Matti appears by my side. He simply steps between me and Gavin and gives him a look that makes it clear that the conversation is over.
“She’s with us,” Matti says.
Gavin stares at him, then at me. His jaw tightens as hurt and frustration briefly flash across his face.
From behind him, someone calls his name.
“The boats are waiting,” he tells me, a last ditch effort to change my mind.
“I know.” I hold his gaze. “I’m sorry.”
He looks at me for one more second, then turns away.
I immediately turn to Matti, trying not to panic. “Where is he?”
Matti takes my arm and starts moving me through the crowd, angling toward the far edge of the pavilion where the smoke is thinner. “Let’s get you to Siena and Gi first—”
“Matti.” I stop walking. “Where is Vin?”
“I don’t have a confirmed location yet.” He starts moving again, but I don’t move with him.
The tunnel starts to close in on my vision again, and I breathe against it. Instantly, I see Vin’s face, how he looked at me, howhe touched me. The way he said ‘I love you.’ The way I didn’t say it back.
I pull out of Matti’s grip and turn back the way we came.
“Sophie—”
I don’t run. I don’t panic; I don’t have that luxury right now. I move quickly and with intention through the thinning crowd, back toward the main pavilion, scanning every face, every cluster of guards.
“Sophia.” My father’s voice sounds like a whisper in the chaos, even though he’s yelling my name.
He leans against the far wall of the covered walkway, his jacket gone, his shirt collar open. He looks 10 years older than he did an hour ago. Matti comes up behind me and stops.
“Papá.” I go to him. He takes my face in his hands and looks me up and down, taking inventory. “I’m fine. I’m okay. Have you seen Vin?”
His hands tighten on my face. “You are staying with me—”
“Where is Vin?”
He drops his gaze and closes his eyes briefly. When he opens them, I see nothing but distress.
“Papá.” My voice cracks. “Tell me.”
“We were together when it happened. Talking.” He swallows. “The device was directional. It came from the east side of the pavilion. Vin was standing in front of me when it went off.”
The world tilts.
“So he took the brunt of the—” I can’t even finish my sentence. I grip my father’s hands, pressing them against my face and shake my head, closing my eyes.
“The guards found him immediately.” My father says this like I should be reassured by it. “He is hurt, Sophia, but his men have him.”
“How hurt?”
“Sophia, I’m not a doctor—”
“Papá. How hurt?”
My father kisses my forehead gently as his hands drop from my face. “He is hurt,” he says finally. “Go to him.”
