THE TANK’S FLUID CASCADED ONTO the stage as the phantom hurtled toward the shrieking audience. While Rhys moved in front of me, I ducked for cover, but I didn’t need to. The phantom skirted above the countless heads—close enough for the scare alone—before scaling the wall back up to the ceiling. I drew my hands from my face just in time to see the phantom arch its sleek body over the young performer standing calmly upon the high wire.

Chae Rin.

Spurred on by the shuddering gasps and wild cheers from the audience, the ringmaster cried out, waving his arm forward. On cue, Chae Rin jumped right as the phantom circled underneath the wire. The timing was perfect. She landed on its head without so much as a quiver. Steady on the beast, Chae Rin rode it around the arena, scaring and thrilling.

An Effigy-phantom circus act. If I hadn’t seen it, I’d never have believed it.

Chae Rin kept perfect balance, waving at the crowd. Ethereal music beat in the background as more performers in masks flipped and danced onto the stage.

I looked down at the aisle seat one row below. A woman’s bag lay open on the floor, her tablet exposed. Thankfully, she was too dazzled by the magical act to notice me stealing it.

I typed fast and then, climbing back to my spot, held up the screen as Chae Rin passed.

BELLE SENT US. Big yellow letters set against a black screen. It was impossible to miss, what with me jumping wildly at the top of the staircase. For a split second, my eyes met the brown pair framed by the elaborate mask. Then Chae Rin was gone, flying back over the stage to the crowd on the other side.

The show ended with a musical flourish, a curtain call, and the phantom back in its tank, docile. Even as the audience began to shuffle out of the arena, the tank stayed onstage, an eerie reminder of an even eerier performance. I followed Rhys down the stairs, but when we got close to the stage, security stopped us.

“At least tell her to meet us here,” Rhys demanded. “This is urgent.”

One man nodded to another and left the arena, but Chae Rin didn’t come right away. Soon it was just me and Rhys alone with a host of security guarding a phantom in a tank. My life couldn’t get any weirder. Eventually, Rhys grabbed a seat, flinging his leg over the armrest.

“A phantom in a cage,” I heard him grumble.

The phantom’s white, glassy eyes never blinked. Endlessly deep, they fixed on me, just as I stood there fixed by them. If phantoms could think—and who knows, maybe they could—what was it thinking right now? What did it think of me, the Effigy staring at it from the other side of its prison? Did it know, deep down, who I was? What I was?

“Maia,” called Rhys, because I was walking toward it. Security blocked my path before I could get too close, but my eyes never left it.

In the past few days I’d seen more phantoms than I’d ever wanted to. I’d seen firsthand the death they caused, the horror they left in their wake. And now here I was, standing mere feet away from one, separated only by a wall of uniforms. Perfectly safe. The very creature I’d been taught to fear was now close enough to touch, safe enough to touch. A powerless, powerful thing. I couldn’t quite articulate the sudden recklessness swelling in my chest, but maybe this very feeling was why Le Cirque de Minuit was successful. It was a genius and dangerous invention.

When the forklift arrived to drag the tank out of the arena, I knew it was getting late. I’d been awake for far too long; the seemingly constant bursts of adrenaline would keep me standing for only about an hour or so more, which meant the clock was ticking.

“Hey!”

The word sent a shock through my chest. I jumped and turned, almost tripping over my own feet. The girl at the staircase a few rows up from Rhys still had a towel dangling over her long, wet hair. I expected the attitude, the sneer, the piercing dark eyes. Like every picture of Chae Rin Kim gracing the internet.

The bunny slippers and sweats, though—I didn’t expect those.

“I was brushing my teeth. What the hell do you want?”

Chae Rin’s youthful face was long and lean, a perfect oval shape with a healthy red flush behind her pale skin. A beauty unmarred even by a scowl.

“Want? Uh . . . I . . .” I gulped, hating myself for being so pathetic.

“Hey, kid.” Chae Rin descended the stairs with the slow intensity of a jungle predator considering which limb to tear off first. I had to remember to breathe. “Were you serious before?”

Be calm and confident, Maia. This was what I’d told myself back at the hotel when I’d pictured this moment happening. Calm and confident, damn it!

“S-serious about . . . ?”

“You wrote ‘Belle sent us.’” Chae Rin came closer. “Did she really? Or are you just some sort of psycho fangirl angling for an autograph?”

Usually? Yes. “Well, a-actually—”

“You are a fangirl, aren’t you?” She glared at security. “Jesus, you guys literally dragged me out of the bathroom for this?” Chae Rin whipped off her towel and threw it at a security guard, who silently let it slide off his chest. The girl had good aim. “What the hell?”

