3

Neither of us lunges. Tuco doesn't move either.

Seconds tick by, waiting for what seems inevitable, but all of us just stand there staring at each other. I know better than to force a move, but my heart thunks so loud, it's like tossing ice cubes into the steel sink of my belly. My nerves twitch in my palms as Tuco raises an accusatory finger in my direction.

"How did you get here?" he asks. His eyes dart around the room, as if he might find some gaping entrance to the tunnel. He knows what he's looking for, but when he doesn't find it, his gaze shoots back to me. He juts his chin. Instead of lunging for me or shouting, he does something even more dangerous. He pivots on his heel and walks out, slamming the cell door shut behind him. We pull out of our fighting stances, our cautious eyes rooted on the door.

I should be relieved that he's gone, but Garrett turns back to me and puts a finger over his lips. He doesn't think it's over. I nod, my mouth shut. We stand there until my legs ache. Although we eventually drift down to sit on the edge of the bed, I can tell that Garrett is as ready to launch a defense as I am, when that door pops open. He takes the side closest to it, his back turned to me. We remain rooted, watching.

The lights suddenly click off in the cell and I shift on the mattress. Of course they'll come at us in the dark. They're trying to scare the crap out of us, throw us off with fear. I have to keep pushing the idea of it out of my head. My knee quivers. Garrett angles slightly more toward the door, but he reaches back and stills my shaking limb by pressing his palm gently against my thigh.

The hall outside is still as dark as a burnt-out universe, so I jump when the door finally does open again. Garrett's shoulders drop, the muscles of his back relax, and I know he's ready to fight, even though his hand remains heavy and calm on my leg. It takes everything in me not to hop right into my fighting stance when Tuco steps in, alone.

He pulls the door shut behind him.

"I don't think I need to wait another day to hear your answers." His lopsided grin turns my stomach sideways. Tuco rubs his hands together like he's getting ready to sit down for a good meal. "I think I may even know already, but I want to hear it from your mouths. But first, I want you," Tuco points to Garrett, "to lock down."

"Lock down?" I choke out the question, but Garrett's hand gets heavier on my leg. His touch can't stop my heart from pounding like a million birds trying to bust out of my rib cage. Garrett stands.

"What makes you think I'll..."

Tuco lunges before I can even get to my feet. Garrett tries to duck out of the attack, but Tuco is too fast. Their bodies are a blur and the skirmish ends quickly with a cold metallic tang. I blink at Garrett, his chest heaving, his wrist cuffed to the end of the metal bed frame. Garrett tugs hard, but all it does is make the metal links clatter against the bed frame.

"Your Vieo will answer me," Tuco snarls at Garrett. "But if you open your mouth, I will end you now. I know your Cavis, son of Basil Reese."

The birds in my chest beat harder at the bars of my ribs. Garrett bites his lip, keeping silent, and for a split second I consider bending to Tuco's will. Answering with a lie and persuading him that we are with The Fury has to be the right choice, since I don't believe that anyone from the Ianua would put us through this.

Tuco turns to me. "Answer," he barks. "Tell me what you are."

I open my mouth, but the lie won't slip off my tongue. I am no longer weak. I am a Contego Warrior and even my vocal cords refuse to hide the truth. I square myself with Tuco, readying myself for what will come when I answer. I push my fear down so hard that my field explodes.

Tuco smiles. "Before you attack, daughter of Evangeline, tell me what your death is worth. What will you die for? Because I will kill you where you stand, if you charge me without first answering, so don't be foolish. Take the only chance I'm offering and tell me where your allegiance lies, before you follow impulse and die, whether it is necessary or not."

I look to Garrett, but his eyes remain riveted on Tuco's hideous face. The only sign of Garrett's tension are the muscles quirking in his jaw, just below the beautiful hollow of his cheek. The rest of his body is as fluid as a river. I've got to make my choice.

Tell.

Fight.

Lie.

I choose the only real option my body will allow: truth.

And I choose to fight for it. With as much of an advantage as I can get.

"Ianua," I roar, throwing myself at Tuco. His field explodes before I even reach him. He pulls me out of the air and pounds my body to the floor. The air rushes out of me and none can replace it as Tuco's iron grip wraps around my throat. Garrett's handcuffs clang against the metal bed frame. I gasp for air beneath Tuco's fingers, but he only allows enough to keep me conscious.

"Ianua?" he snarls. I glare up at him, the air that can leak through my compressed neck getting thinner and thinner. I wish I could spit in his eye. I draw in the largest breath I can manage.

"Ianua," I growl back. And I will die fighting. I bunch up like a steel rug, curling, so I can thrust my knee into Tuco's cheek. He lets go of my throat at the last second and the momentum throws me into a backward somersault. I land in a weird squat, ready to launch myself into the battle again.

