He had a tattoo high on the left side of his chest. The intricate design swelled as he flattened his palms on the ground and propelled himself out of the water. Sheets of liquid cascaded down his torso. I turned away.

When my breath slowed, I called over my shoulder. “Will you arrange a meeting?”

“I don’t see why not.” His voice was muffled as he pulled his shirt over his head.

I shoved a fist against my mouth. Would it really be this easy? “How soon can it happen?” I said. I heard the slip and rustle of more clothing falling into place. I turned to face him. “It needs to be in the next two days.”

He knelt to lace up his moccasins. “The day after tomorrow is when the Assembly votes on the New Seed,” he said.

“Yes. Before that.”

His eyes met mine and I stared back, trying to appear innocent.

“I’ll contact him and let him know you have information,” he said, finally. “Whether or not he answers will be up to him.”

I nodded and turned away, hating myself—and him. Didn’t he know that I was weak? I needed him to block my path to betrayal. Instead, he had given me exactly what I didn’t want—his trust.

Just before I left the clearing, I looked back at Hosea Khan. His eyes were on the ground, fists clenched at his waist. His shoulders, ordinarily squared, were bent. I squinted, trying to name the emotion vibrating from his frame. My stomach clenched when it hit me. He hadn’t been deceived. As always, he knew exactly what I was about, and he hadn’t tried to stop me. He wasn’t even angry. No, he was disappointed.

* * *

I turned and ran from the spring. Back at my bedroll, I didn’t slow as I grabbed my pack and continued to run. I raced past the outskirts of camp—into no-man’s-land. When I was completely alone, I slowed to a jog. I riffled through my satchel with one hand until my fingers closed around the glass vial Jones had given me. I pulled it out, knowing what I had to do. If I stayed in the oasis, Jones would find me. She would drag me back to the Schoolhouse and, eventually, I would betray Hosea Khan. Tears obscured my vision. I was out of choices.

Just then, my foot caught on a thick root and I stumbled. I hit the ground hard, sprawling on my stomach. I didn’t bother to get back up. Clutching the vial, I rolled onto my back and fumbled to open it. Darkness, blacker than the Pit, descended upon me.