I strain against my liquid ropes, wanting to go after him. But Sora shakes her head. “Let him go. He won’t get far. And we need to talk.”

I bite my lip but don’t argue. It’s probably best if I give Emmett a bit of time to cool off anyway.

Sora crouches in front of me so we’re at eye level. “I don’t believe we got your name,” she says. “You know my name is Sora. I’m the clan leader of the LA Horangi.”

She points to the man. “This is Austin, and this,” she says, nodding to the boy, “is Taeyo.”

The boy adjusts the red bow tie around his neck. He stares at me curiously but doesn’t say anything. I glance at him and at the two adults and wonder if they’re his parents. Aside from Taeyo’s very different fashion choices, they look like they could be a family.

“I’m Riley Oh,” I say hesitantly. The last thing I want to do is make small talk with these people.

Austin whispers something in Sora’s ear, and she nods sadly. “Yes, that’s what I thought, too.”

She turns to me. “Riley, I think I know your parents. You are the spitting image of your mother. I believe you are the daughter of Mina and Yoon Seo.”

I’m momentarily stunned. My birth parents are still alive? “Are they…Are they here?”

Her face looks pained. “Sorry, I should’ve been clearer. I knew your parents. They were valiant and loyal scholars who passed away protecting our clan. I’m sorry you didn’t get to meet them.”

My gut wrenches. And then I feel stupid. It’s not like I knew of them before today, and I have loving parents who raised me. I shouldn’t care what happened to the Seos, let alone be disappointed they’re not here.

“Where have you been living all this time?” Sora asks. “Who have you been living with? And how are you even…alive?”

When I think of the horrible things the Horangi have done, both to Emmett and the gifted community, my first reaction is to shut down. She doesn’t have the right to ask me any questions.

But I see genuine concern in her eyes. She must have been close to Mina and Yoon. And if I want these scholars to help me, I need them to trust me.

So I hunker down and give her the highlight reel of my life. Right up until coming here with my best friend to save my sister’s life. And when it’s all off my chest, I feel a weird sense of relief. As if the burden is lighter for having shared it.