Chapter 15

I STOLE A GLANCE AT EVER AS I PULLED A SWEATER OVER MY undershirt. She looked more

normal today. Balanced, calm, as she tied her shoes.

Too calm.

I didn't think she slept last night. She was awake when I returned to the room and perched on the edge

of her bed when I woke up. She'd been in the same position, staring at the wall, when I returned from my

run with Callum.

"Are you ready?" I asked, edging toward the door. She was scaring me. Her eyes were hard and icy

and I half expected her to leap up and tear my throat out.

She stood slowly, letting out a little sigh as our eyes met.

Then she stepped forward and hugged me.

I stiffened, waiting for the catch, the real reason for the hug, but she just clung tighter.

I slowly wrapped my arms around her back, gently pressing my hands against the soft cotton of her

shirt. She was warm—not Callum-warm, but certainly warmer than me, although her body shook with the

intensity of someone who was freezing.

She pulled away and took a deep breath, attempting a smile through the tears that had formed in her

eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

I heard the crack first. I hit the ground before I realized she'd slammed her foot into my knee, breaking

the kneecap.

"Ever, wh—" I pressed my lips together to stop a scream as she grabbed my ankle and broke the other

leg with one horrific twist.

I shoved the pain away, relegated it to a part of my brain I didn't acknowledge. It tickled at me,

refusing to be completely ignored, but I was a master at numbing my body.

Ever sent an apologetic look my way as she ran out the door. She was herself. Why would she do that

if she were herself?

I gripped the edge of the mattress and struggled to my feet. A grunt escaped my mouth as fresh agony

ripped through my legs and I had to cling to the edge of the bed to stay upright.

Gunshot.

My head spun to the door to see the Reboots who'd been walking past freeze in mid-step at the sound.

Silence.

Silence was never good here.

I let go of the bed and promptly crashed to the floor, my broken legs not able to support my weight. I

dug my fingers against the cold tile and crawled into the hallway, whipping my head one way and then the

other.

The guard at the end of the hall was dead—sprawled out on the floor, a bullet through his head. His

gun holster was empty.

"Who did that?" I gasped, even though I knew the answer.

The young Reboot standing a few feet away looked down at me sadly. "Ever."

I grasped her hand and she jumped, eyes wide with fear, as I used her as support to heave myself to

my feet. My bones were beginning to heal, but I still wobbled.

I opened my mouth to ask if she would help me walk when another gunshot sounded. She jerked her

hand from mine and sprinted in the opposite direction.

The wall didn't have much to hold on to so I leaned against it, dragging myself down the hallway.

Reboots flew past me, everyone else headed away from the shots. More rang out as I threw open the door

to the stairwell. I could walk faster with a solid grip on the railing, and I hobbled down the stairs as

quickly as I could.

"Hey," I said, grabbing Hugo's arm as he ran up the stairs. "Where is she?"

"She was headed for the cafeteria," he said, eyebrows lowered as he surveyed me. "What's wrong

with you?"

I felt one of my kneecaps snap into place as it fully healed and I darted down the stairs, dragging the

other leg.

"Where are you going?" Hugo yelled after me. "She's killing guards; you're gonna get shot!"

His warning faded as I raced through the seventh-floor door. Gunfire exploded in my ears and I

looked from left to right frantically.

Two guards lay dead on the floor. Ever stood at the doorway of the cafeteria, a guard's helmet on her

head. Several bullets had dinged it and her white shirt was covered in blood.

A guard flew around the corner and Ever whirled to face him, gun aimed. She fired off a round

straight into his chest before he could react. Her face was hard, her lips pursed, her eyes scanning the area

for another threat.

But she was still herself.

She reached up and unhooked the helmet, letting it fall to the ground as she pressed her hand to the

cafeteria door.

What was she doing? They'd kill her the minute she walked in.

Both my legs had healed and I took off running as she opened the door, trying to yell her name. My

voice didn't work.

"Wren!" I felt a tug on my arm and turned to see Callum's worried face. I yanked my arm away and

bolted after Ever as she stepped into the cafeteria.

"Wren, stop!" Callum's footsteps followed me.

I burst through the door to see Ever climbing up on a table. She tossed aside the gun and made a

gesture at the officers in the little room above the cafeteria like, What are you waiting for?

I ran for her, reaching out for her hand. "Ever, st—" My voice was lost in a barrage of gunshots.

I felt her blood splatter across my face.

Her head flew back.

And then I was on the ground, someone's arms tight around me, his body shielding mine. I think he

was talking, but his words sounded garbled in my ear. His scent was familiar.

Callum.

"Clear the cafeteria." The sound over the intercom made me jump, the dull human voice piercing the

fog.

His arms left, but I couldn't move.

Clear the cafeteria. I had to walk.

I couldn't walk. I couldn't move.

Callum grabbed me by the arms and pulled me to my feet. Cloth against my face, and I opened my eyes

to see him using his shirt to wipe away Ever's blood.

"Walk," he said.

I blinked and attempted to put one foot in front of the other. I stumbled.

Callum wrapped an arm around my waist and held me against him, dragging me through the doors and

out into the hallway.

He pulled me into the boys' restroom and propped me up next to a sink, slowly slipping his arm from

my waist. I leaned against the cool tile wall and closed my eyes, gripping the edge of the sink for support.

I felt something warm and wet on my face and neck and opened my eyes to see him cleaning me with a

cloth.

"Are you wearing an undershirt?"

I couldn't comprehend the strange question. I touched my shirt and my hand came away wet, red. I

took in a sharp breath.

He lifted up my shirt in back to check when I didn't respond. I was. Always.

He pulled off the black top shirt and threw it away, wiping my bloody fingers until they were clean.

He tossed the cloth in the trash.

He reached for me and I pushed him away. I thought I might scream if he hugged me, held me close

like Ever had a few minutes ago.

No screaming. That was my own rule.

He put his hands on my cheeks instead, making me look into his black eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, close to tears.

I should have been close to tears. Ever would have been. A human would have been bawling.

Crying was the normal thing to do. She deserved tears.

I shook his hands off, pressing my palm to my mouth to stop the scream building in my chest. I couldn't

break down in front of him.

I ran out of the bathroom, keeping my hand against my lips as I leaped up the stairs and headed for my

quarters. I curled up on my mattress, pulling the covers over my face so I couldn't see her empty bed.

But still, no tears came.