Prue smiles, satisfied by my answer.
“Good. We start at dawn. And Gray,” she adds, voice lowering so only he hears, “this one is yours to keep alive.”
Gray meets her gaze and nods once.
“Welcome to the Resistance,” Prue says.
And for the first time in days, I allow myself to hope. Because if anyone can take down the Director and bring Ender back, it’s us.
chapter
forty-nine
Haven
After the celebration ends, the rebels disperse. Someone cracked open an old bottle of wine, and it did the rounds for a bit. I didn’t indulge. It feels strange to enjoy myself when it feels like I’ve lost.
Sullivan guides us deeper into the mountain. We pass reinforced doors and slender corridors, drifting deeper into the belly of the cave. The air is cooler down here, damp with the scent of earth and metal. Cables snake along the walls, and fluorescent light pours down from the ceiling.
The hideout unfolds in layers. There are living quarters in the base levels. A small infirmary on the second floor. And a command room at the top for strategy meetings.
“What is this place?” Mercy whispers.
Sullivan exhales through his nose. A hint of pride crosses his eyes.
“We call it the Hollow,” he says. “It existed long before the regime. It was originally a mining facility that was abandoned. We rebuilt it and kept it hidden ever since.”
The Hollow. It’s an apt name.
“It’s well-protected,” he continues. “Signal-proof. They can’t track implants down here. So, those with the Bind, like Gray and me and a few others, can move efficiently.”
“It’s impressive,” I say.
Our room is at the far end of the hallway, away from the noise and the crowds. Two small beds are bolted into the stone floor, knitted blankets folded with care are placed at the foot. A single lamp casts warm, amber light around the room. Someone has even placed a vase of dried wildflowers on the desk, their yellow petals brittle and stubbornly bright.
“It’s nice,” Mercy says. “Thank you, Sullivan.”
“You’ll be safe here,” Sullivan assures. “As safe as anyone can be these days.”
He closes the door and leans against the frame. His eyes are distant as he speaks.
“I promised your mother,” he begins, “that if anything ever happened to her, I would tell you everything. I just hoped I wouldn’t have to do it like this.”
My chest tightens.
“You loved her,” I say softly.
It is clear as day. I can’t believe I never noticed before. Anytime I spoke of her, he’d get this small smile on his lips. I just thought he liked hearing me speak about someone I loved. But all along, he loved her too.
“Yes,” he answers without hesitation. “I did.”
Mercy shifts closer to me, and I slide my hand in hers. It is a comfort to have her nearby during all this turmoil.
“She was a Common with the heart of an Untamed. She was brave and fierce, much like you two,” Sullivan says. “The moment she discovered what you were, Haven, she learned everything she could about your powers. There aren’t many like you, if any; there were barely any records to peruse. But sheknew without a doubt that you were powerful beyond measure and that someday you would change the course of the world.”
My pulse roars in my ears. It is hard to believe that I am this great savior who will lead the Resistance to glory.
“Once, I learned that you were working for Prue, I told them about your powers. I never wanted you to be dragged into this war, Haven. But if you want to fight, I won’t stop you,” Sullivan says. “My only request to Prue is that you learn to master your gifts. Your powers are so much greater than we can imagine. Your mother believed that you could alter events as well as freeze time.”
