I tie my hair in a knot to the side. I put my hands on my hips as I stop and look around. I know the ins and outs of this place, but that was years ago. And dammit, Felix was right about this place being flooded with guards.

I look over at Felix who looks like he’s about to keel over from dehydration, exhaustion, and hunger. I feel all of those things too plus excruciating pain, but I know how to function feeling this way. I spent the first two years on Earth like this. I remember getting so desperate for a drink of water that I had to drink from rain puddles in the street. Sage drank toilet water once, but I said I’d die before I got that desperate. I gag a little at the thought.

“Okay, Oreo. What now?”

Felix looks around until his eyes land on the same guards my eyes are focused on.

“You could get in there. You would be a good distraction. I’m sure word has already been sent out that I’m missing and you’re with me.”

“And what exactly do you want me to say? I mean, they’re not going to be too happy with me, Orion.”

I think for a minute. “Act like you don’t know me. I mean, you’re not supposed to anyway, right? Then-”

“I’m not good at lying! I’ve never been allowed to! I’m not you!”

I close my eyes as his words burn a little. I look down at my hands.

“No you’re not me, but if you’re going to survive this shit, you’re going to have to be like me. Whatever the hell that means.” I glare at him without meaning to.

“Okay, so I just go in like I don’t know what the hell just happened and I’m trying to get home?”

I nod.

“Shit. Okay.” He takes a few deep breaths of encouragement and shakes his hands like he’s preparing for a fight. “I can do this.” He goes to walk off but stops and walks back over to me. “Shit, I can’t do this! What do I do after I get in there? What are you going to do?”

“You’re going to act like you’re scared and just want to go home. While they’re trying to help you, I’ll sneak in. They won’t see me. I swear. And I want you to go home like everything is normal. I’ll be there later. Now go!”

He curses the whole way over. I stay hidden behind a tree and watch. It doesn’t look like he’s saying anything. He’s just hugging himself and shaking. I hear the guards demanding answers about me, but he just shakes his head and says he doesn’t know what they’re talking about. He then goes into a full meltdown about being hungry and tired. That’s not fake.

They look directly where I’m standing but don’t see me because I’m hidden behind a tree. They then turn and take Felix. One guard stays behind, but in two seconds, he’ll be either compelled or dead.

I hurry over and run through the gate. When he sees me, he shouts at me. I slam my back against the back of a building as he runs over. When he gets right in front of me, I grab the front of his shirt. He looks at my hands then my eyes. Go back and guard the gate as if you never saw me.

He blinks a few times then walks back over to his spot as if nothing happened. I take a deep breath as I focus on my next move. Knowing I had mind control could have been so useful on Earth. I sneak around the building and onto the familiar streets of Dandux. I turn my head as people look at me. I’m sure I’m a sight. I’m dirty, wearing clothes that don’t fit right, and my hair is tied in a knot. I look homeless. Shit, I am homeless. At least I’m not recognizable.

I head toward Sage’s house. I walk up the steps and knock on her front door without hesitation. I hear footsteps then see her mom, Dena. She freezes when she realizes who I am. She goes to slam the door in my face, but I stop the door with my hand.

“Please, let me in. I know the truth about Sage. Please,” I beg.

She looks past me, her eyes shifting left to right; she then moves so I can come in. After I’m in, she locks the door and closes the blinds.

“What are you doing here?” She whispers. “Are you here to hurt me? Did you bring others with you?”

“No. I’m not here to hurt you. No one is going to hurt you.”

I find a chair and sit down. I rest my head in my hands and close my eyes. As my adrenaline wears off, the pain from my side intensifies.

“Orion, dear, what are you doing here? What do you know about Sage?”

“I know she died, and it’s my fault,” I whisper.

She sits down beside me and touches my face. I jerk a little.

“I can’t believe it’s you. Are you sure Sage is really dead?” She looks at me like she’s seen a ghost.

