Ceilos tugged his earlobe. “After what”—he swallowed, looking away from me—“happened in the classroom, I couldn’t think straight. So I went out for a walk. Through the caverns at first, then finally up into the dome.” He took a deep breath and sighed. “He was waiting for me. I didn’t even see him coming. I wasn’t… paying very much attention.”

My fingernails dug into the soft flesh of my palm. I had caused this. What had happened to Ceilos really was all my fault.

“When I woke up, I didn’t know where I was. But I could hear his voice. The Liberator. I didn’t see his face, but I will never forget that voice.” He shuddered. “I had no way of knowing how much time had passed. I didn’t know what he wanted from me. He just taunted me, relentlessly. About what he’d done to Clodin, about what he was planning to do to the geroi—about you.”

I reached over to put my hand on his shoulder, but I hesitated. The memories from last week still burned painfully inside me. And knowing that what had happened to Ceilos was all because of that…

“Finally he took me outside somewhere. Said I wasn’t of any use to him anymore. I didn’t know where we were, but it was freezing cold, and there was no air. Like you said it was outside the dome. Being out there, unable to breathe—I understand now. It’s the most terrifying feeling in the world. I thought I was going to die. But the next thing I knew, I was waking up here in Elytherios. That woman from the citidome—the one who was smuggling Ferre—she found me on the mountainside and brought me here.” He laughed humorlessly. “She of all people.”

“Ceilos,” I said, my voice shaking. “I am so, so sorry.”

He looked at me sidelong. “I… heard what he commed you. The gerotus session.”

“The geroi are gamadas,” I spat.

Ceilos chuckled. “I’ve said that all along. I told you there was no love lost between me and my parents.” He sobered. “It just took a threat to Isaak to make you see it.”

I stared at him. “What are you talking about?”

“I saw what was happening just now.”

My face flushed. “Nothing was happening just now, Ceilos. Isaak was only trying to comfort me because I was upset—about you. I’ve been frantic to find you. That’s why we came here.”

He didn’t look at me. He kept his eyes riveted on the burbling creek. I followed his gaze, just catching the silver glint of a psara tail plinking through the water. “So Isaak can comfort you when your partner cannot?”