I do some research on telepathy. I’m scared of what I’ll learn and how it may apply to me. When I do find some relevant reading material, I go deep into a rabbit hole about evolution, and how the tweaking of genetic code that Gravelle and Seymour must have done when they created the Similars—and me, if I’m one of them—could be extended to this kind of mental manipulation. According to a bunch of journals, people hooked up to sensors are already moving objects with their minds. I can’t do that—at least, I don’t think I can—but I’m able to access other’s thoughts. It’s not the same thing, but is it possibly related? Late one night, after hours of googling and reading, I instruct Dash to erase my search history. No one can know about this.

I long to tell Ollie everything. At breakfast one early October morning, a Saturday, he slides into the bench next to me. Pru is on my other side, and Maude and Ansel are across from us.

“Uh-oh,” Pru says, nudging me in the side.

“What? Do I even want to know?” I ask, my mouth full of egg whites.

“Probably not.” She points to the side wall of the dining hall, where Harlowe and her friends are hanging up flyers. DAAM flyers, soliciting new members for the Darkwood Academy Anti-Cloning Movement. I feel a sickening lurch in my stomach. Of course, I’m not surprised; Harlowe was protesting with Madison on the first day of school. She made it clear how she feels about the Similars, and clones in general, that night she pulled that renegade hazing stunt. I’d hoped the Similars’ warning would scare her off. Apparently, it didn’t.

“Attention, Darkwoodians,” Principal Fleischer’s voice rings out over the dining hall. Ollie and I look over to see her standing in front of the wide double doors. Pru and the Similars follow our gaze. “I have some unfortunate news to relay. Headmaster Ransom is still unwell. He will not be returning to Darkwood this academic year.” Students start whispering and reacting, but before they can get too many words in, Fleischer barrels on. “Do not despair. You will not lack for proper leadership. In his absence, an interim head will be taking over.”

An interim head? I feel instantly nervous, hoping it won’t be someone who will make life miserable for the Similars.

“Please give a warm welcome to our temporary headmistress,” Fleischer continues. Her voice sounds anything but warm, but then again, she’s probably bitter she wasn’t promoted to the post herself. “Jane Ward.”

I turn to Ollie, sure my surprise is written across my face. His mom is the interim head of Darkwood?