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“Oh, I didn’t know, I’m sorry.”

“He didn’t agree with…this.” He looks up, and around, at the houses, at Anchorage, at the mountains in the distance. And then at me.

“I’m still not sure what I think,” I say, and it’s the truth. “But I know I don’t trust the Forge,” I tell him fiercely.

“Do you trust the PS?” he asks.

I shake my head no. It’s partially true, but I’m still taking orders when they come through the secure messaging app.

“Vale asks about you a lot,” Zeph says a little slyly.

“What does he ask about?” I demand.

“Today he was asking about when you were a kid, what you were like.”

“Did he tell you I knew him back then?”

“Yeah. Sounds like we just missed each other,” Zeph says.

“But you don’t trust him,” I repeat from earlier.

Zeph is quiet, thinking. “I trust him more than his father. He seems to care about you, be worried for you. Maybe talk to him about the Midwest thing, Amity. Promise me you’ll consider it.”

“It’s Ami now,” I say. “I’ll think about it.”

We’re back to the house and Zeph looks around, pulling his hat lower over his face. “I probably need to get back.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come in for tea or something?” I ask a little hesitantly.

“No, I don’t want them to miss me. New recruit and all,” he says.

I nod. “Yeah, okay. Be careful.”

“I’ll be careful,” he assures me. “Don’t worry about me.”

I try to digest everything he said as I walk up the steps. The couches are empty now. Everyone’s gone inside and the sky is finally turning an orangey-pink as it gets later. I go straight to my room and pull the shade down to try to get some sleep.