3 DAYS UNTIL THE AUTUMNAL EQUINOX, DAWN
Dawn opened like a million other Nil dawns before. Only this dawn ushered in the final countdown.
Nil’s own clock was ticking—and so was mine.
I’d never been so tired. Nil’s exhaustion and mine were woven together so tightly I couldn’t tell where mine ended and Nil’s began. I fervently hoped that in the end I had the strength to do what had to be done, and that Nil didn’t pull a trick with me like it had with Paulo, or like it had done with me that first morning in the Looking Glass Cavern.
It felt incredibly good just to sit. It took all I had not to close my eyes.
Beside me, on another fire-warmed rock, Thad sat, arms crossed as he studied the group gathered around the firepit. Paulo’s expression matched Thad’s: intense and focused. Talking to Lana, Zane was smiling, perpetually happy as always; Lana, on the other hand, seemed pensive. Molly sat on my other side, eating pineapple, her legs almost touching Calvin’s. He spoke quietly as she listened and nodded. Davey, Hafthor, and Kenji stood without talking, a trio more sleepy than stoic. Garrett seemed alone even though he sat on Thad’s other side. Dominic leaned against a tree, trident spear in hand. Catching me eyeing him, he winked.
I smiled back. I took it all in, then my eyes found Rives, and stayed. My beautiful Rives. He stood brooding by the Wall, fingering the blade on his hip. If anyone had Nil in his head it was him. I wanted to shake him, to yell at him, to ask him to come back.
But he’d made his choice too. He’d chosen to see the worst in my choice, and in me.
We had nothing left but memories.
Rives strode over to Thad. He never looked my way. “Let’s go over the plan one last time.”
Thad nodded.
Rives faced the group. “Okay, people, listen up. Quick recap before we set out. Molly hasn’t seen anyone new other than Garrett, and as of today, there won’t be any wild gates for the next three days. So we think Garrett is our last rookie, and hopefully the last ever.”
Garrett gave a halfhearted wave, his expression still slightly bewildered.
“But we need to make sure. To be certain that we’ve found all newcomers, we’re going to sweep the island in teams and meet at the mountain in three days. Departure time is midnight, but we should be at the platform and ready by noon, just to be safe. We also need to find Carmen and warn her if we can. Skye, Zane, and Paulo did this last time, so they know the drill. Same for me. Stick with your group. Everyone has a whistle, in case you get separated or need help. Two quick blasts means I’m here, and two quick blasts back is the reply. Three quick blasts means danger, and you can switch it into an SOS for help. Three short, three long, three short. Everyone clear?”
Rives paused as heads nodded.
“Paulo, James, and Kenji will go northeast, sweeping the interior. Steer clear of the mudflats. Molly, Davey, and Dominic will go due north, sweeping the coast and northwest corner. Lana, Zane, Garrett, and Thad will go south, taking the coast and southeast corner. Skye, Hafthor, Calvin, and I will head straight to the mountain, covering the southwestern interior as we go. Everyone has a quadrant, don’t mess around. Just sweep for people. We don’t want to leave anyone behind.” His jaw muscles tensed. “Hafthor will carry the fuse. The rest of us will carry torches, extra twine, and food. Our goal is to meet up at the platform by noon in three days’ time. Our team will get there first, lay the fuse line, and start lining Calvin’s route with torches to help him see. I know he’ll have his own, but the more light the better. At midnight, we’ll all be in place, all torches lit. When the gate starts to rise, we all blow our whistles, and that will tell Calvin to light the fuse and run. He’ll have less than two hundred meters to cover in just over a minute, so he can make it to the gate in time, no problem.”
He looked at Calvin, who nodded.
“By the time the gate locks into place, Calvin should be a good third of the way to the platform. We’ll go through the gate one at a time. Skye has chosen to be last.” He didn’t look at me. Molly gave me a kind smile.
Rives cleared his throat. “All right, let’s pack and roll.”
Paulo came up as we were ready to set out. His dark eyes burned with emotion. “Skye, I don’t think you’re supposed to be last.” His soft tone was forceful. “I think it’s supposed to be me. To make up for my mistake last time.”
I hugged him. “Paulo, you’re sweet. But I know it’s supposed to be me.”
He shook his head. “I’ve heard the island, Skye. You were supposed to see, to guide us, to figure out the end. But you’re not supposed to die. You were supposed to solve the riddle, remember? I don’t think you did.”
Anger flared, giving my words bite.
“Yes, I did. This place is not safe. Look inside. Well, inside the island is gas. Deadly gas. So is lava, and we can connect them with fire. Riddle or no riddle, I know I’m supposed to be last.”
Paulo frowned. “It feels wrong. I need the chance, Skye.” He paused. “A second chance. Please.”
“It’s not about having a second chance, Paulo,” I said, frustrated. “It’s about making a final choice.”
“I know. And I’m willing to make that choice.”
“So am I.” I lifted my chin.
Paulo almost smiled. “You can argue with me in three days.” He took a step, then turned back, his eyes on mine. “It’s supposed to be me,” he said quietly. “Ask Molly.” With a sad smile, he walked away, his pace steady and, if I wasn’t mistaken, resigned.
Rives was watching us, arms crossed.
“What does that mean?” I asked, my eyes darting between him and Paulo. “Ask Molly?”
“Ask her yourself.” Rives pointed to Molly. She stood beside Davey, adjusting a glider pack on his back. It was the last functional glider. I hadn’t even realized Davey knew how to fly one.
“Molly!” I ran over, moving so quickly I surprised myself. “Paulo just told me that he’s supposed to be last. And he said to ask you. What’s changed? What have you seen?”
Molly looked torn. “Skye.” She spoke slowly, or maybe I’d just spoken ridiculously fast. “The thing is, my visions aren’t clear. The timing of them, how they all fit together. And they change. So I’m interpreting them, and who knows what I’m really seeing.”
“What do you see?” Rives’s voice came from behind me. “Why does Paulo think he should be last?”
“Because sometimes he is,” Molly replied. “And sometimes he isn’t. I don’t know.” She closed her eyes, as if willing all the images away. I knew exactly how she felt.
“It’s okay,” I said. I went to hug her, then stopped myself before I touched her; the visions she got from me were far worse than any others, and they got darker each time. “But if you see something you think I need to know, will you promise to tell me?”
She nodded.
I looked at Davey and Dominic. “Please take care of her, and take care of each other.”
“We will do that.” Dominic smiled. “And you.” His voice softened. “You take care of yourself, Skye. This place, do not give it the power. I will see you in three days.”
“Three days,” I promised.
I turned back to find Rives staring at me, a crushing desperation darkening his eyes before disappearing altogether.
“Will you please let Paulo win?” His expression was blank. “Let him go last?”
He crossed his arms, fists tight, intensity barely restrained, his entire bearing making it clear this was a final plea. Rives was asking for so much more; he was asking me to change my mind.
If he could read my thoughts, he’d hear the truth.
We can’t risk it.
Last time Paulo failed.
It has to be me.
“No,” I said sharply. Last time Paulo lost time; I couldn’t risk it happening again. I had no choice.
How could Rives not see that?
Rives turned away, but not before I caught the ache on his face or the pain dulling his eyes.
I sighed. It was going to be a long three days.