Nothing that ties me toher.
But my hands won’t stop shaking.
I stagger back from the console and press my palms to my face. My skin is slick. I don’t know if I’m sweating or crying. Maybe both.
“Rynn.”
I jerk at the voice. Whip around.
Drel stands in the doorway, arms crossed, eyes glowing that calm ocean-blue Alzhon stare that seeseverything.
“How long have you been there?” I rasp.
“Long enough.” He steps inside. Doesn’t look at the console. Doesn’t have to. “You’re unraveling.”
“I’mhandling it.”
“No,” he says gently. “You’redesperate.”
I turn away. “You don’t understand?—”
“I understand more than you think.”
I bite down on the scream in my throat. “Then stop judging me.”
He sighs. Moves closer. “I’m not judging you. I’mworried.”
I don’t want this right now. I can’thavethis right now. I grip the edge of the counter and dig my nails into the seam.
“He’s looking,” I whisper. “Vael. He’s digging.”
“I figured he would.”
“He’s smart. He’s stubborn. And heremembers.”
Drel places a hand on my shoulder. “Then tell him.”
I shove his hand off. “I can’t.”
“You’re going to break yourself trying to bury this alone.”
“If I tell him, I lose her. If I don’t, Istillmight.”
He’s quiet for a long moment.
Then: “She had an incident at school.”
That yanks my head up so fast I see stars. “What?”
“Earlier today. Power flicker. System error. Three kids got shocked. No injuries, but… it’s flagged.”
“Why didn’t anyone call me?”
“They tried. The network was unstable.” He hesitates. “They’re going to run a genetic panel if it happens again.”
My knees give out and I slide to the floor.
Drel crouches beside me. “You need to think clearly, Rynn. You’re not just dodging Vael. You’re dodgingeveryone.”
