“I’ll be right outside the whole time,” Theo chimes in. He scratches the back of his neck. “But if something does happen, I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to help you…”

“I know,” I finish for him. “You can’t risk them discovering the Colony. If I’m caught, I’m on my own.”

He nods, and Shura’s smile fades.

Annika leans forward. “But a warning could save the rest of us. It could give us time to run, before they get any information out of you.”

My gaze drifts over the collection of walkways and huts, all lopsided and mismatched. The survivors have been here for so long. Survived so much. If I fail, where would they go? Where could they possibly run to?

If they’re lucky, they might make it to the border. They could cross over into the Labyrinth. But how much time would that buy them? Hiding a group this large would be…

Don’t say it, my mind snaps. Don’t say it’s impossible.

I search my heart for a thread of confidence and tug, gripping firmly.

“It doesn’t seem like such a great present after that grim pep talk,” Shura says sadly.

I stifle a laugh. “I love it. And maybe it will make me feel a little safer, knowing there’s someone nearby.” I look at Theo. “Where will you hide?”

“In plain sight,” he says with a wink, motioning to Shura. “She’s not the only one who knows how to put up a decent veil.”

“Decent? How dare you,” Shura says with mock offense.

Theo snorts, smirking with half his face. “You may have skills, but you’re only five feet tall.” He motions to himself. “I have a lot more to hide.”

“Well, you may be a giant, but you look like a sack of potatoes,” she bites back. “If you wrapped yourself in burlap, you wouldn’t have to bother with a veil at all.”

Ahmet waves a hand at them to settle down, even though we’re all laughing, and for a moment I almost forget where I’m going tonight. What I have to do.

For a moment I feel like it’s just a normal evening among friends.

It scares me how quickly I latch on to the feeling, trying to tuck it somewhere safe, to keep it with me a while longer. Going from strangers to whatever we are now… It snuck up on me. The camaraderie.

I think I’m starting to care about them more than I want to admit.

Annika motions for someone in one of the watch towers to open the main doors. The metal and wood creak at their hinges, and I take a moment to scan the crowd behind me one more time. So many hopeful faces. So many people I don’t want to disappoint.

I start looking for him without even realizing it.