*   *   *

“Well?” Avery asked. “What did you think?”

Together he and Ani walked away from the motion picture theater after having just seen Vengeance from the Grave.

“It was great!” Ani said. “Wow, when that witch came out of the graveyard I thought I would piss my pants.”

“Ani!”

She laughed and hugged herself.

“You’ve been spending too much time with Hildra.” It was true. In the days since their return, Ani had been spending many hours with Hildra and not enough with Layanna—one as a playmate, one as schoolmaster. Of the two, Ani imitated the former more than the latter, much to Avery’s chagrin.

“You really should spend more time with Aunt Layanna,” Avery said.

“She’s in the lab all day. And all she wants to do is study.”

“Study is important.” He heard the lecturing tone of his voice and despaired. He wished he could be a fun, exciting father, but knew that he was not. At least he’d gotten to take Ani to the picture show alone; Janx and Hildra had begged to come along to help celebrate Ani’s birthday, but Avery had insisted on some father-daughter time. Besides, there was important business to take care of. Important, terrible business.

Gingerly, he said, “How do you feel now—after having seen the movie?”

“I feel great. That zombie guy kicked ass!”

Hildra, we have to talk. “That’s not what I meant. The feelings you’ve been wrestling with ... about feeling different. Did the movie help?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t really seem ... well, I don’t know. Anything like me, I guess. He was supernatural. Y’know?”

“I know.”

“But I liked that he was strong. Tough! He faced everybody down—and kicked their ass.” She giggled again, then grew sober. “But everybody hated him, and was afraid of him. He was all alone. I don’t want to be alone, Papa.”

“Of course not.” He knelt and hugged her. “You’re not, you know. I’m with you. Janx, Hildra and Layanna are all with you. And we have new friends now, too.”

“Like Aunt Gwen?”

“Like Aunt Gwen. Although, remember what we talked about.”

“Yeah yeah. Don’t talk about her in public.”

He ruffled her hair and began to stand; his back ached in this position. At the last moment, though, he remained how he was, on her level, looking into her eyes. “Ani, what if I told you that I had gotten in touch with your mother’s family?”

Wind blew down the street, which did not seem as busy as it once had, and shadows grew long from the alleys. Ani stared at him, all expression draining from her face.

“I don’t understand. Mama’s people are dead.”

“Or in hiding, yes. Well, some of them want to come out of hiding.”

“But they can’t!” There was sudden anger in her voice. Sudden fear. “They’re Drakes. Everybody hates them—hates them. They’re worse than—worse than me.”

Crying now, she kicked a pebble down the street. Avery grabbed her shoulders, not angrily but firmly. “I’m sorry, honey. Calm down. No one’s worse than anybody, and there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re my little angel. You know that, right?”

She sniffed, her eyes brimming. She nodded.

“Good.” He let out a breath. This wasn’t going how he’d planned. What had he expected, though? She’d been taught all her life how evil the Drakes were, how they’d had to be removed from power by bloody force. It’s what all children were taught. It was true in a fashion, and how else could people support the new government?

When she had quieted, Ani said, “You really mean it? There’s still some of ... of Mama’s family out there?”

He nodded, then tapped her chest. “Your family. The Voryses. That’s their real name.”

Frowning, she mulled on this.

He pulled in a deep breath. “I told them I didn’t want you to meet them, and I still don’t. But they’re survivors. They’ve lived in hiding for decades and have emerged strong and powerful. I think that, if anyone outlasts this current crisis, they will, and I can offer you nothing save danger.” His throat swelled, and he had to speak past the lump. “I think it might be a good idea for you to stay with them for a little while.”

Her eyes were wide. “You want ... want me to go live with them?”

Gods, but this was hard. “Just until I get back from the Crothegra.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Take me home,” she said, stomping her foot for emphasis. “Take me home now!”

He stood—joints creaking—and, putting a hand on her shoulder, led her away. The streets grew darker around him, and emptier, and he began to wish he had brought Janx and Hildra along, after all.

“I don’t want to leave you, Papa,” she said, and though her voice was small and sad it was quite firm. “I don’t ever want to leave you.”

“I don’t want you to, either, honey. I just—I’m not sure if I’m the person you need right now.” He hesitated, then said, “Are you still having your dreams—about the door?”

Just as hesitantly, she nodded. “The singing, Papa. I almost know the words now.”

He hid a shudder. “Well, there’s a man, and he indicated that the dreams are normal for your family. The Voryses. He seems to think he can help you. And it’s either that or let you stay with the Prime Minister while we’re gone.”

“I’d rather stay with her.”

“She’s being hunted, Ani. Admiral Haggarty is actively trying to assassinate her. You would be in danger. I’m sorry. This is the only way I can think of.” He put on a smile. “Besides, Aunt Hildra said that if you’re a good girl and act brave about it, she’ll let you take care of Hildebrand while we’re gone. She doesn’t want to bring him near the jungle.”

Ani’s expression didn’t change, but Avery could tell that the thought of taking care of the monkey wasn’t all that displeasing to her. It might not replace a father, but it was something. As for himself, Avery couldn’t help but smile to imagine how Idris would respond to Hildebrand.

“When am I supposed to go to them?” she said.

He braced himself. “We’re leaving tomorrow for Ezzez, honey. I’ve already contacted your cousin Oris. She’s supposed to meet us at the Parliament Building. We’re going to meet her right now.”

“Now? But ...”

“I know, honey. I know.”

Half an hour later he was watching Ani disappear down the street in Oris’s limo. He didn’t start crying until she was out of sight.

That night he dreamt of Ani being carried away on a huge wave, cold and black, but when he went to chase her great shapes lunged out of the dark sea and thrust at him, each taller than a skyscraper and wider than a city, crackling with lightning and grinding everything to slog beneath their inexorable treads. Even as people fell into their shadows and screamed, Avery thought, I did this. They’re dying because of me. And though he ran to help them he could get no closer—in fact, they seemed to draw further away—and yet, paradoxically, the Starfish drew nearer to him with every moment, so close he could smell the ozone of their lightning and the tang of their gases. And the world shook ...