“But they do teach you science,” said Kira, standing up. “I mean, they have a school here, right?”

“Sure,” said Calix. “You want to see it?”

Kira shot another glance at the central spire, towering over the Preserve like a blackened tombstone. That was where she wanted to go, but they’d have to wait until the time was right. She felt ready to explode with frustration, but took a deep breath and hoped Calix and Phan couldn’t see how stressed she was. The time will come, she told herself. We need to earn their trust first. “Sure, let’s see the school.”

“The school’s great,” said Phan, falling into step beside Kira as they walked. He had more energy than anyone Kira had ever met, ranging back and forth as they walked, smiling and waving at everyone while inspecting each tree and wall they passed, all while carrying on a conversation. “You learn all the basics first, like reading and writing and math and all that. Vale saved a bunch of schoolteachers, so they know what they’re doing. I was actually with the teachers during the Break. I was in kindergarten, and we were all hiding in a bomb shelter after a Partial attack during the first wave of the war. They hit so fast they didn’t even have a chance to cancel school, so I don’t know what happened to my family, but I guess that’s the only reason I’m still alive. Sucks to be my parents, obviously, since they weren’t at school and we could never find them afterward, but you say some people are just naturally immune, so for all I know, they’re still alive. That’s awesome; that’s like the best news ever.”

Kira couldn’t help but smile, struggling to keep up with the dizzying pace of his conversation. “I’m sorry you lost your parents.”

Phan looked at her quizzically. “You still have your parents?”

Kira shook her head. “Good point—I guess none of us have our parents anymore.”

“Some do,” said Phan with a shrug. “Families Vale was able to find and inoculate all in one bunch. Doesn’t bother me, though—I never would have made it twelve years if I’d spent all my time missing dead people. You gotta move on.”

Kira glanced at Samm and Calix, deep in a similar conversation. She hoped Samm could keep his head and not spill any secrets about who he was; Calix was certainly doing her best to distract him, smiling and laughing and touching him now and then on the arm or shoulder, just lightly. Kira felt a sudden surge of paranoia, convinced that Calix was trying to seduce Samm and learn the truth, but even as she thought it, she realized it was stupid. Calix was probably just giddy at the sudden introduction of a hot teenage guy into a very, very small dating pool.