I spotted Liam straight off, standing rather than sitting on one of the logs. He had a bowl of chili in each hand and was scanning the area. Chubs would have walked right by him if Liam hadn't nudged him as he passed. He asked Chubs something, but I caught only part of his response.

"Uh, no thanks. I read Lord of the Flies. I know how this works-everyone starts dancing around the fire and painting their faces and worshipping a decapitated pig head and then someone gets hit by a boulder and plummets to their death-and, surprise, it's the fat kid in glasses." Liam started laughing, but even I could see how uncomfortable Chubs looked. "I think I'm going to play it safe and go read-and, hey, there's Ruby! You two can enjoy the degeneration of human decency without me."

Liam whirled around so fast his footing slipped, and he came dangerously close to dropping both bowls on the bushy-haired girls sitting beside him.

"Have fun," Chubs said as he hurried past me. I caught his sleeve and swung him back around.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

He shrugged, a sad smile curling the ends of his lips. "I'm just not up for it tonight, I guess."

I knew the feeling. After it being just the four of us alone for so long, suddenly being around so many people, even if they were kids like us, was a little stressful. If he hadn't liked it when one new person-me-had invaded his world, I could only imagine what this was doing to his nerves. "Well, if you change your mind, we'll be here."

Chubs patted my head fondly and continued up the dirt trail, back to our assigned cabin.

"What's gotten into him?" Liam asked, offering me the steaming bowl of food.

"I think he's just tired," I said, and left it at that. "Where's Zu?"

He nodded to the left, where, sure enough, Zu's smiling face appeared at the center of a small group of boys and girls her age. When she saw me, she waved. I wondered how it was possible for her face to be so vibrant. The Asian girl sitting next to her nodded as Zu gestured to her, as if knowing her every thought without her having to whisper a word. When Zu reached over to knock back the hood of the girl's "Virginia Is for Lovers" sweatshirt, she revealed a long, glossy black braid.

"Oh my God," I said, making the connection instantly.

"What wrong?"

"That kid was in your camp," I said. "I saw her in Zu's nightmare. They got separated."

"Really?" The dawning realization that spread across his face was adorable. "Guess that explains why they tackled one another to the ground earlier."

I laughed. "They did?"

"Yeah, they were rolling around like puppies in the grass-hey, Zu!" She looked our way again. "Come here a sec. No, bring your friend-"

When the two girls were on their feet, I was surprised to see the other girl stood a good four inches above Zu's head, though she looked like couldn't have been more than a year older than her.

Zu took the girl's hand and flounced over to us, grinning. She was back to wearing the hot pink dress.

"Hi there," Liam said, holding out his hand to the girl. "My name is Liam, and this is-"

"I know who you are," the girl interrupted. "Liam and Ruby." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Suzume told me all about you."

"Told you-told you, or..."

"Of course she didn't tell me," the girl huffed, earning a sharp elbow to her side. She turned and said something to Zu in Japanese, who, in turn, shook her head and reached up to tug the girl's braid.

"Okay, fine!" The tall girl turned back to us, flanked by the campfire. "I'm Hina. Suzume is my cousin."

"Oh, wow!" I said, looking to Zu. "Are you serious? That's amazing!"

She was bouncing on her toes, still smiling.

"And you were at Caledonia together," Liam said, slowly. "Zu, why didn't you mention it? We could have tried to track her down. Are you a Yellow, too?"

"I'm a Green," Hina said, pointing to her full head of hair. "Duh."

Zu gave us an apologetic shrug before tugging Hina away, back to the circle of younger kids who were engrossed in some kind of card game. Liam turned toward me with a look of pure amazement. "Did I just get sassed by a twelve-year-old?"

"I guess it runs in the family," I said, spinning my spoon around my bowl. The chili was warm, with a wonderful kick. I don't think I'd eaten anything other than the slop they'd served at Thurmond and junk food in almost seven years, and the fact that someone had put even the barest amount of effort into it...I had to go back and get seconds, thirds, until I physically could not stuff myself anymore.

Being so close to the fire with a belly full of delicious food was making me feel drowsy and safe. I slid down off the log so I was sitting on the ground, reclining against Liam's legs.

"That reminds me...." Liam said. "Would you believe Zu actually started jumping up and down and clapping when I told her she had to get up at seven to go do some good ol'-fashioned book learnin' with the other Cubbies?"

"Cubbies?"

"Daily lessons. School." He tapped my nose with the clean end of his spoon. "Stick around, Ruby Tuesday, and you'll start picking up the cool-kid lingo, too."

When we finished eating, Liam set both of our bowls in one of the many plastic tubs floating by. The Blue controlling the one closest to us was a skinny kid, who looked like he weighed about half of what his tub did. I blinked once, twice, wondering if I was imagining it. It was the first time I had ever seen kids use their abilities so...frivolously. It was a strange contrast to what was otherwise a picture of normalcy. At least, what I assumed normalcy looked like. A few kids strummed on guitars or used their log as a drum set. Most were talking quietly, or playing card games.

