Her words pierced my soul, and the fight drained out of me. My body went slack as I shrank away from Ever and slumped against the tree.

James. Killed because of me.

Ever stepped back, nearly tripping over the Bound Book. She picked it up, disgust evident on her face. “What did you think you would accomplish by stealing this?” She waved it under my nose before tossing it to the ground. “It’s worthless. I can’t believe you came out here to see the Elders with nothing more than this book.”

“I wanted to show them—”

“They won’t care,” she hissed. “And how would they know you’re who you claim to be? Do you have any ID on you?”

She was right. I hadn’t thought it all the way through. There was no way for me to prove it was my name beside James’s. For all they knew, I could be someone claiming to be Leath Elliott.

“And what about James? You had to know he’d come after you.”

“You said he didn’t know me,” I said, staring at her.

“According to Knox, things have changed,” Ever said.

“Knox?” I asked. “You know him?”

“You really don’t understand how things work out here, do you?” she asked. “Of course I know Knox. I know all the Fringers. How do you think they get the things they have to trade?”

“What did Knox tell you?” I asked.

“That James had come through the co-op with some girl. He said he’d never seen James so happy.”

The pieces clicked into place.

“And you’re worried that it’s all coming back to him? You’re afraid James will remember me? Why does that bother you, Ever?” I taunted.

“Think, Leath,” she snapped. “James doesn’t even remember you and you saw how he behaved today, confronting the Elders. He walked right into a trap without a care for the consequences. What do you think he’d be capable of doing if he remembered everything?”

James’s wild behavior at the cabin would be nothing compared to how he’d react if he remembered us. He’d tear apart one building in Judaculla after another until he found me, and the Elders would never stand for that. They’d most likely have him quickly and quietly killed.

“Finally connecting the dots, are you?” Ever asked. “You say you love James, but you continually do things with little regard to his safety. Coming to Judaculla was stupid. Hiding out in the woods with James, stupid. Going to the cabin? Beyond stupid.”

I hated that she was right. That she was always right.

“What about his dad?” Ever asked. “If James gets himself killed, believe me, Tobias won’t last long after that.”