As Emmett and I walk to the campus HQ to find Sora, I consider our options. There’s only one day left before, as I agreed, Emmett will get the adults involved. But a part of me wonders if we should go to them sooner. They won’t understand why we had to seek out the Horangi clan, but at least we learned about the prophecy. Maybe my parents and Auntie Okja will know what we should do next? Then again, if what Sora said was true, the council might not be as trustworthy as I once thought….

Our farewell to the scholars is short—Taeyo doesn’t even show up. Sora offers us two black-market boba teas before seeing us off. She looks a little disappointed, but she doesn’t try to convince me to stay.

When Emmett and I rematerialize at the zoo, I take a nervous glance at my necklace. A quarter of Hattie’s heart has now shriveled, and I grip the vial hard. At this rate, we’re going to run out of time in two days. Maybe less.

“I don’t see why you couldn’t at least consider taking up Sora’s offer,” Emmett says, as we start walking away from the tiger enclosure. “I mean, beggars can’t be choosers, and we’re not exactly flush with leads.”

Heat alights in my gut and I feel like shouting at him, Don’t you understand? It doesn’t work like that! You can’t just choose a new family like choosing a new outfit. I’m a Gom. My entire family are healers. I can’t just betray them and join another clan. You can’t be both!

But of course, I keep my mouth shut. After everything I’ve put Emmett through, who am I to talk? Instead, I bite my tongue and rack my brain trying to figure out what to do next.

Emmett reads my mind. “So where do we go now?” He studies me, then looks down at my empty hands. “Wait, where’s Boris? I thought you had him!”

The last time I saw the dragon scooter was last night, lying next to my bed in the dorm. I groan loudly. “I must have totally forgotten him this morning. There was just so much on my mind….”

“How are we gonna get anywhere now?” Emmett moans. “And just when I was starting to bond with the dude…”

“Looking for something?” says a voice from behind us.

I get such a fright, I almost trip over my own feet. We swivel around to see Taeyo materializing from out of nowhere. He’s wearing yellow chinos, a bright pink shirt, and a purple blazer. Like yesterday, he’s sporting a bow tie, but today it’s purple to match his blazer. He looks like a human rainbow.

“Argh!” Emmett cries, shielding his face. “My poor eyes! It’s blinding!”