Liam slid down behind me, finding just enough room between my back and the old log. The shimmering air around the flames, combined with the delicious heat, made my muscles turn to mush. His hand came up to brush the stray strands of hair off the back of my neck. I leaned back until I was resting against his chest, nestled between his knees.

"You okay now, darlin'?" he whispered in my ear. I nodded, my fingers finding the bare skin of his forearms, tracing the muscles and overlying veins there. On a discovery mission, searching for something I hadn't even realized I wanted until now. His skin was so soft, his hands warm and wide, knuckles bruised and torn with brittle scabs. I pressed my own hand on top of his, weaving our fingers together.

"I had to be alone for a little while, but I'm okay now."

"All right," he whispered. "But next time, don't go where I can't find you."

I didn't doze off so much as relax. It seemed like the longer I sat there, the quieter my head became, the more the aches and knots in my body worked themselves out, leaving me as soft as the dirt under us.

Eventually, someone brought out a decades-old boom box, and even the kids with guitars stopped playing in deference to the Beach Boys. I seemed to be the only one in the entire camp who didn't dance, but it was fun to watch the others. Zu, in particular, as she twisted her hips and threw her arms in the air-at least until she ran up to us and began to tug on our arms. I managed to beg off, but Liam didn't have nearly as much willpower.

They were both laughing when the track switched to "Barbara Ann," twirling when "Fun, Fun, Fun" came on. I should have known something was up when they both turned to me wearing identical devious looks.

Liam held up a finger in my direction, beckoning me over to him. I laughed and shook my hands in front of me. "No!"

He grinned-his first real grin in days-and I felt something tug at my belly button. The sensation was warm, tingling, and familiar. Liam pretended he was hauling a line in, and Zu actually stopped her frolicking to act it out with him. Their faces were flushed and glowing with a sheen of sweat. With nothing but fine dust and mud between us, I slid right over to them-right into Liam's outstretched hands.

"No fair," I whined.

"Come on, Green," he said. "You could use a good dance."

Zu spun around us, waving her arms in time to "Wouldn't It Be Nice." I put my hand over Liam's, letting him drop it over one of his shoulders. He took my other hand without asking, and held it lightly in his own. "Step up on my feet."

I gave him what I hoped was an incredulous look.

"Trust me," he said. "Come on, before our song is over."

Against all my better judgment, I put my feet over his, waiting for him to wince at my weight. At least his bones felt sturdy under mine.

"A little closer, Green; I won't bite."

I leaned forward, close enough that my cheek was resting against his shoulder. Liam's hand tightened around mine, and I found my other hand bunching the fabric of his shirt. And I was embarrassed because I was positive he could feel my heart hammering in my chest.

"No spinning," I said. I wasn't sure if my head or heart could take it. Up close, he was so warm, and so beautiful. I was already dizzy enough.

"No spinning," he agreed.

When we began to move, it wasn't really dancing-just some glorified swaying. Back and forth, nice and easy. For once, my brain was perfectly content to keep its hands to itself. My muscles moved slow, like honey. We were completely out of sync with the song, and then we weren't even moving at all. My cheek rested on his shoulder. The hand on the small of my back slipped under my shirt and curled against the skin there.

When the bells rang again, this time signaling lights-out across the camp, there was an audible groan, loud enough to get Liam chuckling. I didn't realize how tired I was until we separated.

"Bed time," he called, waving Zu over. She stood, brushing herself off, signaling something to the group of kids she was leaving.

The fire popped and hissed, buckling under a steady stream of water from a nearby hose. The sound it made was like an animal having the life squeezed out of it. And when the light was finally gone, settling down into a pile of unimpressive embers spread out among the ash, there was nothing but a screen of smoke to separate me from where Clancy Gray sat on the other side of the pit, watching me with dark eyes.

TWENTY-TWO.

THAT WAS SOMETHING Clancy Gray liked to do, apparently-watch me.

Watch me while I sat out on the porch helping Zu lace her new tennis shoes before walking with her and Hina to the cabin serving as the classroom.

Watch me tease Chubs for being the first and only one to get bitten by a tick.

Watch me wait by the fire pit with Lee for Mike to arrive with what our duties would be during our time at East River.

All this watching from the window on the second story of the office, where he appeared to control everything and do nothing.

Mike had mentioned that everyone older than thirteen would be responsible for doing some work; I just hadn't realized that the assignments were chosen for you. I didn't mind helping out in the pantry, organizing and counting our supplies-but I would have so preferred being out with Chubs in the camp's small garden, or running around the forest with Liam on security detail. It was strange not to spend my entire day with them.