"Ianua," Tuco barks. "You both?"

"Yes."

"Give me proof."

"I don't have..." I begin, but Garrett cuts me off.

"Willow. The bear with the Cornerstone in it. It's still in the Cache, but the Cornerstone was stolen by some of The Fury that hijacked us before we escaped."

"Not proof." Tuco shakes his head. "You took the bear with you in the ambush. Just because the other savages in the Cache took your Cornerstone, it does not prove your innocence. Only your inability to guard your stone."

"Oh yeah? And where is your Cura's stone?" Garrett returns, the links of his handcuff grating at the frame in response.

"I have proof," I answer and Tuco turns his gritty glare from Garrett to me. "Charlotte Fisk. She was one of our Alo, but now she is Van's right hand. If she's still alive in the Cache, she's running The Program while he's gone."

"The Program?"

"Van is getting The Fury to do what he wants by promising that he'll give them whatever they desire. Once they perform for him, he keeps a few of them around. It's always the ones that don't want much and like to brag about what he gives them. He uses them as proof to the rest of The Fury that he's good to his word."

"What about the ones who want more?"

The blood in my lips runs cold as I say it. "He kills the rest, the majority, after they've completed his assignments. He tells the rest of The Fury that the dead are actually living on their own private islands, enjoying their wildest desires."

Tuco doesn't relent an inch in his stance as he seems to consider everything I am saying.

"Fisk," Tuco repeats.

"She ran the library above the Veritas lodging that was infiltrated. She traded us out to The Fury."

Tuco drops his hand and rubs his chin instead, his eyes darting between Garrett and I.

"I will see."

He turns his back to me and walks to the door. He slips out before I can jump on his back, leaving me posed for a battle and Garrett shackled to the bed. Once the door closes, I go to Garrett.

He runs his hand down the sides of the bed, searching for loose bolts or weak spots in the frame, where we could break a weld and free him. Nothing. I take his restrained hand in mine and search the actual cuff, but there is no way to slide Garrett's broad hand through or break the cuffs themselves--at least, not without bolt cutters or a blow torch.

"I could go back..." I say and Garrett stops his search to hold his finger up to his lips again. We can't be sure people aren't listening, aren't watching. We can't give anything away. I knew it before I said it: I can't go back. But I'm desperate.

He drops his finger from his lips. His gaze meets mine and sinks into me, telling me without words how terrible our situation has become. He sighs to make sure I got it. Accepting it, I slide onto the edge of the mattress beside him.

I stare at him and he stares back. I wonder if he is seeing me the way I suddenly see him, as if his face is brand new. In the dim light, knowing we can't speak, we study each other. Maybe this will be the last time we ever get to do this. My eyes get itchy with tears as I notice the tiniest things about him and they enchant me; treasures that would shift and change if we were allowed time to grow old together. He has a tiny pock mark near his left ear; the flecks of stubble framing his lips and cheeks all have their own directions, but blend perfectly together; there is a light crease along his brow that deepens when he is surprised and disappears when he is angry. He's beautiful and these are treasures that I'm not sure I can keep safe even beyond this moment. But I don't want to waste one second of what we have right now by looking away and missing something that I didn't notice about him before.

His hair is short now, layered so the thick strands fall into place like Sean's hair. It's incredible how much they look alike, until I look in Garrett's eyes. Maybe, since Teagan only spent a few months with Sean, maybe it wasn't long enough for her to memorize what she saw in him. But when I return Garrett's gaze, I know I couldn't mistake him for anyone else. When he turns his attention on me, it's just like plugging a generator into a lake. My skin vibrates. Silver streaks sparkle down my legs and race into my head. I am more alive when I'm with Garrett.

I reach up and trace the planes of his face, his cheekbones that dip inward beneath, the soft hollows beneath them, the strong line of his jaw. When he gives me an unexpected grin, his crooked tooth pops out over his lower lip. He's perfect.

My eyes drift over the new tattoo peeking out from beneath the short sleeve of his shirt. I reach out with one finger and lift the fabric. The intertwining gears there appear in the bottom of both our tea cups. 'Grace' is printed beneath them.

I can't help the frown that forms. He got this tattoo while he was pretending to be Sean, pretending to be Teagan's husband, and Grace's father. While I know deep down that it had to be done, I still hate that it happened. His tattoo makes me feel like Teagan stole Garrett away from me and branded him as hers.

I've tried not to wonder what happened between them, behind closed doors, while Garrett pretended to be his brother and Teagan believed it. I'm ashamed that I'm still jealous of a girl who died so we could escape. It doesn't matter that she only did it to save her own daughter. She still did it, and I'm still alive because of it, and she's still dead.

