“The game rules are strict,” Row says, running a hand through his hair. “No one is allowed to retaliate if they lose, and Prey gets the upper hand. We get out, we earn it. That’s the challenge of it all.”

I hesitate. “It feels too easy.”

Achilles scowls. “That felt easy to you?”

Sniffing, I cross my arms over my chest. “You know what I mean. They gave up without more of a fight. I expected to be chased all the way to another island.”

“They couldn’t keep doing what they’re doing if they risk attention for a few survivors,” Creed murmurs, dropping his gun and looking down at his arm. “Someone wanna dig this bullet out of my arm so we can patch it up?”

Row grimaces. “Not me. I prefer to not see your insides, thank you.”

But I’m no longer listening to their conversation. Instead, I move to the back of the boat and stare at the disappearing islands in the distance. They grow smaller and smaller, but despite that, I still feel them. I don’t think I’ll ever escape that island, not mentally. It’s marked me for life, forever a part of me now. I hate it, but also, there’s this singing in my soul I never had before.

Determination. Revenge. I want to kill them all.

To the right of me, I see the logo stamped into the yacht, a declaration of who owns it. The logo for the Hound Society is ironic considering what we just did, but I study it either way. A Hound biting a rabbit, twisting around, the Prey nothing but Prey. It doesn’t feel right. It lacks something—

“You okay?”

I turn and meet Row’s gaze before shrugging. “I’m alive.”

He nods. “Remember this feeling,” he says.

“What feeling?” I look up into his eyes when he cups my chin.

Though we’re all worse for wear, some of us are bleeding, and we barely escaped with our lives, he smiles. “This is the moment you stop being the rabbit.”