I go to talk but being hungry, tired, and thirsty plus the emotions of everything that has happened hit me all at once. I can’t contain it. I burst into tears. I want my mom, my dad, Sage, Felix. I just want everything back to the way it was before I had to be stupid and look for Earth. I had no business doing that. I want to know that Kyle is okay. I want my emotions that got so tied up in Plath back. I just want this all to stop.

I feel Dena’s arms wrap around me. She rubs my back and lets me cry. This woman has never really liked me. I was always the rebellious Dweller that was unfortunately her daughter’s best friend. But I appreciate her kindness right now. I need it.

“Orion, you’re burning up. Are you sick?”

I shake my head and wipe my tears on the back of my hand. “No. I’ve been walking, and it’s hot outside.”

She furrows her eyebrows. “No. You are hot. As in fever hot.”

Shit. I touch my side and wince as pain courses through it. I pull up my shirt and show her.

“This could be the cause of that.”

Her mouth forms into a hard line. “I have medicine in the cabinet. Do you remember where the bathroom is?”

I nod and stand.

“Go get yourself cleaned up, and you can wear some of Sage’s clothes. I’ll let you stay the night here, but you have to leave tomorrow. I don’t know what you have got yourself into, but the Constable is looking for you. If they know you’re here and I’ve helped you, I’ll be hung first thing Thursday morning.”

“They won’t know I’m here.”

I smile reassuringly as I think about what I have to do. I’ll leave tonight, but before I do, I’ll compel her. She won’t know that I was ever here, and she won’t have to risk getting caught by pretending if she’s questioned.

She nods then walks into the kitchen. I go to the bathroom and take a much-needed shower. I stand in front of the mirror to get a good look at my side—it’s bad. I use my hands to take a drink from the faucet then wrap myself in a towel and head to Sage’s room. Tears fill my eyes when I close the door and see it hasn’t changed a bit. There are still clothes in the floor just like she left it. I swallow hard and walk to her closet.

After getting dressed, I look for a ponytail holder and pull my hair up—trying to not freak out that I’m wearing my dead friend’s clothes. I start opening drawers, trying to find anything that might give me clues as to what Sage knew and if she knew anything at all.

I close the last drawer and sigh. Nothing. I look under her bed and see a shoe box that’s decorated. I pull it out and see pictures of her and me. I then rummage to the bottom of it and see index cards full of words and dates. I don’t have time to read them now so I take them and shove them into my bra. I look in the mirror to make sure they’re all hidden then walk into the kitchen. Her mom sets a glass of water and pills down in front of me.

“Here. One is for pain and the fever, and the other two are antibiotics.” She hands me the bottle. “Take them until they are gone two times a day.”

I down the pills. “Thank you.”

“Are you hungry?”

I nod. “Very.”

She starts fixing a sandwich. “What really happened to my daughter?”

“She was killed by Sphere Hunters on Earth.”

She nods without looking at me. After she fixes the sandwich, she hands it to me. I want to swallow this thing whole, but I pace myself.

“I figured as much. I assume you know about her abilities then?” She sits across from me at the table.

“Abilities? I know about mine, but I didn’t-”

She nods. “Mind control. And Plath? What do you know about him?”

I set my sandwich down and stare at her before responding. I have to let what she just told me about Sage process before I can respond to her mentioning the person I despise the most.

“What about Plath? Do you know him?” My voice comes out angry.

“He’s my son.” Those three words just coursed through me like a bolt of electricity. “He was taken from his father and me when he was three. Sage was almost two and too young to remember. We owed the Constable a debt…” She looks shamefully at the floor as her voice trails off into silent tears.

I feel sick to my stomach. So Caym isn’t his father. I rest my head in my hands as the room spins a little. It’s either the pain medicine or information overload. No, it’s definitely information overload. I hate Plath. I fucking hate him. What else could he possibly lie to me about? I stand and excuse myself. I need to find somewhere to lose it without an audience.