I freeze for a moment, meeting her eyes. Guilt twists in my chest. I think about how afraid I used to be, the first time I saw Jinn’s crew—their size, their voices, their rough edges. I see now that I’m part of that picture, just as frightening from the outside.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper to her, my voice breaking. “We didn’t mean to hurt you. I swear.”
She just stares, too shocked to respond.
Behind me, Jace calls out, “Carrie! Get it started.”
I slide behind the wheel, my hands shaking as I turn the key. The engine rumbles to life. I yell back, “Let’s go! Now!”
Levi lets the man up, keeping the gun pointed at the ground, and shoves him toward his wife. Jace grabs my bag and helps Nico pile into the back. Levi jumps in last, slamming the door just as I shift the car into gear.
We tear down the long gravel drive, frost and stones spraying under the tires. In the mirror, the man and woman cling to each other, small and scared in their own yard. I feel sick, knowing we’ve left more fear behind us.
As we turn onto the empty road, my hands tighten on the wheel. My eyes sting. I drive faster, wishing I could leave the guilt behind as easily as we leave that house.
We drive in silence for a few miles, the stolen car rattling over every bump. My hands are stiff on the wheel. I can’t stop thinking about the woman’s terrified face, or the way the man looked when Levi pointed the gun at him. My stomach is twisted up with guilt and shame.
I can’t hold it in anymore. “Levi, what were you thinking? You could have hurt him. You could have made things so much worse for all of us.”
Levi looks away, his jaw tight. “I know. I’m sorry, Carrie. I just…snapped. I thought he was going to shoot you.”
His apology surprises me. He means it. There’s no defensiveness, just regret and a kind of raw honesty I rarely see.
Jace glances up at me from the back seat, his face still pale. “We’re all on edge. It’s not an excuse, but…we need to keep it together from now on. We’re in enough trouble already.”
Nico leans forward, voice low. “Switch with me, Carrie. You’re shaking.” I nod and pull over on the shoulder, my legs almost giving out as I climb out and let him take the wheel. The air outside is cold and sharp; it helps clear my head.
Once we’re all buckled back in, Nico pulls out onto the empty road, steady hands on the steering wheel. The sun is finally climbing, painting the fields gold. It feels like we’ve been running forever.
Jace breaks the silence. “We can’t keep running like this. We have to go back home. Talk to the other Reapers. If anyone can help us disappear, it’s them.”
Levi nods, but there’s tension in his shoulders. “They’re not going to like it if we show up with this much heat on us. You know how it looks.”
Nico drives, eyes fixed on the road. “We don’t have another choice. Out here, we’re alone. With the club, at least we’ve got backup. People who know how to keep quiet.”
I shift in my seat, hugging my knees to my chest. The wordhomesounds strange now. It’s not a safe place, not really. But it’s the only thing we have left.
“What if they don’t want us there?” I say quietly. “What if they see me as a liability?”
Jace glances back, his voice softer. “They know what Jinn did. And after everything you did for us, they owe you a shot.”
Levi adds, “We can’t survive on the run forever. We need allies. We need a plan.”
We drive in tense silence, the plan hanging over us like a storm cloud. As the familiar roads start to appear, my nerves twist tighter. I stare out at the fields, thinking hard.
Finally, I speak up. “Let me go in first.”
The guys turn to look at me like I’ve lost my mind. Levi shakes his head right away. “No way. If something goes sideways, you’re alone in there.”
Jace’s frown is deep. “You think we’re going to sit out here while you walk in by yourself? Not happening.”
Nico glances in the rearview, eyes serious. “You sure you want to do that, Carrie? They might not even let you past the door.”
I press my hands together, forcing myself to sound steady. “I’m the only one who can talk to them. If all three of you walk in, it looks like we’re bringing trouble right to their door. I need them to see me, hear me out, before they make up their minds.”
Jace sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face. “If you’re not back out in ten minutes, I’m coming in after you.”
Levi mutters, “Five minutes.”
