She tore her eyes from the hologram and looked up at the building she’d stopped in front of—the tallest one, in the middle. There was something about it which gave her pause. It felt like a point of no return. What would she do once she reached them? Look in the windows? Open a door? Or should she retreat—with a little more knowledge—until Atlas revealed his true motives?

Romy never got a chance to make that decision.

A siren blared overhead. All around her. Romy brought her hands up, spinning around to locate the alarm.

The sound came from speakers under the roof hangings.

Someone must have seen her!

Still covering her ears, Romy froze as a middle-aged woman exited one of the wooden homes. The sirens cut off abruptly. In the lack of sound Romy heard the thunderous thudding of her heart. The woman hadn’t seen her yet, occupied with carrying a basket of clothing.

Not breaking her gaze from the approaching Earth human, Romy edged backwards. She never should have left cover, she realised.

She was in plain sight, dead-centre in the clearing.

The woman glanced up. Romy stilled and saw her do the same, surprise etched upon her weathered face.

For a long drawn out second neither moved. But Romy couldn’t help feeling the dark-haired older woman was having the exact same reaction as she—utter confusion.

She dropped her basket suddenly, jaw dropping open.

Romy tensed to run.

She could outdistance the woman. She would go back to her friends and—

Her frantic plans fell flat as the crucial piece of the puzzle she’d been missing finally revealed itself.

Atlas has Deimos. That was why the doors were unlocked. That was why everything was too easy. They had her friend. Atlas knew she wouldn’t leave without her knot mate!

Romy shuffled one foot back as the woman took a step forwards.

The expression in her eyes was unnerving. It was as if she’d seen something impossible. Her demeanour was . . . strange. It raised the hairs on the back of Romy’s neck.

She was so focused on the woman that it took the slamming of several doors to alert her to the presence of others.

She broke away from the woman’s intense stare and looked to the right, jumping at how many people had appeared in the short time.

She whirled at a scraping behind her. More of them! Romy stumbled away—back towards the foreboding buildings. But the buildings were no longer there. Gone was the flashing hologram projection. There were only people. Too many people! All staring. All with the same dumbfounded expression on their faces.

Why were they looking at her like that?

Romy turned back to the woman and screamed upon discovering her much closer than anticipated. Romy stood motionless, taking in the woman’s shining tears. The unfamiliar grey streaks threading her hair.