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I swallow, not daring to believe it. That can’t be possible—the Republic would never let rebellions get that far out of control in one of the country’s biggest cities. Would they? Are the people actually overwhelming the local military there? And are they rebelling because of me? They’re waiting for your next move. But hell if I even know what that’s supposed to be. I’m just trying to find my brother—that’s it, that’s all. I shake my head, forcing down a sudden tide of fear. I’d wanted the power to fight back, yeah? That’s what I was trying to do for all these years, wasn’t I? Now they’re handing the power to me . . . but I don’t know what to do with it. “Yeah, right,” I manage to reply. “Are you kidding me? I’m just a street con from LA.”
“Yeah. A famous one.” Tess’s infectious smile instantly lightens my mood. She nudges me in the arm as we reach the door to my room. We step inside. “Come on, Day. Don’t you remember why the Patriots agreed to recruit you in the first place? Razor said you could become as powerful as the new Elector himself. Everybody in the country knows who you are. And most of them actually like you. Something to be proud of, yeah?”
I just walk over to my bed and sit down. I don’t even notice right away that Tess seats herself beside me.
She sobers at my silence. “You really care about this one, don’t you?” she says, smoothing the covers over the bed with one hand. “She’s not like the girls you used to fool around with in Lake.”
“What?” I reply, confused for a second. Tess thinks I’m still brooding about Anden’s infatuation with June. Tess’s own cheeks are turning pink now, and I suddenly feel uncomfortably warm sitting alone with her, her big eyes fixed on me, her crush unmistakable. I’ve always been smooth at handling girls who’ve liked me, but they were strangers. Girls who’d pass in and out of my life without consequence. Tess is different. I don’t know what to do with the idea that we could be more than friends. “Well, what do you want me to say?” I ask. I want to hit myself as soon as it comes out of my mouth.
“Stop worrying—I’m sure she’ll be fine.” She spits out that last word with sudden venom, then goes quiet again. Yeah, I definitely said the wrong thing.
“I didn’t join the Patriots because I wanted to, you know.” Tess rises from the bed and stands over me, her back stiff, her hands clenching and unclenching. “I joined the Patriots because of you. Because I was worried sick about you after June took you away and arrested you. I thought I could talk them into saving you—but I don’t have the bargaining power June has. June can do whatever she wants to you, and you’d still take her back. June can do anything she wants to the Republic, and they’ll take her back too.” Tess raises her voice. “Whenever June needs something, she gets results, but my needs aren’t worth a bucket of pig’s blood. Maybe if I were the Republic’s darling, you’d care about me too.”
Her words cut deep. “That’s not true,” I say, getting up and grabbing her hands. “How could you even say that? We grew up on the streets together. You have any idea what that means to me?”
She purses her lips tight and looks up, trying not to cry. “Day,” she begins again, “have you ever wondered why you like June so much? I mean—well—given how you were arrested and all—”
I shake my head. “What do you mean?”
She takes a deep breath. “I’ve heard of this thing somewhere before, on the JumboTrons or something, where they were talking about prisoners from the Colonies. About how kidnapping victims fall for their captors.”
I frown. The Tess I know is fading away into a cloud of suspicion and dark thoughts. “You think I like June because she arrested me? You really think I’m that twisted in the head?”
“Day?” Tess says carefully. “June turned you in.”
I throw down Tess’s hands. “I don’t want to talk about this.”
Tess shakes her head mournfully, her eyes glossy with unshed tears. “She killed your mother, Day.”
I take a step back from Tess. I feel like I’ve been slapped in the face. “She didn’t do it,” I say.
“She may as well have,” Tess whispers.
I can feel my defenses rising up again, closing me off. “You’re forgetting that she also helped me escape. She saved me. Look, are you—”
“I’ve saved you dozens of times. But if I turned you in, and your family died for it, would you forgive me?”
I swallow. “Tess, I’d forgive you for just about anything.”
“Even if I was responsible for your mom’s death? No, I don’t think you would.” She fixes her eyes on mine. Her voice carries a hint of harshness now, armored with an edge of steel. “That’s what I mean. You treat June differently.”
“Doesn’t mean I don’t care about you.”
Tess ignores my reply and barrels on. “If you had to choose between saving either me or June, and you had no time to waste . . . what would you do?”
I can feel my face going red as my frustration builds.
“Who would you save?” Tess uses a sleeve to wipe her face and waits for my answer.
I sigh impatiently. Just tell her the goddy truth. “You, all right? I’d save you.”
She softens, and in that moment the ugliness of jealousy and hate is smoothed away. All it takes is a little sweetness for Tess to turn back into an angel. “Why?”
