HAVEN ✓

Thirty-Four

"Woah, woah, wait." I pull away from Rhett, his hands slipping from my shoulders like a heavy liquid. Of all the revelations presented to me, this is the one that nearly stops my heart. "Me? All this time, the whole reason I am here right now—why my brother was stolen, why Markee was taken—is so you can use me as some experiment?"

My pitch rises as my horror does. The blood rushing in my ears drowns their words of denial, and I stare unseeing at their fluttery, soothing mannerisms meant to calm me down. But I don't want to be calm. I don't know what I should be feeling, but all I know is that I need out. I need air. I need the open sky and the trees and the freedom of the forest I've come to love.

Not a second after the thought, I pivot and stride out of the lab, praying no one follows me. Large, brisk steps take me down the sidewalk and through the quiet campus. Each footfall bangs like my heart pumping. It's like my insides are all rushing around frantically and I can't stop. I can't stay still. I can't think. So I keep walking and walking until my shoes skid to a halt. Until my chest shrieks for air, and I have to double over just to suck in a breath.

Only then do I allow the words—the truth—into my mind: I can destroy the Skinwalkers.

This is what I came here for, isn't it? To help end Natio's suffering and free Markee by following Summus Aspen's orders. It's what I was brought to Perseca for. Which means...

I almost choke on my own breath. I need to find Luke, and I need to get my head straight.

I dash across the sidewalk, running straight for the dormitories. The long, unmowed grass tickles my ankles, and the image vaults into my mind: laying back in the grass beside Luke. The sky blue, the clouds white. His hands gently bandaging my blistered feet. A weight knocks around in my chest as I run with the memory. It feels like so long ago.

I am winded by the time I climb to the third floor, stumbling up the last few steps of the staircase. Barging into my room, I am already banging on the adjoining door to Luke's suite as I catch my breath. After a minute of silence accompanying my heavy breathing, I kick the door, frustrated, and bound back into the hallway.

Only I smack into someone as I exit my room. The wind whooshes in my ears and the feeling of falling backward rocks my stomach. I flail, trying to catch myself, but my body stops short of the floor.

Heaving, I look up into a forest of green. My heart stutters, and I glance from his eyes to the sun-bleached hair falling onto the forehead of none other than Luke. All at once, I feel his hands on me. His hands are warm, so warm wrapped around my back. This is the closest we've been in too long, and my skin tingles at his touch.

"Are you alright?" he asks as he rights me. The concern in his voice sends warm currents through my jelly limbs.

"Are you using me?" I blurt.

Luke shakes his head like he has water in his ears. "What are you talking about?" He volleys, calloused hands lingering on my upper arms as if I'll fly away.

"Your father knew they wanted me here," I accuse. "It wasn't just a random assignment to come to Perseca. Do you know why they were expecting me? Do you know what they want to do with me?"

I see the alarms blaring in his eyes, and the suspense eats at my already thin nerves.

Then, the distress in his eyes transforms to barely concealed rage. "What did they do to you?" His voice is grave, and it would scare me a little, but the anxiety is flooding out of me faster than an uncorked dam.

"Nothing. They didn't do anything to me. Not yet." I look into his eyes, seeing the truth. "So you don't know what I can do. The real reason your father sent us here."