Adrian cocked his head and she could see him contemplating her words for a long time. “You’re serious about this.”
“Yeah, I am. Not that it matters, but I do believe humanity would be better off without us. Without prodigies or villains or the Renegades. Society would sort itself out, just like it has a hundred times throughout history, but it would do it a lot faster, and with a lot less turmoil, if it wasn’t for our interference.”
Adrien held her gaze for a long time. “That’s bleak,” he finally said.
Nova shrugged. “It’s the truth.”
They were quiet as they passed by the roller coaster, listening to the creak of the tracks and the screeches of the passengers.
Switching the doll to his other arm, Adrian finally released an exaggerated breath. “Well. Now that we have that important philosophical discussion out of the way … what next?” He pointed. “Roller coaster? Tilt-a-whirl? Are you hungry?”
Nova smiled, the knot in her chest quickly unwinding. “Correct me if I’m mistaken, but aren’t we supposed to be looking for somebody?”
“You’re absolutely right.” Adrian tapped a finger against his lips. “And I think we should look for her”—he pointed—“on the Ferris wheel.”
Nova followed his look to the colorful ride. “Yeah. That seems like a really likely hiding spot for a supervillain.”
“Maybe not, but it will give us a good view of the park, and we can plot out a strategy from there.”
It was an excuse, and not a particularly good one. Nova found her heart beginning to stutter as they made their way through the crowds. Because, for the first time since they’d arrived, she began to wonder why Ruby and Oscar and Danna hadn’t joined them. She began to wonder why Adrian had asked her to join him, and not one of his more experienced teammates.
She began to wonder whether this whole day wasn’t really about finding Nightmare at all.
But thinking that Adrian might have ulterior motives only led her thoughts down a path that made her palms sweat and her pulse flutter. She was picturing those small gondolas with her, Adrian, and the doll crammed into one them. She was imagining their hips pressed against each other. His shoulder tucked against hers.
Or would it be so tight that he would put his arm around her? Her skin tingled with the very thought of it.
How was it that something that would have been unthinkable weeks ago was now so easy to imagine?
“Nova?”
“Ferris wheel,” she said, then cleared her throat. “Sure. Okay.”
They had not gone far, though, when there was a chorus of high-pitched screams: “Renegade!”
Nova turned to see a dozen children rushing toward them out of a yellow-striped circus tent, over which hung a sign that read PARTY CENTRAL. The kids themselves were wearing an assortment of masks and capes like those Nova had seen at the parade.
To her surprise, they did not run toward Adrian, but her, and it took her a moment to remember that she was the one in uniform.
“It’s her! It’s the one from the trials!” screamed a girl, to which a boy beside her responded, “Yeah, the one who beat the Gargoyle!”
She looked at Adrian, who appeared baffled himself, but the look quickly turned into a warm smile. “Hey, kids. You’re right. This is Insomnia.”
“Insomnia!” said the boy. “That’s right! I was there that night—I gave you the Hero sign for sure.”
“Oh. Thanks?” started Nova.
“Will you come to my birthday party?”
She looked down to see a small black-haired boy with a missing front tooth grinning up at them. He was the only kid in full superhero regalia—a Captain Chromium costume. His party hat read, in bold letters, CAPTAIN CHROMIUM’S SIDEKICK. “It’s a superhero theme! Come on!”
Nova found herself being drawn toward the tent. She looked back at Adrian, bewildered, but relieved to find him trekking after them. He saw her expression and started to laugh.
They had just stepped into the overhang of the tent when Nova managed to shake the kids off her. “Hold on,” she said, raising her hands. “Yes, I’m Insomnia. But he”—she pointed at Adrian—“is the real hero. You should definitely pester him instead.”
Adrian lifted a challenging eyebrow at her, but it only took a heartbeat for the children to swarm around him. The birthday boy bounced on the balls of his feet. “You do look familiar. Are you a Renegade too?”
“I am,” said Adrian, disgustingly composed.