“We’re leaving.”
“No.”
I plant my feet.
The man’s patience snaps.
He slams me hard against the porch railing.
Pain explodes through my ribs.
“Move,” he growls.
Mara grabs his arm.
“That’s enough.”
“She’s stalling.”
“Of course she is.”
Mara looks at me.
Something flickers behind her eyes.
Regret.
But it disappears just as quickly.
“Listen carefully,” she says.
“I’m not here to kill you.”
“That’s reassuring.”
“But I will if Boone and Adam refuse to cooperate.”
My heart pounds harder.
“What do you want from them?”
“The same thing the Architect wants.”
“And that is?”
Her voice lowers.
“For them to lead.”
I shake my head.
“You’re insane.”
“No,” she says quietly.
“I’m practical.”
The wounded man grabs my arm again and pulls me toward the trees.
