Page 149 of Archenemies

And she would not be beaten by the Sentinel.

A knock made her jump. She stood and stared at the front door, choking on her heart. She waited for it to be blown in by the forces of an army of superheroes. She pictured Captain Chromium’s fist smashing through the door, leaving it in splinters, or Tsunami’s tidal wave bursting through the window and flooding the house.

But the only attack that came was a second pounding on the door, more determined this time.

Then, Adrian’s voice. “Nova—it’s me. I know you’re awake. Please, let me in.”

Her saliva became sticky inside her mouth.

Adrian.

Sweet, handsome, brilliant Adrian Everhart.

He knew. He must know. How could she face him? How could she stand to see the look in his eyes when he demanded she tell him the truth? When he dared her to lie to him again?

“Nova? Are you home?”

Her gaze landed on the helmet.

Crossing the living room floor, she stooped and picked it up from the dreary carpet and spent a few seconds turning in aimless circles, trying to determine where to hide it. She settled on the coat closet, jamming the helmet in amid Leroy’s trench coat and Honey’s furs.

Inhaling a deep breath, she crossed to the door and gripped the knob. Upstairs, Honey’s sobs had fallen quiet. The entire house felt deserted.

She pulled open the door.

Adrian was a wreck. His bow tie was gone, and his dress shirt was rumpled and covered in smudges of dirt. His gaze latched on to her, haunted and exhausted.

But not accusatory.

She didn’t dare hope.

“Can I come in?” he said, almost meek.

She licked her lips with her sandpaper tongue and stepped inside.

He moved past her and walked straight into the kitchen. Nova held her breath as he passed the closet. The latch, which never closed firmly, clicked. The door drifted open, just a few inches.

Adrian didn’t notice. His movements were sluggish as he pulled back a chair and collapsed into it.

“I’m sorry,” he said when Nova caught up to him. She stayed in the doorway, terrified. That Honey would make a sound. That some of her bees would fly down from the stairwell and start traipsingacross the cabinets. That Adrian’s melancholy was an act, meant to lure her into false security. “I know I can’t just keep showing up here but… I needed to talk to someone, and I knew you would be awake, so…” His voice snagged and she noted the bruised circles beneath his eyes, almost hidden by the frames of his glasses.

The night had been long for them both.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “How is your uncle?”

Her heart squeezed.

Captured. Imprisoned. Gone.

But then she remembered the excuse she’d given Adrian when she was leaving the gala—that her uncle hadn’t been feeling well and she needed to go check on him.

“Fine,” she stammered. “He’s fine.”

Adrian was silent for a long time. His gaze was fixed on her across the room and Nova couldn’t tell what the look meant. Was he inspecting her for the truth? Searching for signs of Nightmare?

“Have you heard?” Adrian said. “About… Ace Anarchy? And Nightmare?”

She shivered. “I was just checking my messages. It’s true then?”

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