“I know you’re mad, and this thing with Michael sucks, but thank you for not telling her that you know about Billy. I don’t think I would have had so much control.” I know I wouldn’t have. It didn’t even seem like Afton was mad about Billy. Her anger seemed focused solely on Mom.

But Afton’s looking at me now like I am the worst. “This is all your fault,” she says, and turns to go.

Today’s field trip this time is only a half day. The first stop is a place called Pu’uhonua o Honaunau. Kahoni makes us practice pronouncing the words several times.

“Back in the ancient days,” he tells us as our bus winds its way into the parking lot, “if you broke a law, any law, the penalty was death. Hey, you!”

He points at Marjorie, who is lifting a cracker to her lips.

“No eating on the bus!” Kahoni says as sternly as if she’s stolen a car. “You have broken a law.”

“If I don’t eat every two hours, my blood sugar gets iffy,” Marjorie says in her defense.

“Your reasons do not matter,” Kahoni says. “You broke the law, so you must die.”

“He’s not really going to kill Marjorie, is he?” whispers Abby from the seat next to mine. “Wait, is this the part where he throws her in the volcano?”

“No. He’s just making a point,” I whisper back.

“You’re in big trouble now, Marjorie,” Kahoni says. “If we can catch you, you’re dead. But if you can escape and get to the nearest pu’uhonua, you’ll be saved.”

“I’m faster than I look,” Marjorie says, and we all laugh.

Kahoni goes on to talk about how the place is a temple where the chiefs’ bones are buried, and still holds their mana—their power. We file off the bus and look around. To one side is a huge L-shaped wall made of palm tree trunks, cutting the area off from everywhere else, down to the black rocky beach.

“Go explore,” Kahoni says. “But remember, this place is filled with the spirit of peace and forgiveness. Treat it with respect.”

I keep a careful eye on Abby as we wander—through the royal grounds, into several thatched-roof structures with people inside demonstrating how to make nets from a certain kind of leaf and containers out of gourds. We didn’t even discuss whose job it was to look after Abby today. Mom just handed me the hundred dollars.

Nick’s with us, as usual, standing in the back. He keeps a respectful distance. He probably thinks I’m mad at him, but I’m not. I have a lot of other, more pressing things on my mind than having tea.