Finally, Rhys stood. “Chae Rin.”

Chae Rin whipped around, her frown deepening when she found him waving his fingers at her. “Oh, it’s you.”

“Nice seeing you again too,” he said with a smile.

“Aidan Rhys. Guess Belle really did send you. Well, in that case.” Chae Rin flashed me a bright grin. “Since I’m no longer obligated to give a rat’s ass what that stuck-up bitch thinks about anything anymore, feel free to show yourselves out.”

I blinked. “Huh?”

“That’s right!” she sang, stretching out her back. “I got sacked by the Sect. So, if you’ll excuse me.” Chae Rin started back up the stairs. “Oh, and tell Belle that if she wants to give me a message, she can do it her damn self. Who the hell does she think she is?”

“Wait!” I rushed forward, only to be cut off by Rhys.

“Hey, Kim,” he said coolly, hands in his pocket. “What’s up with the phantom in a box?”

Chae Rin stopped. The forklift carefully loaded the tank, the sounds of its engine and signals cutting the silence among the three of us.

“I’m pretty sure if the Sect knew you were surfing on phantoms instead of killing them, it would have been included in the reports. Which means this is obviously a recent development.”

“A new act, in fact.” And though Chae Rin glared at Rhys defiantly, it was hard not to notice the slight waver in her tone. “Though we’ve been practicing it for a while now. Three months, if you were wondering. And look at me now. I’m already a star. Seems like being an Effigy is part of the draw.”

Rhys frowned. “Why?”

“Why what? I’m sorry, is there something you’re taking issue with here?” Chae Rin wasn’t as tall as he was, but her intensity made up the difference. “This isn’t against any Sect rule. My scheduled check-in isn’t for another three weeks, and most important, I’m not doing anything illegal. So? You’re, what, mad I didn’t kill it?” She laughed. “I don’t do that anymore, remember? You guys fired me.”

“The Sect didn’t fire you, Chae Rin.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m on ‘indefinite leave for further assessment.’” Chae Rin rolled her eyes. “As if we don’t already know how that’s going to end.”

“We don’t,” said Rhys. “You’ve been an asset to the Sect so far.”

“Asset,” Chae Rin repeated with an exasperated laugh.

“I’m sure whatever they decide, it’ll be fair.”

Chae Rin shook her head. “I didn’t ask to be anyone’s asset. Paid my dues anyway, though. I trained. I went on missions. I did what I was told. Then after one screwup, the Sect just goes, Fuck all your hard work and sacrifice. Turns out you’re nothing but a problem we need to deal with, so we’ll just go ahead and treat you accordingly.”

“It was a bit more than a screwup, Chae Rin,” said Rhys.

“You weren’t there.”

“But I read the reports. You were reckless.” Rhys swept his hand, motioning to the stage behind him. “Besides, considering all the leeway they’re clearly giving you, right now, if I were you, I’d be grateful.”

“Grateful? You know what it’s like to be summoned to Internal Court like you’re a damn criminal? To be stared down by a group of strangers like you’re a murderer? Belle and Natalya get to be heroes. Meanwhile, I’ve never once been thanked or appreciated for anything I’ve done, but when I mess up, they treat me like an ‘issue.’ And then, when they need me again, they beckon me like I’m some call girl.” She turned. “To hell with that. I’m done with you guys.”

“Can I just ask one question?” I asked before Chae Rin could start back up the stairs. “Do you have any idea what’s been going on these past few months?”

It was like Chae Rin had forgotten I was there. She gave me a sidelong glance. “Who’s this, Rhys? Your partner? Looks like she could use a bit more time in the oven.”

I swallowed. “Just answer the question.”

“Sorry, I haven’t had much time for TV lately. But let me guess: phantoms? And other shit that happens, like, every day, so who cares?”

I sucked in a shaky breath. “Natalya’s dead.”

That got her. Chae Rin’s face softened. She looked away, awkward and silent as the forklift slowly wheeled the phantom tank away.

“Take five, guys,” she told security. “We need a moment.”

Once they left, Chae Rin straightened back up, wiping black strands of hair from her face with a steady hand. “Yeah.” She shifted her weight to the other foot. “I know. It’s . . .” Wetting her lips, she stared resolutely at the stage. “It’s too bad. And?”

“And . . . ?” I paused. “And there’s someone out there who can control phantoms.” Chae Rin cocked an eyebrow. “Someone else, I mean.”

“Didn’t you think it was strange?” Rhys asked. “When your manager told you about the new act? When he told you it was possible to make a phantom compliant enough to let you ride it around like a show pony?”

Chae Rin tilted her head, gathering her dripping hair into her hands. “Maybe.” She wrung it, water spilling onto the steps at her feet.

