Mom and the stranger shared a long look, and I understood completely. “He sent some SpaceTech double agent douche instead of coming himself? Classy.”

The stranger’s laugh, a deep rolling sound, lit a flame deep inside me. One I instantly wanted to snuff out. How could I be attracted to a SpaceTech officer? It was absurd.

I shoved that feeling down, and a new one came bubbling to the surface. Anger that my father wasn’t here.

I knew I was being unreasonable. Of course he couldn’t come here himself. He was an important Aunare. He was the enemy on this planet. If he was caught, it’d be bad for everyone.

But that didn’t stop me from being hurt that my father hadn’t come. And when the disappointment finally hit me, it was too much. Everything that happened today piled up to one big emotional shitshow. The implant in my finger driving me crazy. When I’d moved too fast in front of Hillary. Nearly getting caught by the cops. And now this guy was here?

My breath started coming in bigger and heavier gasps. My emotions boiled over, and my skin started to glow.

It wasn’t like a full-Aunare glow—the one that showed power and lit up Aunare skin with tattoos showing their paths in life. My skin hadn’t ever done that. I wasn’t sure why, but it was probably better that it hadn’t. This minor glow was alien enough that I resented it. It was a giveaway I couldn’t conceal or control. I didn’t always hate what I was, but right then, right there, I did. I never liked to show myself in front of anyone but Roan, my mother, and Jorge. This guy might not be turning us in, but he was still a stranger.

“What’s going on here?” I needed some answers.

“This is Declan. He’s a friend.”

“He’s SpaceTech.” I spit the word out with bitterness even though I knew that this particular officer wasn’t a threat. I knew that he was somehow connected to the Aunare and maybe even my father in some way. But it still didn’t make any sense to me. SpaceTech officers weren’t to be trusted. Full stop.

“I am SpaceTech,” he said. “But I’m also a friend.”

“That’s an oxymoron if I ever heard one.” I took a breath, trying to calm down. To stop the glow. To find some kind of normal to hang on to while my world was upended. “Do we need to run? Are they coming?”

“No.” My mom stepped toward me, and I stepped back, holding out a hand to stop her from coming any closer.