"To make sure you all ended up dead," Maci says from across the cave. "Then I was supposed to come home."

"Then why didn't you?" My fingers inch for the knife, prepared to take on a child if I have to.

"Because Monarch told me not to." She points to her head. "He told me from in here."

I relax a little. "Is that why you decided not to kill me?" I turn to Tristan. "Because Monarch told you not toa from inside your head."

He swallows hard. "Monarch was the worst onea"he wants you dead more than any of them."

I back up, unbelieving. "You're lying. Monarch wants me to save the world."

"Monarch's not himself anymore, Kayla. He's a Higher now."

I shake my head. "No, I'm supposed to save him from that. That was the plan."

"You can't save him, Kayla," Tristan says sympathetically. "It's too late. His mind is gone."

I don't want to believe him. But that's the downfall of knowing when someone lies: you always know the truth, even when you don't want to.

"It's not too late," I say. "It's never too late. I'm going to save him."

I dash for the exit. Aiden jumps in front of me and I nearly tackle him over.

"Why are you so determined to save the man who ruined your life?" he breathes furiously. "Just let him go."

"I'm not trying to save him," I snap. "I'm trying to put the world back to what it was. And only Monarch knows how to do that."

"You can't fix everything, Kayla." His voice softens. "And someday you're going to have to accept that you might not be able to put the world back to what it was."

"Then I'll die trying." I'm not lying.

He lets me go and I squeeze past the boulder. The night sky is easing away, the smoke from the city pouring across the land. I pick up Sylas' scent in the morning breeze and hurry for him. He's perched on a rock, his skin smoking as the air grows warmer.

"Are you on a suicide mission?" I drop down next to him.

His eyes linger on the skyline as sweat drips down his forehead. "I was just trying to remember what it felt like to feel the day's warmth."

"How long has it been since you werea normal?" I pick at a loose string on my jeans.

"None of us have been normal since the day we were kidnapped," he answers. "But I've been a Day Taker for almost three years."

Resisting the urge to tug his sleeves down, and shelter his burning skin, I ask, "Were you the first to change?"

"Emmy and I did it at the same time," he replies. "But yeah, I was the first."

"What happened exactly?" I ask. "Why did Monarch tell you to do it?"

He shrugs half-heartedly. "He was trying to build an army and he messed up with his experiments. The only way he could save what he created was by having us die. The Highers had The Gathering going, to weed out the rebels. Some were sent to the underground to get rehabilitated. Othersa"the ones the Highers deemed hopelessa"were killed instantly. Monarch started slipping some of his Bellators into the death pile, making it look like we were dead to get his army out into the worlda he feared the Highers were onto him and he didn't want everything ruined."

He pulls the hood over his head and rolls his sleeves down, healing his scorching skin. "The problem is, when some of his secret experiments got out, they decided to choose death instead of becoming something Monarch wanted. Or be controlled as they saw it. So his little plan went to s.h.i.t. I snuck back in to warn him that it wasn't working, but all he did was yell at me and tell me I better get it fixeda"that you weren't ready yet. And I wasn't supposed to come back until you were. The problem with Monarch is once you mess up, you're never forgiven. That's when he handed you over to Aiden."

"But then what am I?" I ask. "Because I was never told I would die if I didn't turn. Maci just told me we were supposed to. And she never took the medicine herself."

"Then I guess she might be different. And youayou're the one he finally got right. The one who can walk in the light, kill the vampires, and do everything perfectly."

I shiver at the thought. "Then why do the Highers want me dead? They say it's because I'm an abomination, but why are they so fixed on killing me? It just doesn't make any sense."

He meets my eyes, a flicker of life amidst the blackness. "That's something we're going to go find out. Right now. If I heard right."

"Yeah, I'm ready to go to the Cell 7 and look for the tunnels." I pause. "But I think we need to take Tristan with us and leave the rest of them here. It's too dangerous." I chew on my lip, hating to admit it. "And they're too hard to watch and take care off."

He raises is eyebrows. "Finally, you're starting to get things right." Tugging the hood of his jacket snugger, he starts for the cave.

