I couldn’t quite return his smile . . . or meet his eyes. “Cage, do you think the aliens are on their way because of what we did? Venting the creatures into space?” What you and Mia did, I amended silently.

He didn’t answer for a long time, and then he sighed, long and heavy. “Kenzie . . .”

“Venting the aliens. Lying about Matt. Doesn’t it ever bother you?” I asked quietly. “Deceiving everyone? Lying to your twin sister, the person who loves you most in the world?”

I could see the denial hovering on his lips, but he did me the courtesy of swallowing it. Sinking onto the opposite corner of the bench, he raked his hands through his hair. “You think I lie because I enjoy it?”

“No, of course not. But I do think you’re pretty quick to decide who needs to know the truth and who doesn’t. And I’m not sure what gives you the authority.” More quietly, I added, “Or when you’re lying to me.”

His head shot up, his eyes flashing. “I’ve never lied to you. Not once.”

“But you haven’t told me everything, either.”

He didn’t deny it, and the knife in my chest twisted a little further. Cage moved restlessly, as if he could physically pluck an explanation from the air. “Kenzie . . . it’s not that I don’t want to tell you things. It’s just . . . I’m so used to being careful. Sometimes it doesn’t even occur to me to volunteer information, and I don’t know if that will ever change. But I can promise you that if you ask me a question, you’ll get the truth. It’s the best I can offer.”

I examined him thoughtfully. How far could I trust that promise? What happened if another situation arose, something like the moment I’d shot Matt, and Cage decided it was safer to keep me in the dark?

Well, he could prove himself to me at this moment, anyway. I’d been wondering what he’d meant when he said he’d killed to protect Rune before. He could at least explain that.

But before I could ask about what had been bothering me for weeks now, Rune shifted, moaning, and sat up. Cage and I pulled apart as if we’d been caught doing something wrong. Another broken moment, another missed opportunity.

Genuine happiness filled her eyes when she saw me. “Kenzie!” she cried, jumping to her feet. “I was worried. When they brought Cage in and not you . . .”

“Thanks,” he interjected dryly.

She shook her head. “You know what I mean. I . . .” Her voice trailed off, and she tilted her head to the side like a curious bird. “You hear something?”