Silence falls over the growing crowd around us—and then chaos. Whispers turn into shouts, and their fear builds like a mountain, impossible to subdue.

I take a step closer to Shura, afraid she won’t be able to hear me over the frantic noise. “Has this ever happened before?”

She shakes her head, just as Ahmet and Theo appear beside her. “I’ve only seen airships like this in Famine.” She looks up at Theo warily. “When they’d transport humans who’d surrendered their consciousness to Victory.”

Ahmet looks serious. “This doesn’t make sense. The humans here have already taken the pill—why would they move them again?”

I feel the color drain from my face. “Because they’re waking up, and the Residents know it.”

Theo’s expression falls.

“I need to tell my mom.” Shura’s voice breaks, gaze drifting around the Colony. Death in Victory can mean only one thing: uncertainty. For all of us. “She’ll know what to say to keep everyone calm.”

I don’t need anyone to calm me down. I need to do something.

Promise or not, this changes everything. Gil will just have to understand.

“I’ll go to the Summer District and see if I can find out more.” I look at Theo urgently, but he’s already put it together. We have to act fast.

“I’ll go with you.” Theo clenches his fists and turns to Ahmet and Shura. “If Death is taking this many humans, they must be planning something big. We’ll see what we can find out.”

Shura gives a short nod before hurrying toward Annika’s hut.

“This could be a trap,” Ahmet warns. “The Residents may be trying to lure us out of hiding.”

“We’ll be careful,” Theo says firmly. “And I won’t leave Nami’s side.”

Ahmet seems to remember something very suddenly. “Gil went out to look for material this morning. He could be anywhere.”

My heart quickens, but I try not to let it show. “Gil’s good at taking care of himself. He’ll be fine.”

“But the Legion Guards, they’re still looking for…” Ahmet’s voice fades, eyes turning glassy. The guards are searching for Vallis, and now Death is rounding up humans. Gil could be cornered in the woods. He could be caught. “I have to find him.”

I feel my chest splinter. I want to help Gil—I want to make sure he’s okay. But Theo’s desperation is so powerful, I can feel it thundering in my ears.

I can’t be in two places at once, but I can finish what I started. I can help Theo get his brother back and save an innocent girl from a terrible fate.

I won’t let what happened to Philo happen to them, too.