The sun had come up an hour ago, and I considered moving from where I was but couldn’t find the will. My mother had confessed to my sin. I could save her if I surrendered myself. If I turned Eli in. Him for her. A stranger for my mother.

But he wasn’t a stranger anymore. And I’d made a promise to my father. And my mother would be horrified to learn I’d sacrificed Eli. And maybe he was the hope we all needed in Haven Valley.

Bobbie was no help. Admitting to my role in Eli’s escape would bring great trouble to me, she argued. Besides, I couldn’t be sure Rose would actually harm my mother.

I heard a commotion downstairs. Jamie was up. Again he climbed the stairs; again he stood outside my door. This time he knocked.

“Grace?” he called through the door without opening it.

I didn’t respond. What was I supposed to say?

“Grace, I’m headed back out to search.”

They hadn’t found him. I forced myself up and off the bed, then walked to the door and opened it. My brother forced a smile. Dark circles hung under his eyes. His face was pale, his facial hair untrimmed. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in days.

I imagined I looked the same. For a moment, we just stood there, neither of us wanting the other to see what was really happening behind the masks we were wearing.

Jamie cleared his throat. “Are you going to be okay here alone today?”

“I’ll manage.”

He nodded and paused another moment as if he might say something else, but then seemed to think better of it and turned to leave. He was at the top of the stairs when I spoke.

“How is she?” I asked.

He stilled for a beat, and I saw him roll his hands into fists at his hips. He glanced over his shoulder, and I thought maybe I saw remorse in his eyes. Without a word, he turned back and descended the stairs.

My thoughts jumped to the worst scenarios imaginable. Worse than death. Images filled with pain and misery. My mother’s body broken and abused, her mind torn, her will fading.

Because of me.

I stood in my doorway as Jamie’s boots clumped across the first floor and out the front door. Fresh tears blurred my vision as thoughts of the beautiful woman who had raised me filled my mind. And with them, a terrible guilt strong enough to snuff me out.

I knew then that I couldn’t let them harm my mother. It couldn’t be her for my sake. It couldn’t be her for Eli’s sake. There was only one solution.

I had to turn Eli over to Rose.