I ran and ran and ran. I ran down the stairs and through the side exit and across the parking lot and into the woods surrounding the complex. I ran without looking back, in the vague direction of where we’d parked the car, but I had no idea if I was headed the right way. I just kept running.

Eventually I was running out of breath, realizing I was probably lost, and desperate to read the file all at once. I stopped in a clearing and tore it open.

Owen had been right. The notes were filled mostly with things I didn’t understand, but Dr. Sharpe’s personal notes were clear—she didn’t have the cure. I couldn’t tell if she was anywhere close to having the cure. I threw the file to the ground and wanted to scream, was about to let loose, let the AM security come and find me screaming bloody murder in the woods, when I heard a breathless voice say my name.

“Rose—”

I spun around to see Damien coming through the tree line, stopping when he was well inside the clearing, putting his hands on his knees and panting deeply.

“God, I’m out of shape,” he mumbled before straightening up. “Christ, I’m glad you’re okay—”

“You—” I growled, stepping toward him. “You lied to me! Again!”

I pushed him hard on the shoulders and he stumbled back, making no effort to resist me. It made me want to push him more, but I just paced around the clearing, afraid of what I might do if I let all my rage out at him. The energy in my balled-up fists traveled up my arms and flooded my eyes, transforming my kinetic anger into unwanted tears.

“Did you get the notes?” he asked, seemingly unfazed by my temper.

“Yes, I got the fucking notes,” I snapped.

“Well?” he demanded. “What do they say?”

“Who cares, Damien!” I shouted. “You lied to me, tricked me, again, Blaze was never there—”

“Oh, come on, Rose, you knew what you were getting into,” he said. “You know everything about me—”

I scoffed, thinking of his dreams that had felt real and still have no clear explanation, like the ones with dirt and decay and death.

“Okay, maybe not everything,” he said. “But you had all the important information. You know exactly who I am and what this was. And you had your own reasons for doing it. We didn’t need to be totally honest with each other about what those reasons were to work together.”

I laughed hollowly, paced back to stand in front of him.

“No, you manipulated me, Damien,” I said. “You might not have your ability anymore but you’re an expert at this—”

“Fuck you—”