Mirage pauses, confused. But I’ve been trying to wake everyone for over a year and nothing has worked. And now I only have perhaps a few hours left before I crash.

I move toward the door. At this distance, Ty’s image is distorted again, but that’s okay. I’ll see the real Ty soon.

Whatever it takes. Still. Always.

“Put us back in the dream,” I tell Mirage.

What?

I step past the couch. I barely notice the way the familiar carpet feels under my shoes. I don’t even look at the curtains. “Can you do that? Put us back on the island, in the shared dream?”

I … think so. If you were to fall asleep, you should automatically be reinserted into their construct. I could probably direct an electric shock that would render you unconscious. I wouldn’t have any control over where you appear inside the construct once you’re there, though.

“We’ll deal. Knock us out, me and Ackermann both.” I reach the door, put my hand on the knob. I grit my teeth and tap—trying not to feel the flash of relief it brings, trying to shove the shame of it down. I have more important things to focus on than my own failure now.

I’m going to wake everyone up. I’m going to save the whole goddamned island, whether they like it or not. And Elliott is going to help me.

I twist the doorknob. I step into the darkness, and it blinks out of existence. I’m kneeling on the rainbow floor, my left hand still pressed against the rippling colors on the ground.

I glance at the sleeping form of the mayor. I’ll have to go toe-to-toe with her for the plan I’ve got brewing to work, and she won’t be asleep and harmless once I drop back into the dream. Part of me wishes I could just get rid of her right now, but for better or worse, I already proved back at the boardwalk that I don’t have murder in me.

Shouldn’t you inform Elliott of what you’ve learned before you go back in? Pink uncertainty bleeds through Mirage’s words, the color surging around my hand as well.

“No. I’ll tell him what he needs to know later.” Meaning I’ll tell him what I want him to think, to make certain he’ll do what I need him to. Guilt flits through the back of my mind and I shove that down alongside the shame. I’ve known for a year that I would do anything I had to in order to get to Ty. If that includes lying to the Boy Scout, so be it.