeah.

  "Lani?" Natalie called, a little louder than before.

  "We are here," said Riley. Her head appeared at the edge of the stairs, barely peeking above the threshold. "Is it clear?"

  "Yeah." Natalie leapt down and landed neatly on the ground. She brushed the dirt and tree sap off her hands with a spell and hurried into the castle, before she was seen. "The military came in and everybody ran. I didn't really see where."

  "The military?" asked Lani. "Are you sure?"

  "The national guard, probably," said Riley. Her voice was warming up, far different than the ice-cold killer Natalie remembered from Rallsburg. "The army's not allowed to operate on U.S. soil, so it'd have to be the state militia." She glanced at Natalie. "You got out okay?"

  "I'm fine." Natalie glanced around, and to her relief, everyone was still there, even the police officer Malich they'd picked up.

  "That was crazy!" said Kelsey, clearly torn halfway between excitement and terror. Mitch half-nodded, but he looked far less certain than before.

  Tyler, to her surprise, looked strangely calm. "What do we do now, Linnethea?"

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  "I…" Natalie frowned. "I guess we go to the Greywood, right?"

  "Sounds like a good plan to me," said Riley. "That's where everyone will probably regroup, since it's the safest, and it avoids the government forces."

  "I dunno how to get there though," she added uncomfortably. "I was hoping to find somebody in the camp."

  "We do," said Lani nervously, glancing at Riley, "but they probably wouldn't let either of us in again."

  "Why?"

  "Long story," said Riley. "We don't have time for it now. We'll get you there, Linnethea. Past that, you're on your own, but we'll be around."

  While the others broke out some food from the bag and began to eat, Riley took Natalie up to the roof where they could be alone for a moment. She sat down at the edge, polishing something on her rifle, and looked up at Natalie with cautious warmth. It reminded her of when she'd first met Gwen, and the wolf wasn't quite sure yet of their new bond.

  "Repeat this for me," said Riley suddenly. "Auta minua."

  "Huh?"

  "It means 'help me'," she explained patiently. "Try it."

  Natalie repeated it a couple times until she felt right on the pronunciation. After that, they did a few more: turvallinen, for when things were safe, and vaara for danger or caution. Riley explained when to use those words: if she was in danger and either Lani or Riley were around, she could speak in Finnish without enemies understanding her, but they would know. Riley offered to teach her more one day, when they had time.

  "...Thanks," said Natalie, after she was sure she'd memorized them.

  "Are you okay?" Riley asked, her ice-blue eyes still hard even if her voice was soft now.

  Natalie hesitated. Memories of her father were still tumbling through her head, each one chilling her and warming her equally in a confusing and mixed morass of emotions. She'd been able to focus on the battle, but now that it was over, the sight of her dad commanding troops in the woods—shouting at them to kill—was stuck in her mind. It hurt, especially when it melded into memories from not so long ago, when he'd seemed to finally come out of his shell.

  "What's the word for turtle?" she asked quietly.

  "What?"

  "Turtle. Like the animal."

  "...Kilpikonna," said Riley, still obviously confused. "Why do you ask?"

  "Nothing," said Natalie. "We should probably get going, right?"

  Riley caught her by the arm before Natalie could get downstairs. Pain and fear flared through her like an exploding firework. Instantly, Natalie shoved her away—nearly off the edge of the castle. She stepped back, hands crossed tight to her chest, and shook her head.

  "Don't touch me," she whispered.

  Riley got up from where she'd fallen, picking her rifle up and slinging it back over her shoulder. She nodded, with more understanding than anyone Natalie had ever known. She didn't approach Natalie, but something in the older woman's expression spoke volumes. It wasn't just sympathy; Riley seemed to know exactly what Natalie was feeling. Natalie suddenly wanted to talk, to spill everything about her past to this woman, but she knew it was neither the time nor the place. Below them, her friends waited, and only a few miles away, the remnants of a battle still smoldered.

  They had somewhere to be, and Natalie might need to fight again. She nodded, pulling her bag tight to her shoulder and summoning Percy down to join her. Gwen bounded forward out of the forest, returning from her patrol around the edges. Natalie stroked Percy's head before looking back to Riley, determined to be brave.

  "Let's get going."