had seen her pull those clever throwing stars in battles past. “Oh, wait, I suppose you don’t know who I am, because you think that girl is me. Thank you, by the way, for finally picking up on all those clues I’ve been leaving around. It took you long enough to solve the puzzle, but there we are again, back to your famed incompetence. I’ll admit, it was more difficult to frame her than I thought it would be, but that’s what I get for relying on the observation skills of a bunch of heroes. You guys really couldn’t be any more oblivious.”
“Quit the act,” said Danna, taking a step closer. Her body was taut, her hands squeezed into fists, and Adrian could tell she was preparing to swarm. “We know you’re not Nightmare. The real Nightmare is in prison, where she belongs.”
“Are you sure about that?” Nightmare said, drumming her fingers against the pouch.
Adrian swallowed, hating the confusion muddling his thoughts. Because no … no, suddenly, he wasn’t sure about anything.
“Nova McLain is Nightmare,” Danna said through her teeth. “So who are you?”
“Nova McLain is a Renegade,” Nightmare said, her tone dripping with disdain. “Insomnia,” she spat. “But she wasn’t a very good hero, was she? She deserves to be in prison, after she failed to save my grandfather. She deserves for the world to see her as a liar and a fraud. You superheroes are always promising to save people. But did she step in to save my grandfather when the Detonator shot him? No! She watched it happen.” Nightmare’s stance changed, from relaxed to livid, her hands clenching. “I’ll never regret what I’ve done to her. I needed a decoy and she was just too perfect an opportunity to pass up. Someone had to take the fall for me, when you guys wouldn’t get off my back after the parade incident.”
“You’re lying,” said Danna. With a growl, she transformed. The mass of butterflies soared toward Nightmare.
Nightmare cocked her head, the hood shifting so that the light from the jewelry displays illuminated one side of her face, though Adrian couldn’t tell if she was surprised or amused.
Then Nightmare took a single step to her left, and disappeared.
Ruby gasped. Maybe they all gasped. Adrian started forward, his heart thundering, as Danna’s butterflies formed a cyclone around the column that Nightmare had apparently just walked into.
The mirrored column.
Danna re-formed, one hand pressed against the glass, her face incredulous. “What the hell?”
“And I thought our conversation was going so well.”
They spun around. Nightmare reappeared in the doorway to a dressing room, her arms folded as she leaned against the doorjamb.
Adrian traded looks with his team. Though he was feeling no less befuddled than he had the moment Nightmare emerged from that platform of mannequins, he was beginning to realize that standing around gawking at her wasn’t going to answer any of his questions—or make the world any safer, for that matter.
“My plan was coming together so well, I’ll have you know,” Nightmare continued, as if there’d been no interruption. “I want to make it clear that I am not sorry that Nova McLain is in prison. Good. No one is searching for Nightmare anymore. Perfect. But no, your precious Council couldn’t just leave well enough alone, could they? They ruin everything.” She sighed heavily. “There are rumors about—and correct me if I’m wrong—but they say the Renegades are soon going to execute Nova McLain. You’re going to go ahead and actually kill her!” She put a finger to her jaw, as if in contemplation. “Even though all the evidence you have against her is purely circumstantial? My—that doesn’t sound like something the Renegades would do, does it? But that’s what I’ve heard. And at first, I thought, well, even better. With Nova McLain dead, she won’t be proclaiming her innocence anymore. And she did fail to save my grandfather, so what goes around comes around…”
Grandfather.
At least one piece clicked in Adrian’s mind.
The mirror walker. This was the mirror walker they’d seen at the Cloven Cross Library … Gene Cronin’s granddaughter!
But … how could she also be Nightmare?
“However, I am a villain with principles,” Nightmare went on, her voice hardening again, “hard as that may be for you to believe. And as much as I despise that wannabe superhero for her failures, I can’t let you imbeciles kill her because you think she’s me. I may be a villain, but I’m not a monster.” She pushed herself away from the door and