I catch his arm. "How do you remember what you just told me? You said you couldn't remember why you were going into The Colony."

He gazes up at the grey sky. "It's coming back to me for some reason."

He speaks the truth, unable to understand why he can abruptly remember things that have been wiped from his mind. I release him and we go inside the cave, leaving the boulder open so the greyness can spill in. We tell the others it's time and that they are going to stay behind, while Sylas, Tristan, and I make the rest of the journey on our own.

Tristan's not happy, but he doesn't have a choice. With the possibility of him being a blood-thirsty murderer, I won't let him stay. Before we leave, Aiden embraces me in a hug. He wants to kiss me, but still fears me enough that he won't. Feelings of love and longing warm me to my very core, but I'm unable to reciprocate.

As soon as he pulls away, Maci wraps her arms around my waist. "I'm so glad you're finally going, Kayla. It's what you were supposed to be doing this whole time."

I pat her on the head. "Coming from you, Maci, that makes me feel a lot better."

She lowers her voice and gestures for me to come closer. "But you won't come back. None of you will."

I freeze, her rapid heart beating through my veins. But I don't ask questions, knowing she won't give me a direct answer.

"I'll see you later, okay," I promise. "And when we come back, I'll bring something better than a snake to eat."

"No you won't." Sorrow consumes her as she watches us go.

Ducking outside, I can't help but think that she's right. After all, she can see the future.

Chapter 24.

"Can you at least untie me?" Tristan asks, writhing his tied wrists. "I can't defend myself if something happens."

Upon leaving the cave, we discovered that Tristan isn't immune to day time. Just like Sylas, Tristan's hood is over his head and his hands are tucked in his sleeves. He's much weaker than Sylas and the light makes him sluggish.

We stand at the edge of the city, where the sand intersects with the damaged asphalt. The streets gush with smoke and the towering, crooked buildings loom to the sky. Rusted cars dot the streets and embers speck the sidewalks.

"Well, I guess you should have thought about that before you tried to kill Kayla." Sylas treads across the line, leaving the desert and grounding onto Highers' territory.

"Twice." I grip the knife and advance up the road, weaving through the cars. "He tried to kill me twice."

Tristan grunts and follows us up the street, fenced by shiny buildings with broken windows and burnt pavements.

"Does it seem quiet to you?" Tristan whines. "Because it seems really quiet to me."

Sylas shakes his head and unfolds the map. "It would be quiet, if you'd shut up." He glances at the red lines on the map and tilts his head.

I circle vigilantly, looking left and right, up to the roofs and down in the alleys. "Are you sure you know where we're going?"

Sylas bites his lip as he studies the path to the park. "Yeah, it's this way." He crinkles up the map and heads down a side street. Barrels scorch fire and tipped lampposts detour the street. The air is deadly quiet and I swear someone's watching us.

"I don't think we're alone." I swerve around a car and turn around, walking backwards. "I feel like someone's watching us."

"It could be the other Day Takers," Sylas mulls over the thought. "But I don't think it could be the Highers. From what I understand, Highers can't be in the light either."

I lower my knife. "How'd you come to that conclusion?"

"Something Gabrielle said about the smoke protecting and concealing them." He flicks a burning barrel with his fingers. "So I started considering what it could be protecting them from. If they have vampire in them, I'm guessing it's the sun."

My gaze elevates to the sky, hidden in smoke and ash. "You think they have the fires burning to keep the sun out?"

"I think that's one reason," he says. "But I'm guessing there's more to it than that."

I replay Gabrielle's words in my mind. "He said it's the fires that protected them from the others. He couldn't be talking about the vampires, could he? I mean, what good would it be to block the sun out when vampires hate it too?'

He c.o.c.ks an eyebrow thoughtfully. "Perhaps he meant it protects them from the other Highers."

"Like from other Colonies," I say. "Could that be possible?"

"The hillside turned out to be one," he replies. "Who's to say there's not more of them?"

