“But don’t confuse pity with caring, Ember,” she went on. “Hayden’s always had a soft spot for all things… lost and broken.”

* * *

Later that evening, I shoved my homework off the bed and made my way downstairs to meet up with Hayden. A Friday night spent killing plantscouldn’t get lamer than that.

At dinner, Gabe had tried to talk Hayden into going to the last football game of the season with him and Phoebe, but he’d passed. I think he was more dedicated to this training than I was.

I decided to grab a soda from the kitchen first, but it was occupied. Recognizing the deep rumble of Kurt’s voice, I halted outside the entrance and tried to convince myself I had a valid reason for staying.

“He’s making a mistake, Liz.”

“Kurt.” Liz sounded exasperated. “He knows what he’s doing. You have to trust him.”

“You are incredibly naïve if you think any of this is going to end well. You weren’t around the last time. What it did to him when he failed. I can’t allow this to continue.”

Hairs on the back of my neck rose. Allow what to continue?

“I’m not naïve or stupid,” Liz insisted. “He’ll do the right thing.”

“The right thing?” he repeated, sounding mystified. “Maybe you and I have two different views of what is right.”

Water drowned out a decent part of the conversation. The next thing I heard was Kurt.

“You can’t see past the little one, Liz. All you’ve ever wanted was a child, and now you have one. But she came with a price, and it’s that thing walking around this house. If Jonathan knew what was best for him, Cromwell would send Ember to the Facility. Let her be their problem.”

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

That thing walking around the house…. I hated Kurthated how he consistently made me feel like a creep.

“You okay?”

I squeezed the coin until it dug into my palm. If Hayden truly thought I was lost and broken, then I would keep Kurt’s words to myself. And Phoebe would know what he felt, wouldn’t she? She’s an empath. Empaths feel other people’s true emotions. And what good would it do to tell Hayden what I’d overhead? Kurt didn’t want me here. That wasn’t big news.

“Ember?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I gave him my best smile. “I just hate this walk. The chupacabra is going to kill us out here.”

“Whoa. Chupa-what?”

I shrugged. “It’s like Bigfoot, but it sucks goats.”

Hayden’s laughter broke apart some of the darkness around us. “You’ve been watching way too many cheesy sci-fi movies.”

That might be true, but the chupacabra vanished from my thoughts when I laid eyes on the cabin. The soft glow of candlelight was unmistakable.