“Stop talking like you’re leaving.” The words rip from somewhere deep. “You’re not leaving me.”
Her thumb brushes my cheek. “I’ve been leaving since the day I got sick. You just refused to see it.”
Truth tastes like copper. Like blood in my mouth.
“I want you—” My voice breaks. “I just want you to stay.”
“I know.” Her hand drops. “But I need you to let me go.”
“Dakota.” Julien crouches beside me, one hand on my shoulder. His eyes are gentle but unyielding. “I don’t want to rush this, but we need to get out of here.”
Amelia’s voice draws me back. “Go. Please.”
Heavy boots pound up the steps. Ramirez bursts in, rifle at the ready. “What the fuck are you still doing here?” His eyes dart from Amelia’s leg to Julien, to me. “Those things breached the gate. We need to get to the boats before they cut off our escape route.”
“Boats?” Julien stands.
“Two of them at the boathouse. Maya prepped them while I got your grandmother.” Ramirez checks the window. “We need to move. Now.”
“I’ll distract them.” Amelia’s voice is steady. Determined.
“No,” I say. “You can’t even walk.”
“I can make enough noise to draw them away. Let me do this for you. Please.”
“I can’t just leave you to?—”
“Get her out of here, Julien.” Amelia’s eyes lock with his over my shoulder. “Now.”
“No.” I try to back away, but his strong arms wrap around my waist, lifting me as I flail. “Julien, don’t! We can’t leave her!”
“Dakota.” Amelia’s voice cuts through my struggles. “I love you. I’ve always loved you.”
“No!” I twist in Julien’s grip. “Put me down! Meli!”
Sienna steps forward, kneeling beside my sister. She wraps her arms around Amelia in a tight hug. “Thank you.”
Cameron follows, squeezing Amelia’s shoulder. “We won’t forget that.”
Julien carries me backward through the doorway, my hands still reaching for my sister. Amelia’s eyes never leave mine, her smile sad but certain.
“Take care of her,” she calls after us.
“With my life,” Julien promises.
Amelia nods once, then sways to her feet, using the wall for support. Blood trickles down her leg, leaving smeared tracks as she limps toward the back door. She pauses at the threshold, and my whole being waits for her to look back to tell me this is a nightmare, to laugh and say it was all a joke…
But instead, she disappears from my view.
A scream tears from my throat before Julien’s hand clamps over my mouth, his arms like steel around me.
“I’m sorry,” he murmurs against my hair. “I’m so sorry.”
I dig my nails into the skin of his arms. This can’t be happening. Not Amelia. Not after everything. The world narrows to the sound of my heart pounding in my ears and the wet heat of tears flooding down my cheeks.
“We need to go.” Ramirez checks his rifle, face grim. “She won’t have long.”
Julien turns me in his arms, his hands cupping my face. “Dakota, look at me. Look. At me.”
