Sparkman trained her heated gaze on Elodie.“Quit while you’re ahead, recruit.”
Elodie flinched as Thea leaned out from behind the strong wall of theshovel-wieldingredhead and pressed her slender finger against herlips.
Aiden cleared his throat.“Like I said, we were just leaving.”
Thea disappeared back behind Sparkman.“Split up when you leave,” Sparkman said as she yanked the shovel from the ground.“After this morning, it’s not smart to have two members out together.”
That voice...
Elodie shuffled after Aiden as he marched past the women.Her breath slammed against her ribs as Sparkman stabbed the air in front of Elodie with the handle of the shovel, blocking her path out.
“I didn’t catch your name, recruit.”
I know that voice...Elodie’s memories cleared, and she was back in thatbleach-scentedhallway.
“In and out, gentlemen.”Boots marching closer, closer.“You two, scan the halls.”
“Your name, recruit,” Sparkman repeated.
Elodie’s heart flapped wildly as she struggled to formwords.
“Violet.”Thea stepped forward.“Lieutenant Commander, this is Violet Royale.I know her.She’s—she’s a friend.”Thea’s slender arm swept back the velvet curtain as her eyes widened with warning.“Be safe out there, Violet.”
Sparkman lowered the shovel.“Welcome to the fold, Royale,” she said witha nod.
Elodie hurried past Sparkman, through the curtains past Thea, and didn’t exhale until she and Aiden were back out under the stars.
“That was my best friend’s sister.”Elodie stood at the top of the stairs above Aiden, her hands clapped on top of her head.“Thea is a member ofEos!”
Aiden charged back up the stairs.“Never say that!”His nostrils flared.“She wasn’t here.I wasn’t here.You weren’t here.None of this happened.”
Elodie’s cheeks were ablaze.“Yeah, I know.”Her arms dropped to her sides and she shook her head.“I don’t know why I said that outloud.”
“I get it.I just want you...”He motioned to the warehouse behind her.“All of us, to besafe.”
“One more thing,” Elodie dug her fingernail into the collar of her shirt.“No touching today for a healthy tomorrow.All of that is...”She swallowed and took a deep breath.“At one point, it was true.”
Aiden shoved his hands into his pockets.“No one’s denyingthat.”
Elodie nodded.“We should split up.”She peered up and down the shadowed street that stretched in front of the row of buildings as she squeezed past Aiden.“I can use Holly now.She’ll take me to the nearest MAXstop.”
Aiden’s heavy footsteps followed her down the stairs.“We’re good, though, right?”
Elodie didn’t know how to answer him.Eos was more than,better than, she’d thought, but she still had questions—about Echo, Sparkman, Aubrey, the Key.And then there was Thea.She was a Fujimoto, and Elodie had been a part of their family for years.Thea wouldn’t be involved in something sinister.
“Director Holbrook’s funeral is tomorrow.”Elodie let the words hang in the air as she rubbed the tinyX-shapedscar behind her ear and brought up a map to the nearest MAX stop.The same blinking light and 3D view that had led her down to theEnd-of-Life Unit, down to Aiden and this new chapter of her story, came intofocus.
Aiden scratched his brow.“Aboutthat—”
“You know...”Elodie started, as she stepped into the street, her eyes firmly fixed on the cloudless night sky.“I think I’m good on new information today.”She ran her fingers through her hair and released the ends to dance along the steady breeze.“We can start again tomorrow.”
Right now, she needed to focus and tuck away all of her questions and worries.Once she got home, she’d experience another first—climbing up thattree.
XXXII
The moment Director Holbrook’s funeral service was finished and the guests had been released to the celebration on the grounds outside of the Holbrook’s palatial estate, Elodie faded into the throngs of people who’d shown up to pay their respects.Eachshieldlessperson she passed was another barrier between her and her mother and the desperation that dripped from each jewel Gwen had adorned herself with.She’d tried to dress Elodie up the same way, opening her jewelry case and telling her daughter to chooseabsolutely anything.People would be watching,and she needed to make the right impression.
Elodie ran her fingertips along the delicate strand of pearls around her neck as she plucked a cup off the beverage table and took a sip.Lemon-flavored seltzer bubbled across her tongue.The light and cheery drink fit the sunny day and the distance that made Mt.Hood’s snowcapped peak look less frigid and daunting.
