“I can handle most wounds and some internal bleeding, but healing hearts is not within my range.”

“Then why isn’t she in the hospital?”

“Enforcers are on the lookout for your entire family, Brighton. I promise we are doing our very best around here.”

“It’s not good enough.”

“I’m sorry that my power isn’t more miraculous,” Eva snaps.

I’m not going to apologize again. I get to be upset that my mother’s life is in the hands of people who can’t do anything about it. Then again, people can surprise you. “Where’s Emil?” I stand and move for the door. I’m going to see how long he’s known about Prudencia’s power. Eva stares at the wall like she tuned me out. “Okay, I’m sorry, Eva.”

“I wasn’t waiting for a fake apology. I just didn’t want to be the one to tell you that Emil was taken hostage by the Blood Casters.”

It feels like I’m captive again, trying to survive Stanton’s heavy fists. Luna said that she would chain Emil if he was there, and his powers aren’t going to be enough to protect him. “How did they let that happen? Where the hell was everyone? Did Wes and Iris have something better to do?”

“You should talk it out with them,” Eva says.

“Happily.”

Even if I weren’t fully healed, I have no doubt adrenaline would drive me forward. I pass a celestial who rolls his eyes at me, and I almost want to shove him into a locker. At least I’m out there fighting while he hides. I barge into the boardroom and find Maribelle, Atlas, Wesley, and Iris all seated at the table.

“You’re better,” Atlas says.

I ignore him and go straight for Wesley and Iris. “Where were you? Tell me to my face right now that I wasn’t worth saving. Was it because I messed up with the video? Was it because I wasn’t reborn into this life with powers worth your time? After everything I’ve done for you, not showing up to rescue me is the worst way to say thank you.”

Iris pulls her face out of her hands. “It wasn’t personal. But we have to do what’s right for the entire community of celestials within our care and in the country. If it was my own brother on the line, I would’ve done the same.”

“But you don’t have a brother. Would you risk Eva?”

Iris is teary and shakes it off. She points at Maribelle and Atlas. “Go be pissed at them too. They’re the ones who ran out of here half-cocked and not only lost your brother but returned Ness and the urn to the Blood Casters.”

Maribelle glares at Iris. “Stop turning this on us when we’re the ones who tried. Emil was going to go whether we backed him up or not, so I’m not going to apologize for trying to save Brighton’s life. Maybe we could’ve kept the urn if you showed up to fight.”

Wesley stands before Maribelle and Iris can get another word in. “Brighton, man, we have a lot of respect for you, but our hands were tied. We can’t justify a single life over the world’s fate. That’s not how wars are won.”

I can’t believe one of my heroes is telling me that I wasn’t worth saving. “Let’s not pretend you’re not about to make an exception for Emil. The one everyone is rooting for.”

“We have to be more strategic,” Atlas says. “We all should’ve been more united before, but the stakes are higher now. We don’t know what purpose Emil could even serve to them. So we can’t plan a rescue mission unless we know . . . you know.”

“That there’s someone to rescue.”

“Our best hope now is cutting the Blood Casters off before they can get their hands on the phoenix Luna needs to complete her elixir.”

I’ve never felt more hopeless about the people I’ve been cheering on for years. They couldn’t be bothered to save me or even back up Emil. “Whenever you head out, I’ll be there too.” I turn to Wesley and Iris. “I’ll prove to you why no one messes with my brother.”

I storm out. They better not try to leave without me.

I go to Ma’s room, where she’s eating with Prudencia. They both look like they haven’t slept the past several nights. I don’t know the last time anyone has had a full night’s sleep. Prudencia tries to hug me, but I take a step back and look at Ma.

“My shining star,” Ma says. Her bottom lip trembles. “You’re okay.”

“But now Emil isn’t. I’m going to get him back.”

“No, please, you have to stay here. Let the Spell Walkers handle this,” Ma says.

“They didn’t even back him up the first time!”

“You can’t risk yourself the way Emil could,” Prudencia says. “I know that’s the last thing you want to hear, and I know you want to be the one with powers, but you aren’t, and you have no business being out on the battlefield again. Look what you and Emil are putting your mother through!”

I look her dead in the eye. “I’m sorry, have we met?”

Prudencia comes around the bed and gets in my face. “You don’t get to be upset because I didn’t tell you I’m a celestial.”

“Yes I do! What, all those times you were looking over the journal with Emil, were those actually meetings to talk about how amazing it is to have powers? What a shame that I’m not in on the fun? Laughing behind my back, I bet.”

I will never tell anyone about my Brew experience. How powerful and victorious I felt when I believed I killed Luna and Dione and that acolyte. I’m a big enough fool without anyone knowing all that.

“Brighton, I had no intention of ever using my powers again. I would’ve loved to have trusted you with that secret, but I didn’t want you to pressure me into doing some piece for your series or shame me for not nurturing my telekinesis. I care enough about you and Emil that I broke my own promise to myself to look after you both on missions.”

“Some good that did.”

Prudencia’s eyes fill with tears, and then they fill with rapidly moving stars. The deep breaths she takes are probably the only reason I’m not flying through that window.

“You’re not being fair, Brighton,” Ma says.

“What do you both know? You’re both liars.”

Ma inhales deeply, and I regret what I’ve said, but I’m too pissed to take it back, and if I stay here any longer I might make it worse.

“I’ve got work to do,” I say, and leave.

I’m exhausted and starving and want to shower, but I can’t stop thinking about if Emil is still alive.

I get back to my room, pop open my laptop, and go straight to YouTube, that reflex of mine that’s as strong as breathing. There aren’t any trending videos of Emil’s captivity. I search his name online, and nothing new pops up beyond the standard praise and hate. I check out the stats on the video where Stanton beat me around. Over two million views since Stanton forced me to upload it early this morning. The comments range: Lore keeping me in their prayers; Silver Star Slayer and his followers claiming this is staged; I apparently shouldn’t have stuck my nose in any of this and left everything to the authorities, as if the enforcers were rushing to save my life; people speculating on where the meet-up was, like it was going to be some opportunity to get photos with Emil; and the last one I read is someone trying to get a bet going on how long it takes for Emil to save my life. How little they know.