“I was thinking I had a way to get some answers, and I should take it!” I sat in one of the chairs, wanting to stand but too tired to fight my own body. “One of us had to!”

“Oh, so this is my fault?” Max gave a sarcastic laugh. “Now there’s some other assassin out there looking for him, and we’re screwed, Carrie! When it was just me, we could have bought some time!”

“No, we couldn’t have!” I covered my face with my hands. “We couldn’t have. Cyrus is alive.”

Max’s eyes narrowed. He raised his hand and rubbed his perpetually stubbled chin as he regarded me with something akin to mistrust. “No way.”

I forced back the tears of fatigue that assaulted me. “The Oracle told me. It explains why I’ve been having these dreams, but, Max…she told me things.”

“Did she tell you these things before she started breaking Anne’s spine?” Max paced like a caged tiger. “Four places. Four! It’s a miracle she wasn’t killed.”

“It wasn’t a miracle.” I blew out a frustrated breath. “The Oracle knew exactly what she was doing. Anne said she saw a vision of it years ago. It wasn’t an accident.”

“Fuckin’ A it wasn’t an accident!”

“Max, calm down!” My stern tone surprised even me, and for a moment, we stared at each other in shock.

He recovered first, but not much. “Okay.”

“What do you mean, okay?” I felt my hysteria rising again. “Cyrus is alive. But I killed him. You were there. We both watched him die. How can he be alive?”

Max shrugged. “It’s not unheard of. I know there are ways to do it, but who would want to bring the bastard back?” The Please Fasten Seat Belt light popped on overhead, and Max motioned me over to the couch.

“So, where do we go from here?” I tried to sound brave as I settled myself next to him.

“Carrie,” he said softly, as though preparing me for the worst, “you know what will happen if I disobey the Movement.”

“And you know, better than I do, what will happen if you obey them and kill my sire.” I couldn’t take any more of this, though I knew we were only steps into a very long journey. The uncertainty wore me down quickly, cast the shadow of doubt over every thought and action until I just wished this was all over, for better or worse. Because then, at least, I would know. I wouldn’t have to fear losing Nathan if I’d already lost him, wouldn’t have to squash down my hope if it was already fulfilled.

Max’s arms were strong around me when he pulled me against his chest. His voice wavered only slightly when he whispered in my ear. “It might not even come to that.”