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“Good. Open your profile and start a live recording. Tell everyone in Phoenix Falls to meet at sunrise in the square.”

“Nova…”

“How many supers live in this town?” Her forehead twitches as she waits for him to answer her.

“Two thousand, give or take, but a lot left when The Split opened. Before the S.D.B. locked us down.”

“Even if there are only five hundred left, it’s a start.”

“A start of what?” Sam asks. He’s standing just behind me, sounding more tense and uneasy than he did before Nova returned. Perhaps it’s because it’s all happening too quickly. Perhaps, like the rest of us, he’s freaked out because she can move at the speed of light, heal wounds, and explode demons with a flick of her wrist.

Nova’s lips twitch into a smile. “It’s the start of our army, Sam. It’s the start of us winning this fight.”

31

NOVA

Instead of arguing with me, my beautiful men do as I’ve asked. Luther records his message, being sure to remind everyone that he was once the deputy of the town. Probably because he looks less than respectable right now with his overgrown facial hair, Mack doesn’t make an appearance.

When it’s done, Rev asks if I’m hungry and starts rustling in her fridge for something she can turn into a meal.

“Starving,” I tell her. “And I’ve been craving pancakes.

Rev frowns at me, but doesn’t ask why, just takes eggs and milk from the fridge and sets them on the counter.

As she starts to cook, I turn to Sam. “Where’s Nico?”

His mouth drops open a little. “Nico?”

“I can sense him.” I take a sip of coffee, but the taste is bitter on my tongue, so I put the cup down. “Is he resting?”

Rev is the one who answers. “He’s asleep. He’s still very shaken.”

“Nova, how do you…?” Kole’s deep, wonderful voice soaks into my skin like summer rain in a thunderstorm.

Moving to the couch, I gesture for him to sit down so I can tuck myself into his arms. On his lap, I lean into his chest and sigh as his heartbeat fills my ears. “I don’t know where I was.” I speak quietly, but they’re all listening. “All I know is I wasn’t me anymore.” I look up at Kole and stroke his face. His beard is longer but the ink that swirls beneath it, down his throat to his chest, is the same. I know it by heart. “I remember you waiting for me. I knew you were there. Even when the pain blinded me, I knew you were with me.”

Kole closes his eyes and presses his forehead to mine.

“It’s hard to explain, but I never wasn’t there. I didn’t see what was happening, but I knew what was happening. I had no physical form, but I was still me. Time moved slowly but so quickly at the same time, and everything was warm. Warm and bright and safe.

I sit up a little and look at the others. “I might have stayed if I hadn’t felt your pain. All of you.” I press my hand to my heart and bite back the knot of tears forming in my throat. “I felt your sadness, and your longing, and your anguish, and it made the warmth colder. I tried to return to you, but I didn’t know how, and then when you gathered at the lake, something happened.” I frown and pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to recall the sensations and images that filled my head. “I saw it all, and I knew it was time to come back.”

There is a quivering silence. Rev is standing stock-still, the fridge door wide open. It beeps at her. She slams it shut and sucks in a shaky breath. “Holy stars, Nova. You died. You died and came back.”

I inhale deeply then grin at her and wriggle my fingers and toes. “I sure did, and I know how to free us. I know how to end this, once and for all. So, can we stop being so melancholy now and celebrate?” I kiss Kole playfully on the lips and, despite his instinct to remain stoic and sullen, he allows himself to smile.

“What about the demons? You said they know you’re here.” Mack points to the window. “Will they come?”

“They will. They’ll have sensed my magick.” I twitch my nose from side to side. “I probably shouldn’t have Johnny’d that guy from the bar, but he really did piss me off.” I climb free from Kole’s lap and brace my hands in the small of my back. “They won’t get past the barrier I made. Not tonight.”

“And The Shadow King?” Kole stands up and folds his arms. It makes his biceps look deliciously big and strong. “Will he have sensed you?”

“Undoubtedly. He might have even seen the video Luther posted. But he thinks he’s more powerful than me.” I shrug a little. “To be fair, he’s right. Alone, I couldn’t fight him. One of me against a demon king who’s thousands of years old?” I shake my head. “Even I can do that math.”

“Then how exactly do we win?” Luther asks, trying to be gentle but letting his abrasiveness creep into his voice. “Even with every mage and witch in town on our side, Nova, I still don’t think that’s enough.”

“No,” I reply. “But what if there were six of me instead of just one?”