I eye the nearest barrel and it's like he can read my mind. He strides to the curb and kicks it over. I guide Tristan in front of me and urge him forward as we walk quickly up the street, knocking barrels to the ground. Some of the flames sneak into the street.

"We might start the whole city on fire," I say.

"Then we start the whole city on fire." Sylas shrugs and slams a barrel to the ground. "I was never that fond of it anyway."

When we brink the end of the road, I glance back, taking in the damage. The barrels are tipped and dented, but the fires still burn bright.

"I don't think it did much," I frown, disappointed. "In order to really get anything accomplished, we'd have to steal all the barrels from the city and hide them in the desert."

"They'd find another way." Sylas glances up at a tree covered with brown leaves and dead branches. "But if we did it quick enough maybe there'd be enough of a gap that we could get the sun to come outa briefly."

I shut my eyes, recollecting the warmth of the sun I felt against my skin when I was a child.

"If you want to temporarily get rid of the fires, you could always stop the Highers who come out and relight them," Tristan says. Sylas and I stare skeptically at him. He shrugs. "What do you think they were doing that night I found you?"

"Turning you loose to kill me," I angle the tip of the knife at him.

"Well, yeah, there was that," he says nervously. "But they also were checking on their fires. They do it every night."

"Then why have I never seen them out before?" Sylas stalks in front of Tristan. "I've lived in the city for a while and that night was the first time I've ever seen Highers out of The Colony."

Tristan trips back, sweat dewing his skin. "I'm not sure. I-I just know they do."

"He's telling the truth," I inform Sylas. "I can tell."

Sylas nods, stepping away. "Well, I guess will have to investigate it. But for now, let's get to the park."

Tristan follows begrudgingly. I pause, looking back at the streets. If the Highers need the fires to come out of The Colony, then that means there's a way to keep them underground. That means there's a way to lock them up.

The park isn't how I remember it. The green gra.s.s is a sheet of ash and the trees are charred pieces of wood, striving to stay in the soil. The sky is dark and the air as quiet as death.

"It's different than I remember," Sylas remarks with a sweep of his gaze. "But far less depressing."

I spot the swing where Sylas gave me the flower and the corners of my lips tilt up.

"Care to share what's so amusing?" Sylas asks as he ducks through the swings.

"I was just thinking about stuff." I touch my palm, recalling how the red flower felt against my skin.

He grins knowingly, but doesn't say anything.

I turn in a circle, examining the area. "How do you think we get to the tunnels?"

Sylas shrugs. "I still can't remember, but the map says they are below us."

Our gazes travel to the ground. Then we walk up the path and stop in front of the brown brick structure. The door is missing and plastic sheets and papers blow in the breeze.

"The tent's gone," he notes with a wary smile. "I guess that's a good sign everyone's cleared out."

I flip the knife out of my pocket. It's small and the blade is dull, but with enough force it'll get the job done.

"Everyone stays behind me," I order. "And Sylas walk behind Tristan and keep an eye on him."

Tristan sighs tiredly as I walk through the doorway. Gla.s.s crunches under my boots. I swish from side to side, eyes scanning the dark hall. There are doorways, but no doors. Each room is littered with bits of wall and ceiling. Walls are caved in and there are large holes in the ceiling. At the end of the hall, a piece of plastic hangs down. I lift it to the side, knife poised in front of me as I step underneath it.

The room is small and bare. Boards overlap the floor and the farthest wall is crumbling. The floor is marked with blood and handprints smudge the plastic curtain draping the middle of the room.

A dark figure dashes across the room and around the corner.

I hold up my hand. "Stay back for a second." I prowl into the room and to the corner. Gripping the knife, I carefully peer around. Fangs take a bite at my face and my fist impulsively slams upward, colliding with the vampire's jaw. The beast roars deafeningly and leaps at me. I quickly jump out of the way and it lands past me. My leg snaps up and I slam my boot into the side of its head. I twirl around swiftly and recoil it in the chest, cracking its rotting skin down the center. Blood spurts everywhere. I wipe my face and jab the knife into its hollow chest. Ash combusts in the air and flakes to the floor. With the bottom of my shirt, I wash the blood off my face.