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“GO!”

Her face crumples.

“I am not leaving you in a fucking field with whatever that is!”

“I have three immortal-ish corn boyfriends!”

Rhett looks offended. “Boyfriends?”

“Not now!”

“Just clarifying.”

Mariah stares at me.

Despite everything, a hysterical laugh bursts from her. Then she grabs my face. “You better fucking come back.”

“I will.”

“You don’t know that.”

“No.” I grip her wrists. “But I’m choosing to.”

Her eyes fill. She understands.

Choice.

Everything tonight comes back to it.

Mariah kisses my forehead then turns. “ALI!”

Ali is already grabbing people.

“MOVE! HOUSE! NOW!”

They run.

Good.

One less thing to lose.

I turn back. Mercy stands at the edge of the opening. She isn’t looking into the hole. She’s looking at me. “You know what to do.”

“No, I absolutely fucking do not.”

A smile touches her mouth. “Neither did I.”

“Not comforting.”

“You have something I didn’t.”

“What?”

She looks behind me.

Ezra. Rhett. Malakai.

“Choice.”