Page 114 of Archenemies

Spotting a wineglass on the floor, Nova leaped for it, at the same moment the butterfly took off again. No longer fluttering aimlessly, the creature shot forward, heading straight for—

Nova’s heart stopped.

The candles.

It was going to burn itself up. Sacrifice itself rather than be trapped down here. Sacrifice itself so the rest of the swarm could converge.

“No!” Forgetting the wineglass, Nova ran, then dropped to the ground and slid, her leg outstretched, preparing to kick the base of the candelabra.

But just before the butterfly reached one of the orange flames, a white pillowcase fell from the air and scooped the creature from its path.

Nova, however, kept sliding. Her heel struck the base of the stand and the candelabra toppled to the ground. A few of the candles extinguished in the fall, while the others rolled, still burning, across the stone floor.

Panting, Nova watched as the corners of the pillowcase tied themselves together, then the whole thing drifted to the ground. The fabric drooped until she could barely make out the twitching insect inside.

“All this racket,” came Ace’s exhausted voice, “over abutterfly?”

“M-Monarch,” said Nova, panting, though as much from the terror of Danna discovering Ace’s hideout and going back to tell the others as from her exertion.

“A Renegade,” added Honey, her voice dripping disdain.

Ace strode out from where the curtain of bones had parted and let them clatter shut behind him. He stood over the pillowcase. He was still pale, but the bit of excitement had brought a rare gleam to his eye. “Not a particularly menacing shape for asuperhero.”

“It isn’t just one,” said Nova, standing on her shaky legs. “She transforms into a whole swarm of them.” She stood up the candelabra and returned each of the candles to its holder, but as she was about to set in the last candle, it was lifted from her hands. Still burning, it drifted in the air toward Ace.

“Where are the others?” said Leroy.

Nova surveyed the catacombs and the black stairwell, but could see no sign of more. “She must have only sent one to spy on us.”Or me, she thought.

Nova shivered, spooked by what a close call it was. She wondered how Danna had found them here, but her mind immediately supplied the answer.

Danna had been following her. For how long? What else had she seen?

“Well,” said Ace, “it seems easy enough to kill.”

He lifted one hand, and the pillowcase floated into the air, nearing the candle flame.

“No, wait!”

Ace peered at her.

Killing one butterfly wouldn’t have much of an effect on Danna. The Sentinel had obliterated dozens of them at the parade, and she’d emerged with horrendous burn marks on one side of her body. But to kill justonewould be no more devastating to her than a paper cut.

But—totrapone was a different story. It was her greatest weakness. To return to her human form, Danna needed all of her living lepidopterans to unite. If even one was kept separate, she would be trapped in swarm mode until it could merge with the others.

Nova could only guess how many of her secrets the Renegade had discovered by now. Her true identity would be revealed. Ace would be found. They would be ruined.

She could not allow Danna to reform.

“We need to keep it alive,” she said, and did her best to explain Danna’s power, her weaknesses, and the risks.

Ace held Nova’s gaze for a long moment, then acquiesced. “As you say.” The candle returned to its stand and the pillowcase, with the butterfly trapped inside, dropped into Leroy’s hands. The butterfly seemed to have gone still inside.

“How many more are in her swarm?” said Leroy.

“Hundreds,” said Nova. “Maybe a thousand. And she can be sneaky with them.” She peered around again, feeling watched. The creatures were so small. They could fit into such tiny nooks, and so long as they held still, it would be nearly impossible in this darkness to spot them. “But as long as that one doesn’t get away, she shouldn’t be a threat.”

“Oh, good,” said Honey, wiggling her fingers. “A pretty new pet.”

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