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Fort Collins, Colorado

Riley didn’t know where Thalia lived. She probably moved frequently, staying nowhere long, always on the move. Or maybe she lived in a remote cabin far from anyone, just like they’d grown up, hidden from the world.

With Chris dead, the only other person who knew how to reach Thalia was Jesse. He hadn’t responded to her post on the message board, but she tried not to read too much into that. He probably hadn’t seen it yet. In a day, two maybe, he’d respond. Or maybe he read it and reached out directly to Thalia, because he was loyal to her, not to Riley.

But she didn’t know , and she had to know that Thalia was safe, that she had a plan. Two people Riley loved were dead. They had to make sure everyone else they’d rescued was safe.

Riley sat in her rental car on the quiet semi-suburban street in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she could see the home of Donovan and Andrew. Donovan had come home from work shortly after five, but Andrew, a veterinary assistant, was still out and it was already seven.

So she waited.

Donovan would slam the door in her face. She wouldn’t blame him.

After all, his brother was dead because of her. He hadn’t forgiven her, and honestly? She hadn’t forgiven herself.

But she pushed the guilt and pain deep down because it would do her no good. Apologies, even though she was so desperately sorry for what happened, would never bring James back.

It was Andrew she needed to talk to. Once Andrew found out that Jane and Chris were dead, he would help. He wouldn’t be happy to see her, but he would take her to Jesse so they could warn Thalia.

She also needed to warn Andrew that he and Donovan might be next. They should disappear for a while until she and Thalia could do something.

She had no idea what they could do, other than creating all new identities for the others and urging them to relocate. To create a new life yet again.

Riley closed her eyes, remembering how she’d begged Thalia to take her all those years ago.

“You’re eleven,” Thalia had said. “I can’t have you slowing me down.”

“Please,” Riley begged. “You don’t know how mean my mother is.”

“I’ve dealt with her cruelty far longer than you.” Thalia put her hand on Riley’s shoulder. “You are strong and brave. Stay strong. I need you here, my eyes and ears. Someday, it’ll be your turn. Just not now.”

Riley had a hard time forgiving Thalia for rescuing others before her. Yet, without Riley in Havenwood, Thalia wouldn’t have been able to do any of it. Alone, Thalia couldn’t have saved even one person. Every time Riley brought another person to the hidden sanctuary high in the mountains above Havenwood, Riley thought Thalia would take her, too. But always, Thalia said no.

“You need to stay.”

“Now’s not the time.”

“I need you in Havenwood.”

“If you leave, Calliope will never stop looking for you.”

So finally, Riley gave Thalia no choice. She faked her own death so her mother would never look for her.

There were truths that Thalia didn’t know, because Thalia hadn’t lived in Havenwood for years. When Thalia left, everything changed. And finally, Riley couldn’t take it. When she brought Jane to Thalia that summer night, Riley was prepared to leave on her own. She would disappear...or die.

Because death was better than living with evil.

The sound of a passing truck jerked Riley out of her memories.

The truck pulled into Andrew’s driveway. Andrew exited the vehicle and entered through the side door. She slowly counted to one hundred, then approached the house.

Andrew had once been a friend, a compatriot. Someone Riley had confided in, shared with, trusted.

As much as she trusted anyone.

That was a long time ago.

She knocked on the front door. The house might have been small, but it felt like a home. Thriving plants on the porch surrounded two chairs where Donovan and Andrew could watch the sunrise on a clear morning. A quiet street in a quiet neighborhood.

A life they’d built together from the ashes of hell, and Riley was going to shatter it.

Donovan answered. He stared in disbelief.

“What are you doing here?” he said through clenched teeth, his face reddening.

“I need to talk to you and Andrew.”

“You of all people should never have come.”

He was right, so she remained silent. But she didn’t leave.

Andrew appeared in the doorway, surprise and worry on his dark face. “Come in,” he said.

“No!” Donovan said. “We’re going to have to leave now, you know that, Riley? Don’t you? We have a life here. You destroy everything you touch. I don’t want to leave!” His voice cracked.

Andrew put a hand on Donovan’s arm to quiet him.

“We need to talk,” Riley said. “It’s important.”

Andrew nodded and Riley brushed past Donovan. The living room was warm and comfortable. Simple, not cluttered. Homey with two love seats, a small television on the wall, a colorful rug on the hardwood floor. The dining room to the left had an old table that sat four and a hutch displaying a collection of mismatched china that was so charming Riley almost cried.

She buried the tears deep in the well. Her eyes burned, but they remained dry.

Deep breath. Be calm. Stay in control. No fear.

She turned to face the two men.

“Jane and Chris were murdered.”

Andrew looked stricken, and Donovan put his hand to his mouth with a gasp.

“How?” Andrew asked.

“They were lured out of their homes and their throats were slit.” Blunt, to the point. Because how else could she tell them? “I don’t know how they were found, how they fell into a trap, but they’re dead. The police called me about Jane.”

“What did you tell them?”

“I didn’t talk to anyone. I wasn’t in the country.”