“Why didn’t you report it?”

“Report what?” She whipped her hair back. “It’s not a big deal. This whole area is protected from phantoms from the outside. It’s just in here. My boss said he’s drugging it with some kind of fluid: the fluid in the tank. It’s like . . . I don’t know. He said it leaves the damn thing open to suggestion or something.”

“So you can, what? Teach them tricks?” Rhys shook his head. “You believed that tripe?”

“Why not?” Chae Rin wiped her damp hands on her gray sweatshirt. “Look, I don’t know how it works. I just ride the damn thing. At any rate, what do we really know about the phantoms anyway? Who’s to say it isn’t possible?”

“If that’s the case,” I said, “then what about Saul? What’s he been using? Because I sure don’t think he’s hiding a tank anywhere.”

“Who?”

I frowned. “Rhys, give me your phone.”

Rhys looked taken aback by my expectant hand waiting for it, but he obediently gave it over regardless. I didn’t have to search too long for the video I wanted. Someone had captured and already uploaded footage from the battle on the Brooklyn Bridge. The terror. The screaming. People running for their lives as Saul’s phantom barreled through traffic, sending cars over the edge. And . . .

I couldn’t look at it. It was all I could do to listen to the frenzied sounds, recorded on a device woefully insufficient to capture the true horror of that night. I didn’t even dare to blink, because I knew the second I shut my eyes I’d be back there, walking across the hotel lobby, seeing with my own two eyes the remains of human life.

Instead, I watched Chae Rin, watched as her lips thinned, watched as that healthy red flush drained from her skin. I watched her with tears in my eyes. And when Chae Rin’s eyes met mine, I didn’t look away.

“You’re an Effigy,” I whispered. “Tell me you don’t feel anything.”

Blinking the growing wetness from her eyes, Chae Rin looked at me now like she hadn’t before. “Who are you?” she asked after a time.

My voice shook as I answered. “I’m . . . Natalya’s—”

“You’re an Effigy.” Chae Rin’s chest heaved. “You’re Natalya’s successor, aren’t you? The next Effigy of Fire.”

The muscles in Chae Rin’s jaw hardened and set. I tried to think of something to say, some kind of introduction, but there wasn’t anything stronger than this silent moment passing between us like an electric current.

“Ah,” Chae Rin said, once she’d composed herself. “This must be how Natalya felt when she met me for the first time. We pop up so quickly, don’t we?”

Chae Rin descended the staircase until we were level with each other. I braced myself for the inspection I knew would come next. Now that it was Effigy to Effigy, I tried my best to hide any weakness that could be picked apart and scrutinized.

Very unfortunately, I didn’t react quickly enough to block Chae Rin’s quite unexpected, quite hard finger flick to my forehead.

And it was really hard.

“Ah!” The shock of pain split through my head, just from one flick. For a second I thought my skull would shatter. Chae Rin’s abnormal strength was as painful as advertised.

“You okay?” Rhys gripped my shoulder once I began to double over.

“Y-yeah.” Shaking, I pressed a hand against my forehead.

“Slow reflexes.” Chae Rin leaned against one of the seats. “Look at her. I didn’t even put my back into it.”

A terrifying thought.

“This kid’s not even half of what Natalya was. Probably never will be. Oh, well.” She turned. “Anyway, I appreciate you coming all the way up here to meet me, and I’m sympathetic, I really am, but I’ve already been suspended. Whatever’s going on out there isn’t any of my concern. The Sect can’t just throw me away and pick me up whenever they want. They’re the ones who wanted me off the field. They made their bed.” She stretched her long arms over her head and yawned. “Anyway, just tell Belle to fix it.”

“This is insane.” Still wincing, I balled my hands into fists. “You saw the video. You saw what’s going on and you don’t care because you’re pissed off at the Sect? No. I refuse to believe that this is all just because of your pride.”

Chae Rin started to walk off.

“You’re an Effigy, for god’s sake!” I thought of June poring over books, telling me facts upon facts about the heroes who protected us from the monsters outside our city. “You’re an Effigy! What the hell is wrong with you? Hey! Are you listening to me?”

I rushed up the steps, but the second I was in grabbing distance, Chae Rin stomped her foot. Immediately, I felt the steps quake beneath my feet. Before I could figure out what was going on, the ground opened up, just enough to swallow me whole.

Down I fell through the debris of cement and stone, too shocked to even scream, until I crashed onto a mound of earth. Only after rubbing the dirt from my eyes could I peek up through the dust to see Chae Rin’s expressionless face staring back down at me.

“Shit,” Chae Rin said. “Guess I’ll have to fix that later.”