Chapter 41

“Varujan?” I call.

My voice echoes, then fades.

He’s gone.

I’m alone.

If a Seam is near, I can whisper a lie and get out of here, save myself—forget about this bizarre nightmare …

Except …

There is no escape.

Not even in death.

Not until I reach the Light.

In a way, I understand this reckoning better than anything else—how vital this moment is to my future.

All along, I believed it was a weakness, a flaw.

I choose to feel. I choose to protect. It’s who I am.

If I leave now, my existence will be no different than the band’s—replaying mistakes and horrors without the ability to make amends. Always wondering if Mom or I am being watched, being stalked in a time of weakness.

Time to stand up for yourself. And for the ones who can’t. I made a vow.