I drop the sleeve and Garrett catches my eye. He frowns too. I wonder if Garrett ever tortures himself imagining what happened between Milo and me when we were alone in our room too.

Garrett's lips part as if he is about to speak, but we are interrupted as the door to the cell swings open. We startle at once, like reflections in a mirror, but I am the only one that can get all the way to my feet. The handcuff rattles on Garrett's wrist as he strains against it again.

I expected to move, to attack, to get that first advantage, but I miss it the moment Rolan walks in. He has a black box clasped in his fist. Wojtek steps in behind Rolan and Tuco comes in last, pulling the door shut. The dread slides over me. The odds aren't good: three Procella against me and Garrett, who can't get free. If we get down to a fight, even though I'm the only one that can move, I'm still going to be Garrett's liability. But I'll die before they get to him.

"Tell them," Tuco says, motioning to the other two Procella, and instead of arguing, Garrett speaks up immediately from his seat on the edge of the bed. I'm glad it's him, because I don't know if my mouth's even working anymore.

Garrett repeats everything we told Tuco. Wojtek and Rolan's stares are equally piercing and never once waver from Garrett's face. When Garrett's finished, silence swallows up the room until Wojtek shakes his head and chuckles to Tuco. Chuckles. I'm not sure if this is the start of an attack or if he's just trying to let us know what a joke he thinks we are. Rolan's glare remains anything but amused.

"What do you think of this, my brothers?" Tuco asks and Wojtek snorts a tiny chuckle again. Rolan's tongue moves around his mouth before his lips peel back to speak.

"How much will you give to guard your Ianua?"

"Everything," Garrett replies. Rolan's snarl turns on me and I give my answer just as quickly.

"Everything."

"As you may," he says. Dark doors of meaning open with his words.

"Wait a moment," Wojtek says. "Let's think it to the ends first."

Tuco strokes his chin with long, crooked fingers. "I have considered Rolan's suggestion already. Binding will make them appear powerless. At least, that is the way they will be perceived."

"And they could break the ties if necessary." Wojtek's voice is wistful. "Are you willing to jeopardize your binding and sacrifice the possibility of having children together, to protect your community?"

My mind races. I still don't know if these three men are on our side. Maybe this is another test. Maybe they will launch their attack once they have our answers. And the moments it takes me to consider the scope of my sacrifice, are the ones in which I show myself as more human than warrior. I cannot show weakness.

Garrett's answer comes a breath behind mine, but just as solid. "Yes."

I brace for the possible attack, angling a foot in front of Garrett, to shield him as best I can. But the men do not attack. Instead, Wojtek scratches his palm.

"How do you wish to proceed, brothers? We will need Van to approve."

"Yes. Better it should be his idea," Tuco says.

Holy crap. They are on our side.

"I'll do it," Rolan says. "I'm closest to him right now. Leave this part to me."

"Wait," Garrett says. "If you are going to bind us, would someone tell my mother what's happening? Does she even know we're here?"

"Your mother is very busy," Rolan says as he steps closer, "keeping Van subdued. You should know that Van is courting her and she is allowing it, in order to stay close to the rat."

Garrett's mouth clenches and I see him swallow hard.

"Where is the Addo?" I ask. Tuco makes a sharp hiss that snuffs the question.

"No one's business."

Garrett regains his composure. "Are my brothers safe?"

"Your brother is a traitor," Rolan says. His stare is dead as his tongue rolls in his cheek, as if he is trying to assess Garrett's reaction, but Garrett gives him nothing. I step back, the edge of the bed hitting my knees.

"Which one?" he asks. I sink down beside Garrett. There is no answer that won't ruin me. Rolan says the name as if he is spitting.

"Sean."

I'm still reeling from what they said about Sean when Tuco says, "Now show us how you got in here."

"What did Sean do?" Garrett asks.

"Nothing," Rolan grunts. Nothing. They must have found out that Sean is a decoy. Does that mean Sean is in one of the other holding cells? I am back to not trusting them. I can't trust anyone who would say something like that about Sean.

"Where is the tunnel?" Tuco prompts again. I meet his gaze.

"There is no tunnel. The cell doors were unlocked," I say. Rolan puffs behind a smirk. Tuco steps forward and my field explodes, but he doesn't make eye contact with me as he fishes a key out of his pocket. He uncuffs Garrett from the bed frame.

"It is more important that you tell us where the Veritas is that showed you the tunnel," Wojtek says. "He needs our protection. The Fury have been collecting the Cornerstones and scouring for Veritas to help them destroy the Reset mechanism in the Core."

