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We all groaned as we turned to face the stupid climbing wall again with its stupid bell. And while we climbed, and fell, and climbed, and fell, over and over again, I just kept thinking about what I had to do, dreading the thought that I might never see Edith again.

***

I was jelly. Every limb felt like I could barely move it as I tried to climb into my cot in the bunkhouse. I looked to see Edith’s bed, but of course, she wasn’t there. I made a mental note that I had to make things right between us before I left. I didn’t want to go, to never see her again, leaving things like they were. That wouldbeTomorrow Me’s problem, though. Tonight, I had bigger fish to fry.

I glanced over at Calista who was stripping her cargos off, leaving on just her bra and underwear, gritting her teeth as she moved her stiff muscles. As she settled into her cot, I decided there was no time like the present, and cleared my throat.

“Hey,” I whispered.

She ignored me.

“Calista,” I tried again.

“What do you want, Telvian?” There was an edge to her voice.

How do you tell your rival that you need their help? I struggled to find the right approach.

“I saidwhat do you want?” she snapped, sitting up and facing me.

The thought of telling her to eff off struck me. But I needed her. And my pride was going to have to take a backseat, whether I liked it or not. Biting my cheek to keep myself from giving her the middle finger, I took a deep breath.

Well, here goes nothing.

“I need your help.” There! It was out.

“What?” she spat as though the word tasted bitter.

“I need your help.”

Calista scoffed, “Eff off,” and then settled back into her bed.

My lips pressed together, stifling a groan. She was going to make this difficult, but I had to get her to help me. I couldn’t see any other way. “Calista, just…just freaking listen to me, okay?”

She ignored me.

“Erg! Justlisten. Besides, I think you’re going to like it.”

She was silent for a moment, then she wrestled in her bed before finally sitting up. “Fine. What is it?”

Another heavy sigh. Did I really want to do this? I was trusting her not to out me, but there was a fat chance she might spill the beans the first moment she got. But I had less than three days tomake sure all the pieces were in place. Closing my eyes, I made a silent prayer that I was making the right choice, and then spoke.

“I need to ask you a favor. I…I need you to help me run away.”

Calista laughed. She actually laughed at me. “Oh yeah, like you’re actually going to do that. Nice try, de la Puente, but I’m not buying that. If I could be so lucky as to have your ass gone,” she muttered as she laid back down.

“I’mserious, Calista.” And then I told her the truth…well,atruth, just notthetruth. I couldn’t risk Charles finding out I had told someone. That would place Wes in danger. So I told her I never wanted to marry Wes. That Matias and I were a couple back in the rebel camp, and that marrying Wes was being forced upon me so that my brother would be saved. I explained that the whole reason for me insisting that I go on the mission was to give me a chance to run away with Jacob at the first opportunity. That I never planned for us to get back on the dinghy. I shared how Sasha threw a kink in my plan when she assigned me to have two bodyguards to watch my every move. And, finally, I shared the only thing that I could think of to finish convincing her.

“If you help me escape with my brother, help us get away, I’ll be gone forever. I can’t risk my brother standing trial or being forced to marry someone I don’t want. I’ll be gone, and then…” I hesitated, because I’d rather chew glass than say the next few words. But she had to help me. Ineededher. “And then I won’t be in your way with Wes. He’ll be all yours.”

I felt like clawing my own eyes out, like ripping my skin. But I bit my cheek again, staying focused on the plan. She had to take the bait.

Calista’s eyes bore into mine, and I could tell she was weighing everything out. Her eyes narrowed into slits.

“I swear to God, de la Puente, if this is a setup, Iwilldestroy you. Do you understand? I’ll make you wish you had never been born.”

I nodded, hope rising. “It’s not. I can’t stay in the North, but I can’t escape if you and Jim are watching me like a hawk.”

She mulled it over for a second until she finally nodded. “Fine. I’ll help you.”