Nate’s eyes closed on their own. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
“Hey, now,” Brick said, louder. “Stay awake.”
Reed gave Nate a light shake and walked faster. “Nate. Don’t go to sleep.”
“How long?” Nate meant to ask, “How long was I out?” But his voice wouldn’t work. He floated, losing track of the steady beat of Reed’s footsteps.
“Only a little while.” Reed sounded pained. “We gave you the last of that stuff Alden had, remember? It doesn’t seem like it’s helping very much.”
A nearby explosion shook the ground, and Reed stumbled, dropping Nate to his feet beside him as he caught his balance. Pixel and Brick crowded close, and Brick slung her strong arms around Nate to keep him on his feet. For a long second, Nate wondered if this was it—if they’d die huddled together.
Because of me.
“We’re okay,” Reed said raggedly. He hefted Nate back up. “Run!”
Brick and Pixel dashed across the street, away from the direction of the explosion. Reed’s pulse beat hard against Nate.
“What if Alden’s friends are all blasted up?” Pixel asked, sniffling.
Nate’s heart sank at the undercurrent of hope. He wanted to fight, to struggle out of Reed’s arms and explain that no one Alden knew would do anything kind without wanting something in return. It was a risk he was willing to take—but not something he’d gamble Pixel’s safety on.
His voice caught in his throat, a broken moan.
“You want to know a secret?” Reed asked.
Pixel sniffled. “I can keep them. Ask Nate.”
Reed laughed, winded. “Alden gave us directions to a basement. It’ll be safe down there.”
“I don’t like basements.” Pixel grimaced. “They’re full of rats and pee.”
“Hopefully not this one. Come on.” Brick tugged Pixel along and cast Reed a worried look over her head. She caught Nate watching her and gave him a grim smile.
They ducked into a shadowed alcove. A group ran by with torches that reeked of gasolex. Nate couldn’t tell if they were runningfromsomething or not, but their yells echoed with merriment—a distorted sound like a party gone sour.
The last sprint was the shortest—or Nate passed out. The next thing he knew, Reed was carrying him down stairs lit by bright lights fastened to the walls. Squinting at the glow, he admired the tinkering he saw. Clean installations with no wires hanging down. Someone knew what they were doing.
“We need help!” Brick called out, knocking on a steel door on thick hinges. It reminded Nate of something, but he couldn’t place where he’d seen the gleaming metal before.
A ticker affixed to the wall chirped at them:Identify yourself.
“I told you we needed a name,” Pixel mumbled. “Tell them it’s the Alley Cats.”
Brick’s cheeks went scarlet. For a moment, Nate thought she was going to laugh.
“We were sent by Alden!” Reed tripped over the name, as if it pained him to speak it. “He said you would be able to help a GEM.” He went hoarse. “He’s sick.”
When the door opened, Nate moaned quietly, overcome by the sweet, comforting scent of honey. If this was dying, he’d go to sleep unafraid.
A woman stood in the doorway, filling the frame with her tall, strong form. She looked the way Nate imagined the Old Gods, beautiful and frightening—pale skin smooth, and hair shaved down to brown stubble. There was something familiar about her eyes, like he’d seen them before. “My name is Agatha.”
Pixel pushed between Brick and Reed, brushing by Nate’s leg. She squirmed out of Reed’s grip and stepped up to Agatha. “You’re a GEM.”
Agatha laughed a deep, lovely sound. “I believe you are too, little one. Bring your sick friend inside. It looks like you’d better hurry.”
The air inside the basement tasted stuffy, but it didn’t smell like gasolex and violence. Scent memories threaded through Nate’s awareness—flashes of polished metal and fear.
On one wall, dark-green plants grew under glaring lights. Even from the middle of the room, Nate could feel the heat they generated. It was more green than he’d ever seen in the Withers. If he hadn’t been vomiting into a pail, he would have gone to touch them and smell them and taste them. Instead, he retched, no longer able to control the sounds that sobbed out of him.
