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Amelia sat on a crate in the shack, trying to steady the rush of thoughts and emotions that crashed through her like a storm. Everything was unravelling faster than she could handle.

She’d always believed in the rules—rules that had shaped her life, her understanding of Solhaven, and her role in the community. They kept them safe, kept them separate from the outside world. But now, it was all breaking apart before her eyes.

The island might lose its lease. The Elders broke the rules. Solhaven was on the edge, and what did that mean for her? For them all?

But worse than any of it—worse than the uncertainty about the future, worse than the betrayal of her community’s values—was what had happened with Tara. That was the thing that had truly shattered her.

That kiss. The way Tara’s lips had felt against hers, the heat that shot through her body…

She had tried so hard not to do this—to want Tara. She could see now that she’d been doing that from the moment she met her, running around corners in her own mind, only ever a few steps ahead of this feeling.

Because she’d been taught from childhood that there were ways to live and ways not to. But she couldn’t pretend it hadn’t happened. She had kissed Tara. She’d done that.

Tara had shaken everything loose, all the confusion and fear and longing bubbling to the surface to make a mess that was, even by Amelia’s standards, enormous. And she didn’t even care about Amelia. She’d only ever wanted to use her as an entry point. In amongst a lot of hurt, that was a knife in her gut.

Amelia suddenly felt herself move out of her misery and into something different and wonderful. Anger. She clung to it gladly and listened as it spoke to her, telling her that she wasn’t done with Tara. That there was more to say, oh so much more. Amelia had let her off far too easily. She deserved to be screamed at. She deserved every bad word Amelia had learned lately. Maybe she’d even slap her around the face? That might be going a bit far; she’d have to see where the moment took her. But she wasn’t averse to it.

But to do that, she had to leave the shack. When Harriet had put her here, she had told Amelia to wait there until she came back for her. On any day before this one, Amelia would have done precisely that. But what did Harriet’s authority mean anymore?

With a deep breath, Amelia stood, pushing herself off the crate. She walked toward the door, her fingers brushing the rough wood as her heart pounded in her chest. She opened the door and looked out. The island was still. The nearby ocean lapped gently. It felt like the world was holding its breath, waiting for her to decide.

The rules that had been meant to keep her in line had always felt like heavy chains. But now, they felt like paper.

Amelia stepped out of the shed. Lightning didn’t strike.

Her boots crunched against the grass as she walked, ever faster, the urge to find Tara driving her. She had to confront her to understand her lies.

But beneath that was something else. She didn’t just want the truth about Tara’s intentions. She wanted to understand what was happening inside of herself.

Amelia was going to find Tara, and she was going to make her face the consequences of her betrayal. But maybe retribution wasn’t the only thing Amelia was searching for.