Rafe scoffs. “Her intentions are not so noble, I assure you. She’s driven purely by self-interest and the desire for wealth. Which makes her a perfect fit for the people she’s chosen over her own.”

I stand, ready to stalk away in annoyance. I’ve had quite enough of Rafe’s bigotry.

He reaches up and pulls me back down next to him. “I’m sorry,” he says. It doesn’t sound like something he is used to saying. He lightly tilts my chin so I’m looking at him. “I shouldn’t have said that about the people you grew up with.”

I scoot farther away from him, shaking off his hand. “I don’t need your apologies. We’ve done what we came to do. Now we can move on.” It’s true. I don’t care. I feel so empty inside. An emptiness that began when I found Rafe covered in blood earlier, and it has only grown bigger with everything else I have seen. Kor’s betrayal hurts worse than anything Rafe has done.

“I want to apologize,” Rafe insists. His gaze is vulnerable instead of the frozen indifference I’m used to. “I don’t want you to be angry with me.” He swallows. “I don’t know why that matters.” He looks genuinely confused.

I don’t respond.

Rafe clears his throat. “So, you understand now that Hypatia’s different—why I had to prioritize her rescue above all else?”

I nod and look up at him. I wasn’t sure he’d be willing to explain. “What exactly…?” I point to my teeth.

“Her Vanguard genetics are more concentrated. She doesn’t use blood for doping; she needs it to survive. Genesis doesn’t allow blood consumption, but they’ve allowed her to take transfusions. It’s enough for her to function well, but the effects wear off more quickly, leaving her weak.” He looks over at her, watching her sleep with adoration. “Hypatia is an extremely rare case, having strong Vanguard genetics and also being a Sire. When her abilities fully develop, she may be one of the most intrinsically powerful humans in Maker society. But the Inquisitors can’t know that her unique Vanguard genetics have survived. Most Makers don’t even know.”

The Inquisitors can’t know, yet he’s telling me, so he must truly believe I won’t tell them anything.

I don’t even yet know what I will or won’t tell them.

Hypatia looks so serene sleeping. It’s hard to imagine that she’s as powerful as he says. Rafe gazes at her with such love…. Then he looks up at me with that same gaze, which for the first time seems to be inviting me in instead of shutting me out.