“Get them out of here,” Dante ordered. “Hand them over to the federal authorities. Tell them Kroll resisted.”

The guards dragged Julian and the survivors away, their boots scraping against the dirt.

The arena fell quiet again, the only sound being the hum of the overhead lights.

Dante turned to me, his face softened.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“I am,” I said. “It’s over.”

“Yes,” Dante said, looking at Vesper, who stood calmly behind me. “It is.”

We walked out of the arena together, leaving the violence behind.

In the courtyard, Felix Crane was sitting on the bumper of an ambulance, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.

He looked up at us, trembling.

Dante walked over to him.

“You brought them to my gates, Felix,” Dante said.

“They would have killed me, Dante,” Felix cried. “They knew about the diner.”

Dante looked at him for a long moment.

“You will leave the state,” Dante said. “The Lantern is closed. I will purchase your share of the property, and you will never return.”

Felix nodded quickly, tears of relief in his eyes.