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Chapters (53)
  1. Dedication
  2. Chapter One
  3. Chapter Two
  4. Chapter Three
  5. Chapter Four
  6. Chapter Five
  7. Chapter Six
  8. Chapter Seven
  9. Chapter Eight
  10. Chapter Nine
  11. Chapter Ten
  12. Chapter Eleven
  13. Chapter Twelve
  14. Chapter Thirteen
  15. Chapter Fourteen
  16. Chapter Fifteen
  17. Chapter Sixteen
  18. Chapter Seventeen
  19. Chapter Eighteen
  20. Chapter Nineteen
  21. Chapter Twenty
  22. Chapter Twenty-One
  23. Chapter Twenty-Two
  24. Chapter Twenty-Three
  25. Chapter Twenty-Four
  26. Chapter Twenty-Five
  27. Chapter Twenty-Six
  28. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  29. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  30. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  31. Chapter Thirty
  32. Chapter Thirty-One
  33. Chapter Thirty-Two
  34. Chapter Thirty-Three
  35. Chapter Thirty-Four
  36. Chapter Thirty-Five
  37. Chapter Thirty-Six
  38. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  39. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  40. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  41. Chapter Forty
  42. Chapter Forty-One
  43. Chapter Forty-Two
  44. Chapter Forty-Three
  45. Chapter Forty-Four
  46. Chapter Forty-Five
  47. Chapter Forty-Six
  48. Chapter Forty-Seven
  49. Epilogue
  50. Preview of Malice
  51. Preview of Incognito
  52. Acknowledgments
  53. About the Author

“I’m not anxious,” I lie. I head to a mirror, and my fingers shake as I put my AMPS in place, blotting out my amber irises in favor of sky blue, making my eyes identical to Garrett’s. I mean Beau’s. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” Puffing up my chest, I turn to face him, willing my legs to carry me forward.

“Finally.” He extends his hand. “Come on, sis. Let’s go.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Five

March 20X6, San Francisco

“So, when we see Nicki, we make sure she overhears us talking about your recovery. Remember, you’re about two months post-op—”

“I know, I know. I’m feeling better, I’m so happy to be rid of the nanobots that were filtering my blood…”

The opera house looms in front of us, augmented to look like it’s underwater—a sunken mermaid’s palace at the bottom of the sea.

“I’m glad you know, because here goes nothing,” Garrett says. He starts up the stairs, and I’m surprised the ocean doesn’t carry him away.

“We’re just going to go in?” I call after him, frozen in place at the thought of having to enter the water. It’s not real. It’s not real. But my limbs tremble all the same.

“Yes.” He glances over his shoulder. “Are you coming?”

A trickle of sweat rolls down my back. “I don’t like the water,” I admit.

“You’re scared?”

My lungs heave, my breath coming out in little puffs. “Yes.”

He sighs and walks back down the steps, extending his hand. “Time to face your fears. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

His eyes hold mine, and I’m surprised by the genuine concern in them—that he’s not making fun of me, for once.

Accepting his hand, I nod. The strength in his grip helps ease my anxiety as he tugs me into the sea. I hold my breath, expecting cold water to wash over me, but my clothes stay reassuringly dry. A glittering kelp forest parts, and, hanging on to Garrett, I climb the stairs. Undulating waves dizzy me as fish stream by, but he keeps me steady, whispering, “One step at a time.” When we reach the entrance to the colonnade, I’m breathing again.

“Thank you,” I say. “You probably think I’m a total wimp, but I almost drowned once. Being underwater totally freaks me out.”

“It’s cool,” he says, raising his eyebrows, reminding me to stay in character. “That’s what big brothers are for.”

I press my lips together. “Right.”