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"Where are we going?" I ask, fighting to stay conscious as exhaustion pulls at me.

"Somewhere safe," Vex answers. "A place not even Lin knows about."

"The Old Refuge," Trent adds, exchanging a look with Vex that suggests unexpected cooperation. "Last sympathizer stronghold before the northern territories."

My hand finds Trent's, squeezing weakly. "You're okay? They said you were being interrogated..."

His fingers twine with mine, thumb brushing over my knuckles. "Nothing I couldn't handle."

On my other side, Vex's shoulder presses against mine, his familiar heat a comfort as the suppression compound leaves me chilled. "Rest, Flutterby," he says softly. "We've got hours of travel ahead."

Between these two very different men, surrounded by their strength and warmth, I finally surrender to the exhaustion. My last conscious thought is that despite everything—capture, experimentation, betrayal—somehow we're still together.

All three of us.

And whatever Unity has planned, whatever mysterious agenda Lin and his evolved faction are pursuing, whatever destiny my mother designed me for—none of it matters as much as this simple fact: we're free, we're alive, and we're together.

For now, that's enough.

CHAPTER 20

I dreamof butterflies with wings that shift between blue and amber, flying through a forest where the trees have Trent's eyes and the wind whispers with Vex's voice. They're calling me, pulling me in opposite directions until I split in two, one Zara following each path.

I jolt awake with a gasp.

Rough stone ceiling above me. Soft furs beneath. The distant drip of water echoing through natural chambers. This isn't the Unity facility.

"She's awake," someone calls.

I push myself up on shaky arms, body still sluggish from the suppression compound. A cave system, illuminated by strange bioluminescent growths along the walls. People move purposefully through the space—checking equipment, monitoring communications, tending to injured.

"Easy," a familiar voice cautions.

Trent sits beside me, his face less bruised than I remember, suggesting some time has passed. He offers a metal cup of water.

"How long was I out?" I ask, drinking gratefully.

"Twenty-two hours. The suppression compound hit you harder than expected."

"The Old Refuge?" I gesture at our surroundings.

He nods. "Safe for now. The cave system interferes with Unity tracking tech."

My foggy mind tries to piece together the rescue. "The guards who brought you to the lab..."

"Sympathizers with deep cover in Unity operations," Trent confirms. "They've been infiltrating the facility for months, tracking Unity's genetic research."

"And Vex?"

"Perimeter duty. He's been patrolling since we arrived, barely rested." Something crosses Trent's face—not quite jealousy, more like reluctant respect.

I test my limbs, taking inventory. My body feels more present now, the fog lifting. I stretch, feeling modifications slowly reawakening—enhanced senses gradually returning, muscles regaining their strength.

"You had us worried," Trent admits, watching me closely. "The compound they used was experimental. Designed specifically for your genetic structure."

"They wanted to control my modifications, not just suppress them." The memory of Dr. Keller's clinical interest makes my skin crawl. "Use me as a template for controllable modified soldiers."

Trent's jaw tightens. "I heard. During my 'debriefing,' they were quite forthcoming about their plans."