The kids I worked with were nice enough; more than nice, actually. Most had never seen the inside of a camp but then again, I had never cooked a meal, so it wasn't like any of us were winning in the life experience department. What I liked most was their brand of pluck. Lizzie, for instance, had been hiding out at East River for close to two years, having narrowly escaped capture by PSFs who had pulled her parents' car over in Maryland.

"You just got out and ran?" I asked.

"Like the wind," she confirmed. "Didn't have anything on me at all, 'cept what I was wearing. I tried to meet up with my parents again, but they never went back to our old house. I got picked up by a tribe of Greens and brought here."

That was another thing: most of the kids here were either Green or Blue, with a small tight-knit group of Yellows that didn't really socialize outside of their own circle. Lizzie claimed that there used to be more, but the Slip Kid had given them permission to head out and form a tribe of their own.

"He gave them permission?" I repeated, marking down how many boxes of cereal we had left.

"Yeah, and there are other requirements, too." That, from Dylan, a small-boned kid who had only recently finished his Cubbies lessons. He claimed the nickname came from the wood shelving units Clancy had built to store all of their books and schoolwork.

"You have to have at least a group of five," he continued. "And then Clancy has to determine whether or not it's safe, and you have to swear on your life not to reveal anything about the camp, unless it's to another kid in need, and then you can only reveal the clue. It's to keep everyone safe. It would kill him if something happened to a kid because of him."

I felt myself soften a little then. It wasn't so much that I didn't trust Clancy's motivations; he just unnerved me. When someone takes such an interest in you, you have to wonder what it is exactly they're searching for in your face.

"What are you doing?"

All three of us looked over to the door, where Clancy stood stiff and still, staring at me. The wind from the open door behind him tugged at his dark hair, causing it to stand on end. Something inside of me coiled at his expression, but it wasn't fear.

"We're sorting," Lizzie said, confused. "Is something wrong?"

Clancy snapped out of whatever daze he had been stuck in. "Yeah, sorry, it's just-Ruby, would you mind coming with me for a second? I think there was some confusion on your assignment."

I passed my clipboard back to Lizzie, wondering why her eyes narrowed at me.

"I was assigned to Storage," I said, when we were standing outside on the porch.

"I didn't assign you anything," he said. "I specifically told Mike that."

I'd like to think that I wasn't the type of person to be easily intimidated by other kids-even the ones that were taller, stronger, or better armed than I was. So I'm not sure why it hit me then that I was talking to Clancy Gray. The son of the most powerful man in the country. A blue-blooded American prince, who wore his black polo shirt with the collar popped under a matching cable-knit sweater. He was even wearing a leather belt.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I'm more than capable of pulling my weight."

Out in the sunlight, he was far less intimidating than he had been in the shade. And shorter. It was possible his reputation had added a few imaginary inches, but he was only a bit taller than I was, which meant both Liam and Chubs stood a nearly a full head over him. Not that it did anything to knock his title of The Most Attractive Person I Had Ever Seen.

Clancy was lean but not slight, well-kept but not groomed, composed but not comfortable. I thought, as the wind blew against us, that he might have been wearing some spicy cologne, but that seemed ridiculous.

I was glad we were out on the porch, where everyone by the fire pit could see us. I didn't think he was going to hurt me, or anything like that-why would he? I felt my hands clasp together in front of me, then move to my side, then rise up to cup my elbows, like they couldn't figure out what they wanted to be doing.

I hadn't forgotten my whole purpose in coming here, but I couldn't bring myself to ask for his help. He clearly had a good grasp on his own abilities if he was voluntarily diving into people's minds-the question should have come as naturally as breathing.

If he had these kids following his every whim and order, it had to be because he was a good guy, right? People didn't help other people just for their health. Clancy had the kind of confidence that made him the sun at the center of East River's galaxy. Everything and everyone orbited around his light.

So why couldn't I bring myself to ask? Why were my hands still shaking?

"I know you probably won't ever come around to liking me after our introduction," he said, "but I am sorry. It didn't occur to me that you were keeping that information secret."

"It's fine," I said. "But what does that have to do with my work assignment?"

For a few moments, he didn't say anything at all. He just...stared.

"Will you stop?" I muttered, feeling both flustered and annoyed at once. "If I say you're forgiven, will you stop doing that?"

His mouth turned up in a handsome grin. "No."

Clancy, who apparently had never been taught about respecting someone's personal space, took a step forward, and I took a step back, off the porch, my feet sinking into the sticky mud. Instead of backing off, he seemed to take it as a challenge, and came toward me again. For whatever reason, mostly the flutter of nerves in my gut, I let him.

"Listen," he said, finally. "The reason I told Mike not to assign you anything is because I'm hoping that you'll come work with me."

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, you heard me." His hand closed over my arm, and it was like a bee had been set loose inside of my skull. My brain seemed to lurch full speed back into life, flooding with milky-white images of the two of us sitting in front his desk, staring at each other as a fire devoured everything around us.