For the first time in her life, she’s not sure which side she’s on.

There’s more graffiti on the abandoned car: “REGISTER THE ELYSIANS,” accompanied with an image of Eric being hung by the neck. A month ago, she would’ve thought it was good that Elysians couldn’t be Registered, that they deserved protection from rebels who threatened their power.

Now, everything has changed. Through no fault of her own, the Registration has turned against her. It’s personal. A threat. Unjust.

Almost twenty minutes pass in silence before Daniel sits up quickly. Lynell follows his gaze to the warehouse across the street to see a black car driving in. She pulls her knees to her chest and tries to hide in the shadows.

“It’s Zach!” Daniel says. He starts to run out of their hiding place before Lynell reaches up and grabs his hand.

“Lynell, it’s Zach.”

Lynell pulls him down and shakes her head. “Look.”

The doors of the car open, and Eric Elysian steps out into the sunlight.

Eric is walking with a cane now, probably courtesy of Zach’s bullet. Two guards get out of the car and flank him, guns held across their chests. They survey the area, never more than three steps away from Eric.

“Lynell,” Daniel hisses in her ear. His impatient tone tells her it’s not the first time he’s tried to get her attention. “Lynell.” He whispers her name so quietly it lingers with the wind.

She turns to look at him, her eyes wide, and her lips parted in dull shock. Each breath she takes sounds like a bullhorn in her ears.

“Eric . . .”

Daniel nods, his eyes growing wider. He covers her mouth with his hand and holds a finger to his lips. “We need to go,” he whispers.

Lynell shakes her head with Daniel’s hand still clamped over her mouth.

“Yes,” he says.

She closes her eyes and takes a quiet breath through her nose. She repeats this two more times until her mind feels free from the dense fog that rolled in with Eric’s car. She reaches up and pulls Daniel’s hand away from her mouth.

“He’ll never stop,” she whispers.

Daniel narrows his eyes and turns back to look at Eric across the street. Lynell follows his gaze and watches Eric pace in front of the warehouse, looking around corners and leaning heavily on the cane. Soon, they’ll move to the areas around the warehouse and that’ll mean the gas station currently acting as Lynell and Daniel’s refuge.

She’s basically dead already.

But Daniel doesn’t have to be.

“Lynell, let’s go,” Daniel whispers, grabbing her arm again.

“He’ll find me,” she says, voice still low, “no matter where I go.”

Realization dawns and Daniel’s eyes widen. He shakes his head. “Lyn, no.”

“I’m as good as dead. You don’t have to die, too.”

“Baby, please.”

Lynell’s eyes water and her lips tremble. “Find Anna.”

“Lyn,” Daniel hisses as Lynell stands up, face emerging from the shadows of the gas station.