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Travis said, “Will you be stopping along the way?” Darien was going to Yveswich—Travis’s hometown.

And he would get to see Roman. Years had passed since Travis had last seen his brother; now, he barely knew him, barely even remembered what he looked like. The last time Travis had spoken to Roman was the day he’d left Yveswich, and all he knew of his brother now was whatever Darien and the others decided to share with him. But even their information was limited; Roman rarely called, and when he did he rarely spoke. He had never been much of a talker—that, Travis remembered vividly.

Darien said, “Only to charge the vehicles.” His eyes flicked to Joyce. “How’s it going?”

“She’s stable, but we shouldn’t delay.” Joyce stuck the cap on the empty syringe, hurried over to the sharps container, and dumped it inside.

Sirens wailed. They weren’t far away—a block or two, at most.

Darien stalked to the bed and picked up Loren, wrapping her legs around his waist. Joyce had dressed her in a pair of her own black workout pants from the trunk of her car and one of Darien’s hooded sweatshirts—the only clothes they could find. She had no shoes on, just socks, but Darien would need to stop at Hell’s Gate to grab some things before leaving.

Travis hoped he would get the chance to speak to his cousin in private. About Roman, about…about Paxton.

Joyce made for the door. “Follow me,” she said, stepping over debris and into the hallway. “If we take that route,” she said, gesturing to a hallway to her left, “we should be able to take the staff staircase to the ground floor and get out without being stopped.”

Travis and the others followed Darien, who was already making his way to the door. In his arms, Loren looked like she was merely asleep, her cheek resting against his chest. Travis hoped, for both her sake and Darien’s, that she would wake up soon.

Because Darien now spoke with a note of hope in his voice, the kind of pure, innocent longing that could spell destruction, should this plan they’d concocted end in death. “Good. Let’s go.”

7

Elsewhere

Something had changed.

The girl stood in the heart of the universe, looking down at the soft blue glow outlining her body.

Minutes or hours ago, she couldn’t be certain how long, the crack of bullets and the shouting of male voices had severed the eternal quiet. The noise had startled her so badly that she’d leapt off the dome of tree roots and splashed through the shallow rim of the pool, her bare feet catching in her dress as she fled.

But no danger had come. And the echo of the bullets had rippled out across barren land, leaving her alone in silence once again.

Now, as she stood by the edge of the glowing pool, she stared out at the fireflies flitting across the still surface.

Something about her had changed—that much she knew for certain. Her skin, yes, but something else too. She didn’t know what, but she could feel it.

In her peripheral vision, just behind the tree, something moved.

She stood tall, steeling herself for what might come. “Who’s there?” she called, her soft words echoing far and wide.

A branch snapped. Dark grass rustled.

The girl held her breath—

A glowing white dog stepped out from behind the gnarled trunk of the tree. Slowly, he crept forward, bushy tail drooping between his legs.

Those floppy ears…she had seen those ears before. And those eyes—

She loosened her fists. “Singer?” Memories of this dog flooded her mind, like puzzle pieces falling into place, but everything in between was still shrouded in fog that wouldn’t thin.

Singer gave a soft whine.

Slowly, she dropped into a crouch, being careful not to startle him away, and gently snapped her fingers. “Come here, buddy.”

His tail rose with a wag, and he trotted over, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. His eyes twinkled like diamonds, and there was love in them—so much love.

The girl sniffled as she pet the dog’s ears, wishing she could feel their velvet softness. He pressed his head into her palm, back leg thumping with delight as he savored the feeling. “Look at you!” she blubbered. “You’re all…wispy. Like a cloud.” She hugged him. “My cloud.”

He barked, the sound echoing so loudly that he cowered, ears flattening down. But he was soon forgetting all about it, and jumped up to lick her cheek.