I look for Grag, but he’s out of earshot. Bri’s eyes meet mine and I reach for her hand. Those houses they’re laughing about burning. That’s where her family lives.

The marching stops.

“You hear something?”

I freeze, squeezing Bri’s trembling hand. Zora tilts her head in question at the footman marching by. I press my fingers to my lips and shake my head no. We can’t fight them right here, right now. There are too many of us injured. I hate them for what they’re doing. What their friends have done. But, in this moment, choosing not to fight makes us strong.

“No, did you hear something?” the guard says.

“Guess not.” The marching continues, but we hold still until every sound of them has long faded. Bri hugs around herself.

“They will pay,” I say.

She nods, but I can tell her hope is fracturing.

“Let’s go,” I say to everyone as they emerge from the trees. “We need off these streets.”

We stick at the store for a few beats until we’re sure the march is out of sight. Then we continue through the outskirts of the City, toward Central District. The skyline of buildings isn’t what it used to be in the distance, but the Chancellor’s tower is still erected in the center. It looms large, the closer we get, the later night falls. Before long we’ll be in spotting distance.

“Where’s the closest access point to underground?” I ask.

“About a mile up that way.” Grag points.

“We can do it,” Zora says.

“Shit, speak for yourself, a nigga feet is hurting.” Julius nudges me, digging for a smile, but I’m a melting pot of anxiety and fear. “I’m kidding,” he says, but no one breaks a smile. Eyes find me. Hundreds, it seems. What do we do? They’re asking. They’re depending on me.

“We push to the access point,” I say. “Once we’re underground, we rest up and head back out in the morning. I feel like I can hear their collective gulps as we trudge on.

We move through blocks of buildings, deserted parks, and rows of high-rises. Windows stare like eyes down at us, but we push, all silent. The ivory tower is closer, lights glowing on its highest floors.