I smile, but my lips feel heavy. I don’t like the idea of them having to pack up everything and move, not when they have so much to risk, unlike me. I can walk day or night and be fine. I make the decision then and there to leave on my own.

“You and you alone, Kayla.” Monarch says. “That’s how it’s got to be in the end, otherwise it’ll never work.”

“I don’t think I’ve been so happy to see a hill before.” Ryder perks up as their home grows closer. “God, I just want to lie down and rest forever.”

Aiden gives her ponytail a playful tug. “You’re such a weakling and you know it.”

She smiles and a blush creeps up in her cheeks. She sweeps her hair forward, hoping he won’t notice and I catch sight of the numbers on her wrists.

“We’re going to build an army,” Monarch says. “We’re going to take down the Highers and put the world back the way it was. But you need to die in order to live.”

I’m about to pull Aiden aside and tell him what I hear, when I realize there’s a large amount of smoke spinning in the air today. I stop at the top of a hill and gaze down to the bottom—to the hillside.

And my heart almost stops.

Fires. Everywhere. Burning high above and below the hillside and over by the pipe. Fire, just like in the city.

Chapter 37

“No,” Ryder cries, starting to run for their burning home. But Aiden holds her by the shoulder, pulling her back, pinning her against his chest. “Let go of me!” she screams and kicks at him.

He hugs her against him, trying to calm her down as she hysterically sobs. “It’s okay,” he says. “I’m sure they all made it out.”

“But what if the vampires got in,” she says, trying to wrench away from him. “The entrance is wide open.”

“Who did this?” I mumble, almost walk down, forgetting that I’m not as strong as I once was. Or as invincible.

“Perhaps the Day Takers,” Cedrix steps beside me, hand in his pocket, a solemn face. “Or perhaps someone else.” He points at the fires burning all around the front of the hillside. “Maybe the same someone who controls the fires in the city.”

“But no one knows who does that.” I reach for my knife, but realize it isn’t there.  “Damn it.” I kick a rock, feeling helpless and useless.

“What wrong?” Cedrix asks, watching the cloud of dirt I kicked up.

“It’s nothing,” I say, thinking of Maci. Is she still in there? Alive? “Do you have a knife I could borrow?”