Eli slid off the tomb, his boots making a dull thud on the stone floor. Then he stood up to his full height, fixing a hard stare at Paul. “This is crap. There’s no way you were able to make a copy of an entire website database remotely without big-time equipment.”

Paul returned his stare, unimpressed. “I didn’t copy the entire database. Just the user information tables. It was a virtual backup, and the data, once compressed, is very small. All I needed was a laptop. And that is small enough to hide under the floorboards. So to speak.”

“But,” Selene said, unconsciously running a finger down her scar, “if you had access to that information all this time, how can you claim you never knew who the other followers were? Surely you took a peek.”

“I’m not stupid.” Paul snorted. “If I slipped somehow and Marrow found out, he would’ve killed me. But he didn’t know enough about technology to realize what I could do with my administrative access. I set up the virtual backup without his knowledge.”

“But why do it in the first place?” I asked, although I had a feeling I knew the answer already.

“Insurance,” Paul said, not looking at me. “I knew the information was important, and I wanted to have it in case I needed it later.” He looked up, unapologetic. “I’m glad I did. It’s what has kept me alive ever since.”

I stared at Paul as awed by his cleverness as I was repelled by it. I always knew he was ultra-intelligent, a computer genius, but I was just beginning to understand that he was a survivor, too.

“So Magistrate Kirkwood hasn’t had you killed yet because he wants the list?” Selene said, brushing something off her arm. It looked suspiciously like a spider and I squirmed.

Paul took a deep breath. “That and he’s afraid that if he tries and fails, I’ll give it over to his enemies in the senate.”

I tapped my foot. “You make it sound like the senate is a bunch of cutthroat politicians out to kill each other off to gain power.”

Paul arched a blond eyebrow at me. “Well, it is. All the conflict between the kinds, like the fight on the commons today, that’s been going on within the senate, too.”

It was a sobering thought.

“Where’s the data now?” Eli said, the hint of doubt still in his voice.

“Dusty has it.” Paul waved at me.

I put my hands on my hips, indignant at the accusation. “No, I do not.”

Paul held his hand out to me. “Can I see your phone?” When I didn’t respond he said, “Please.”

Huffing a little, I pulled my cell out of my back pocket.

Paul slid off the tomb and stepped toward me, only to have Eli block his way. Paul stared down at Eli’s hand on his arm. Then he met Eli’s glower. “I meant what I said. I would never hurt her.”

“I meant what I said. I’ll never let you get close enough to try.” The veins in Eli’s forearm bulged out around taut muscles.

I touched Eli’s shoulder in a silent request.

He glanced back at me then slowly nodded and stepped away.

I held the cell out to Paul, and his fingers brushed my hand as he took it. His touch made me jump as if from a tiny electric shock. I expected him to retreat back to his seat, but he didn’t. Instead he remained where he was, less than a foot from me, close enough to touch without even trying.

Paul did something to the phone that I couldn’t see, but a second later he turned the screen toward me. It was opened to an app I’d never seen before, some kind of menu screen with a bunch of nonsensical file names listed.

“What is that?” I said, breathless with shock.

“Those files contain information on all of Marrow’s followers,” said Paul.

Eli held out his hand. “Let me see it.” Paul gave him the cell with no hesitation. I watched as Eli selected one of the files. A passcode prompt appeared on the screen, one only Paul knew, no doubt.

Sighing, Eli handed the cell back to me. “Those file names look like legit computer files. I hate to admit it, but he might be telling the truth.”

I stared down at the screen, my face draining of color. “How did you get it onto my phone?”

“Simple,” Paul said. “That’s not yours.”

“What?” Selene and I said in unison. Beside me, Eli looked on the verge of something violent. I glanced at Paul and then down at the phone. It looked like my phone. It was definitely my case, anyway. It was too beat-up for me not to recognize it as mine.

Paul took a precautionary step back from Eli, slowly nodding. “I switched them out. That phone is the same make and model as yours, of course, and it has your original SIM card, but it contains some of my own modifications, including the app I just showed you. It’s hidden and encrypted with a password. Please don’t bother trying to figure it out. Three incorrect attempts and the program will self-destruct. Actually, the whole phone will self-destruct.”

Eli’s hands clenched into fists. “What the hell?”

Paul put up a hand, trying to calm him. “Don’t worry. Worst it’ll do is burn her fingers if she tries. It’s not magic but mechanical.”

“Oh, sure, because that’s such a comfort,” said Eli.

Pushing Eli aside with my shoulder, I poked Paul in the chest. “Where’s my real phone? How’d you do it?”

Paul didn’t move to defend himself. “The day you stole The Atlantean Chronicle. I made the switch that night. There was nobody in the dorm so I broke in and replaced your old phone with this one.”