“Everything about the Fallen is terrible,” Rain said. “A few years after the name change, they sold me to a family halfway across the country, used the money to fuck off traveling like they’d always talked about. My guardians right now are people I’ve called my aunt and uncle my whole life. I got powers with the cluster trigger, at a time I was just one more set of hands and a weapon, a henchman. That was supposed to elevate me and… it did the opposite. That was my wake-up call.”

“It’s good you had one,” Tristan said.

“I don’t like the idea of you going back,” Sveta said. “When you pull away is when things get worse, when violence happens.”

“It’s why I’m not pulling away,” Rain said.

“You’re with us,” Tristan said. “You’re doing your own thing.”

From the bank robbery to the period after. Trying to find normal again. Rain had been more open. Did that change the course of this particular river, compared to the one I’d known? Or were the key elements all there, still? The discomfort, the ‘I’m trying but I’m not going to do anything different’?

Did it still lead to disaster in the end?

“Is the critter okay?” Erin asked. “Kenz?”

“She’ll be fine if this ends and the group is still together,” Ashley said.

“Are we?” Rain asked.

“I’m not going to say no,” Sveta said. “But I think you need to go. Yesterday. Get out of there. Trust the Wardens.”

“I would if I thought they would protect me,” Rain said. “But they’re busy. The news articles say they’re not even here lot of the time.”

“I’m okay,” Tristan said. “This is ninety-five percent known stuff, and elaboration on other stuff.”

The voices of the others were a jumble. Chris didn’t care about anything. Ashley, as odd as it was, seemed most uncomfortable.

“Victoria,” Rain said. “You’ve been quiet.”

“Yeah,” I said.

I was aware of the silence that followed my statement.

“Snag’s army. They’re after the Fallen,” I said.

“Yeah,” Rain said.

“But they want you.”

“Yeah,” Rain said. His expression darkened as he said it. No illusions about what was in store for him if that happened.

“Because of the kids, and the others you killed. Because they blame you.”

“Yeah,” Rain said.

I nodded.

“I can tell you the details, if—”

“I’m going to go,” I said, interrupting. I was aware of the looks I got. “Tell Kenzie everything’s cool. I’ll be back. I just need to think on this.”

No actions out of instinct. I’d think, piece everything together.

I flew away from the scene before I could say or do something I’d regret.

⊙

Another group was patrolling the area that afternoon. Crystal and I stood on a square of crimson forcefield, well above Cedar Point, watching.