Just like on the yacht, Kael is quick to move on from the subject of the breakout teen who we failed to retrieve, saying that what’s done is done and we now need to focus on the unknown Speakers. His eyes slide to me briefly as he speaks, as if he fears the group will behave as Arryn did and blame me, so he’s glossing over the details to protect me.

The injustice of it all stews my blood. I wonder if Kael agrees with Arryn, wonder if he also believes it’s my fault we lost the breakout. But that doesn’t make sense—because he was there. He saw me hurtle out of the Coney Island building, saw me trying to stop Ward and Crew from getting away.

But then again, Arryn mentioned seeing me leave the building, too. Because that’s when she heard the boy scream my name.

A tension headache is starting to build in my temples. But that’s not all. Now that I’m just standing here doing nothing, fatigue is beginning to hit me, along with a growing pain in my leg. Not to mention all the small cuts and scratches I received in the mirror maze. It’s my own fault, though—Cami, despite looking like her world has imploded, reached out to heal me just as we were docking at the zoo. But I stopped her.

I’m not sure what made me do it. It could just be that I’m a glutton for punishment and feeling guilty for failing the breakout. Whatever the reason, I feel like I should heal naturally, that the pain will serve as a reminder of what happened tonight—for what we faced, and what we lost.

Cami understood, but Arryn snorted as she walked by, overhearing my quiet explanation and clearly thinking me ridiculous.

I, however, don’t care what she thinks.

Even now, the memory of her accusations fuels my frustration, which only increases the longer she and Kael continue to debrief the others, with Keeda and Pandora jumping in every so often. They share what feels like every single detail of the night before finally saying there will have to be a meeting to include all the other Remnants first thing in the morning.

Another meeting.

More talking.

No action.

I hear Cami mutter under her breath, “Why is everything so slow here?”

She’s not wrong. I’m about ready to shake someone when Kael finally dismisses the group and suggests everyone catch a few hours’ sleep, since they’ll need all hands on deck to learn about the new group. That, at least, implies some kind of action, even if it’s not the action I’d prefer to be happening.

I linger in the command center as people begin to disperse, grabbing Cami’s sleeve to hold her in place when she starts to follow the small crowd from the room. She looks at me questioningly, but I don’t say anything. She’ll know soon enough.

A few older Remnants take up positions in front of the screens, and I assume they must be on the graveyard shift for surveillance. I watch them for a moment before turning to Kael. After everything that happened tonight, I’m not waiting any longer. And I’m not allowing Cami to wait any longer, either. It’s time to confront him, and to do that, we need to get him alone. We especially need him away from Arryn. She’s had it out for me from the very beginning, for no reason at all, so I’m certain she’ll have no interest in hearing out my plan. Or, my lack of a plan, I admit to myself. Either way, she’ll only make it harder for me to convince Kael of what needs to be done.