The Core. He's not talking the inner sanctuary of the Hotel Celare, he means the Core. The Core of the Earth that the Veritas watch over and use to balance the energies of the human race. The three Procella standing in Garrett's cell don't have to explain what The Fury want to do--I already know. They want to find the Core so they can stop what we want to start: the Reset. They need all of the Cura's Cornerstones and might have them now that they've killed twelve of the Addos, stolen their stones, and have managed to wrestle our Cornerstone away from the last Addo and last Cura that was intact: the 13th Cura. The one that belongs to Garrett and I.

I still don't know exactly what the Reset will mean to all of us--I'm not sure any of us really do--but my grandfather gave his life and most of his death to let the Ianua know that a Reset is our only chance at maintaining the human race. Addo agreed. He said a Reset is inevitable, since the human race has gotten so out of balance.

But I don't know how much I should trust these three Procella, so I shake my head, like I'm confused. "There is no Veritas. Someone forgot to lock our doors."

"You make this more difficult," Tuco snaps. "You fight us, when we are all on the same side!"

I keep my mouth shut. Garrett stands beside me and his hand slides up my spine, resting in the middle of my back. I relax beneath the reassuring pressure of his fingertips, but I still don't say a word. It surprises me when Garrett does.

"It was one of the Alo," he says. I suck in my breath and whip my head around to look at him. Is he actually going to name an innocent Alo to escape this? Rolan crosses his arms on his chest.

"The Alo wouldn't come here."

Garrett shrugs. "One of them did."

"Then why not give us the name of this courageous Alo?"

"Because it's obviously a lie." Wojtek smoothes down his moustache. The more they talk, the more I think we're going to die. They're getting everything out of us that they can and then they'll kill us. "Why didn't you run, if the doors were unlocked or you had a tunnel to escape from?"

"Yes." The word slithers from Tuco's lips. "Why not?"

Wojtek's fingers tracks between us as he pieces together the possibilities. "Ahh...because the Veritas is still here and you are guarding him..."

"There is no Veritas. I didn't leave because I wasn't leaving without my Vieo," Garrett says and his fingers at my back fall to clasp my hand. Rolan shakes his head.

"You said you were faithful to the Ianua and we unchained you from the bed. We have shown you good faith, but you are not offering us any reason to trust what you say."

"Three Procella against two Contego isn't exactly good faith," Garrett points out.

"It seems we are at an impasse." Wojtek puts a hand in his pocket, relaxing his shoulders. It reminds me too much of how Garrett relaxes when he is getting ready to fight. My nerves twitch.

"We're not the ones who need to prove ourselves," Rolan says, centering his glare on Garrett. "Your brother is a traitor. It seems fair to say that you may be too."

"Sean would never!" I burst out before I can clamp my teeth on my lip. My field breaks open and I'm the only toolbag in the room that drops into fighting stance. I'm so angry, I don't care.

"No?" Tuco says. "He is a liar. He is no Addo. His abilities went missing and only turned back up after you all returned on the flying ball. Addos do not have lapses in their abilities."

"He's Simple," I hiss. "How do you know what a Simple Addo can and can't do?"

"There is no such thing as a Simple Addo."

"There must be," Garrett tells them. "You said yourself that he has abilities."

"Not him. Someone is projecting their abilities on him, to make him appear as an Addo so the other can hide."

Oh my God. They know. Nothing in my body moves or beats or breathes. Only my brain is working, skipping over the same thought again and again: they know.

"Are you going to pretend that you are ignorant?" Rolan snarls. He strides forward, everything in his body language screaming fight! And this time, I'm not going to lose the advantage. I hurl myself at him. But Rolan, as if he is avoiding the staggering steps of a belligerent drunk, sidesteps me easily. I flail past him. I hit the wall at the end of the bed, landing on my forearms. I spin around in time to see Rolan yank up Garrett's sleeve on his tattooed arm.

"THIS!" Rolan roars. "Why should we trust you? You haven't offered us the truth about her, even though her name is engraved in your skin! You take us as fools!"

"It's my niece's name!" Garrett shouts into Rolan's face.

"She is our Addo!"

"She's a baby!" Garrett barks back.

"She can't even receive a sign until she's older!" I shriek.

"We are in a Cusp." Tuco paces forward until his nose nearly touches mine. "We've lost all our Addos, but one. You of all people, should know that things change in a Cusp, Nalena Maxwell."

Garrett presses his lips together and I know he wants me to keep my mouth shut, to give nothing away. He doesn't trust them either.

"You keep asking about our allegiance," Garrett says, "but none of you have told us yours."

"We are of the Ianua," Rolan says. "Of course. What else might we be?"

"Enough of this. " Wojtek says. "Separate them, for now, until we decide what to do with them."

Rolan turns, catching my arm. He pushes me to the door. All I hear is Garrett's shout behind me.

"Pray for help, Nalena!"

He is cut short by a thud and although I struggle to turn and see what happened, the door to his cell slams shut behind Rolan and I.