“Of course you weren’t,” Donovan said in disgust. “You ran far away—”

Again, Andrew silenced his partner with a calming hand.

Riley cleared her throat. “I have an internship at a museum in France. The police left a message and I came as soon as I could. And, um, I went to see Chris, but he’d also been killed. Around the same time as Jane, within days.”

“This is...” Donovan threw up his hands. “This is the worst thing that could happen. What if they know where we are? We have to go, Andrew! Tonight, right now !”

“We don’t know anything yet,” Andrew said calmly, though the news had obviously shaken him.

“I need to talk to Jesse,” Riley said. “He’s the only one who knows how to reach Thalia.” She didn’t state the obvious: Now that Chris is dead. “I posted on the message board as soon as I heard about Jane, but he hasn’t responded. I tried again yesterday, nothing. I don’t know if his network is down or he’s being cautious or if he’s working on a rescue with Thalia, but I need to talk to him. You know where he lives.”

When Andrew and Donovan were first rescued, Andrew was seriously ill. He almost didn’t make it out of the mountains he was so weak, and they stayed with Jesse for several weeks until Andrew regained his health.

She looked at Andrew, not Donovan.

“Thalia saved your life,” Riley said quietly. “Help me save her.”

He nodded. “I’ll take you.”

“No!” Donovan shouted, fists clenched.

Andrew said to Riley, “Give me a couple minutes, okay?”

She nodded. “I have a rental car. It’s a gray Nissan.”

“We’ll need my truck, it has four-wheel drive. Jesse lives off the beaten path. It’ll take about five hours.”

Donovan looked near tears and Riley felt like shit that she had come here and screwed up their lives. After everything they’d been through, they didn’t deserve it.

What choice did she have? There were more people at risk if she walked away, ignored the murders, didn’t warn Thalia. They knew it, too. While Donovan might be able to turn his back on the people left behind, Andrew couldn’t. Riley had counted on his honor and loyalty.

She stepped onto the front porch, pulling her jacket closed against the cold, and walked to the rental to grab her backpack, then back to Andrew’s truck to wait.

Twenty minutes later, Andrew came out carrying an overnight bag. Donovan wasn’t with him.

“We’ll drive to Denver and get a room. It’s a four-hour drive from there, and I don’t want to drive in the snow.”

“The sky’s pretty clear,” Riley said. “I can help drive since it’s late.”

“Trust me,” he said, “it’ll be snowing within an hour.”

She pushed her guilt aside. “We can leave first thing in the morning. I’ll sleep in my car—I don’t want to cause problems with Donovan.”

“No,” was all he said.

“I’m sorry.” She was sorry, but how many times would she feel like she had to apologize because she was Calliope’s daughter? How long would she have guilt for things she hadn’t even done?

Andrew unlocked the truck, took her bag and put it behind the passenger seat along with his. Then he walked around to the driver’s side, got in, turned the ignition.

“Riley,” he began, then sighed and rubbed his face.

She’d practically grown up with Andrew. She’d confided in him. He was the big brother she’d always wanted. But so much had happened and she knew, deep down, that he partly blamed her for all the bad things that happened in Havenwood. Not because of what she did, but because of her mother. She tried to understand why some people couldn’t separate her from Calliope.

Because sometimes, she went along with the insanity thinking she could change her mother. But you can’t change people, especially someone who thinks they are never wrong.

“I’ll take you to Jesse, make sure he’s okay, and that’s it. I never want to see you again. I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “That came out worse than I wanted. This isn’t about you. I’ve always cared for you, Riley. I don’t blame you for anything you did or didn’t do, and I will always be grateful to you for getting Donovan and me out of that hellhole. It’s Havenwood and the twisted people who live there. Seeing you brings it all back.”

She knew how Andrew felt. Because being her was just as bad. “I don’t blame you and Donovan for hating me.”

“I don’t hate you, Riley. Donovan—his emotions are still raw when it comes to his brother. But I can’t look at you and not see her.”

She knew he was talking about her mother. She nodded, understanding, even if deep down she didn’t. Not really.

I’m not my mother! Riley told herself.

Yet, she was alone. She lived in the world, but no one really saw her. No one could understand what it was like to be in her shoes. Nor would they want to try.

“We’ve done everything possible to forget Havenwood. I don’t want to lose what I have now, what Donovan and I have built together,” Andrew said. “You of all people should understand that.”

She was Calliope’s daughter, a pariah. Anyone who came into her life was in danger. Calliope might believe she was dead and gone, but that wouldn’t matter to those who had lived there for so long, like Andrew.

Maybe Thalia had been right and Riley should have stayed for the greater good. If she had sacrificed herself for others, Calliope would never have sent people out to hunt those who escaped.

Thalia had never wanted her to leave. And Andrew believed the same.

She had been selfish three and a half years ago when she faked her death and walked away with Jane. But she didn’t regret it, even if that meant she would be alone for the rest of her life.

“You’ll never have to see me again,” Riley said.

Andrew backed out of the driveway and headed south toward the interstate.