The school was in another office building, filling the two lowest floors with hoots and hollers and the happy shrieks of children. Kira’s heart beat faster as the sound grew louder, still shocked by the existence, let alone the sheer number, of children in the Preserve. This is what I’ve been working for, she thought. This sound—this crazy, wonderful chaos. A new generation discovering the world and making it their own. Tears filled her eyes, and she felt torn between the desire to stop and stand and soak it in, absorbing the happiness as slowly as she could to make it last that much longer, or simply to race forward and throw open the doors and drown herself in the joy of so many children. Her reverie was cut short when Samm spoke.

“You go in,” he said. “I’m going to go get the horses.”

Kira looked at him in surprise. “Alone? Let me go with you, it’s too dangerous in the ruins for one person.”

“It’s okay,” he said. “I can tell you want to see the children. Calix said she’ll go with me—this close to the Preserve, she knows the ruins well.”

Calix was smiling, and Kira was so shocked she couldn’t read the expression on the other girl’s face. Did she look pleased? Too pleased? Victorious? Kira stammered, trying to form a response: On the one hand, Calix almost certainly knew the territory better, and for that reason would be a better companion for the trip. On the other hand, a trip into the ruins for Kira and Samm would be another chance to speak in private, and to look for Heron—or for Heron to contact them. If she was trying to stay hidden, she wouldn’t approach with Calix standing right there. And . . . Kira still didn’t trust Calix, for reasons she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Kira wasn’t going to keep denying to herself that Calix’s evident crush on Samm didn’t rub her the wrong way. But it was more than that.

“We’ll be fine,” said Calix. “I’ve been through there dozens of times. I think I know exactly which store you left them in. And I haven’t seen a horse since before the Break. I’m dying to meet them.”

“Weather’s clear,” said Phan. “Go now and you’ll be back in time for lunch—I bet those horses’ll be excited to eat some real grass for a change after walking in the wasteland. How long were you out there anyway?”

“Um . . . three or four weeks,” said Kira. She was still trying to form a plausible protest as Samm and Calix walked away.