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“Unfortunately,” I said.

Dante blew me a kiss.

“So what is the Interchange?” Nevada asked me.

“It’s also known as the Gateway to Gaia.” I looked for any sign of recognition in their eyes, but all they did was shrug like they had no idea what I was talking about. I sighed. “The Interchange is the Fortress’s smallest district. It’s only as large as the train station.” I pointed through the window. “But what the Interchange lacks in size, it makes up for in importance. The Spirit Tree sits at the center of it.”

“You’re cute when you sound like a textbook.” Dante lurched forward, trapping me in a headlock just long enough to totally mess up my hair.

“Thanks,” I grumbled once I was finally free again.

“No need to thank me.” He smirked at me. “The look on your face is all the thanks I require.”

I threw a water bottle at his face, but unfortunately he caught it.

“We’re slowing down,” Nevada commented.

I craned my neck to get a look out the front windshield. “It’s just a checkpoint. The Fortress is actually a cluster of many towns, built like a honeycomb. Each town is surrounded by a wall. Movement between the towns is heavily restricted. The only way in or out is through controlled checkpoints.” I pointed at the sign stuck to the closed gate. “This checkpoint brings us between the Interchange and the Black Obelisk.”

“The Black Obelisk?” Dante repeated, brows lifted. “Sounds like a friendly place.”

Further up the line of SUVs, the driver was discussing something with the Watchers standing guard outside the fence. There was a rackety noise, then the metal gates slid open.

“The Black Obelisk is the Watchers’ headquarters,” I said. “All new Knight Apprentices are brought here for processing.”

“And you read all of this from a book?” Nevada asked me.

“Multiple books actually.”

“Nerd,” Dante coughed under his breath.

“Here, let me help you with that cough, brother.” I reached out to slap him hard on the back.

But he rolled out of the way, and my hand hit the car door instead. And that really kind of hurt.

“You’ll have to do better if you want to distinguish yourself as a Knight,” Dante snickered as the car came to a stop.

I stuck my tongue out at him. And that’s what I was doing when the door opened to reveal the General on the other side.

He glowered down at me. “Charming.”

Great. So much for blending into the crowd. I’d told Dante that plan was never going to work, but for once, I really hated being right.

I stepped out of the SUV, Nevada and Dante following closely behind me. Mom was getting out of the next car.

“They said they’ll deliver our luggage to our new homes.” Her tone was steady, but something in her eyes gave her away. Shades of sadness leaked through her steely facade.

I knew just how she felt. Our victory at having all made it to the Fortress was somewhat tempered by the reminder that we would no longer be living together as a family.

But I shouldn’t complain. At least I still had family. Nevada did not. A few years ago, she’d lost her mother to the Curse. And she didn’t even know who her father was.

Dante and I had never met our father either. Mom said he’d been an old colleague of hers, back in her pre-Curse days as a professor of biochemistry, but he’d died before we were born.

“It will be fine, Mom,” Dante assured her with an easy smile. Then he stretched out his interlaced fingers, and I heard at least four distinct knuckle-cracks.

Mom winced. “Dante, you know how much I hate it when you do that.”

“Yeah, I know, Mom.” He gave his neck a long, slow roll, and there was another crack. “But I also know how much you enjoy scolding me. Giving you that opportunity is just my way of showing you that I love you.” He flashed her a huge grin.