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The sights stay on me for a second, and another figure joins the person in the watchtower, then the red pinpoint vanishes.
I take another cautious step.
Then another.
Soon, I’m striding across the prairie and up to the gates, where one of the doors swings open. My heart kicks up a beat when I see my sister on the other side, her small frame brimming with energy. As soon as the door is open wide enough, she sprints out toward me, her eyes wide.
I grunt when she flings her arms around my neck, tears already wetting my shirt. I’m not a cryer—but my sisterabsolutelyis, always wearing her emotions on her sleeve. “Tilda, oh my God,” she gasps. “How?”
“I’ll explain everything,” I say, “but we have to hurry.”
She frowns. “What’s wrong?”
“I have an offer for Patrick,” I say. “Is he here?”
“Yeah,” she says. “But…wait a second—did they just let you go?”
I look over her shoulder at the gate, where a few curious people have gathered to check me out. “They didn’t have to,” I say. “Enid…I’ve learned a few things about the Austin pack, and I’ve decided I’m going to stay with them. I want you to come with me.”
She flinches, taking a step back. “What?”
“They have a clinic, resources, medicine,” I say. “And they’re not…they’re not the people I thought they were.”
“Tilda, what are you talking about?”
“I know it’s hard to understand, but I’m starting to think we were on the wrong side,” I say, taking her hand. “They want to make a deal with us to provide supplies in exchange for livestock and fresh produce—”
Enid is shaking her head vigorously, taking another step back. “Did they hypnotize you or something?”
“Enid, stop.”
“I’m serious,” she says. “Tilda, rebelskilled our parents. Are you really going to forgive them?”
“That was a long time ago,” I argue.
“You know Patrick’s not gonna go for this, right?”
My heart sinks. “Enid, you’re too important to me for me to just…give upon you…”
“Is that the choice?” she asks. “If it’s me or the rebellion…”
The hair on the back of my neck stands on end, and my hopes plummet.
Reyes is coming closer.
I turn around, and it’s only then that I realize he’s striding through the grass, confident as ever. I can feel his quiet serenity, the calm and grace he carries with him everywhere he goes.
I don’t think the others can feel that.
All they see is a huge man coming closer from the forest.
“Did you bring them here?” Enid asks.
“Enid, it’s okay,” I say. “Just calm down.”
Reyes is already close enough that I catch his scent across the grass. He pauses when the sights of the rifle from the watchtower land right on his chest, his hands going up in the air.
“I just want to talk,” he says, his voice loud and deep. “I’m here with Tilda.”
