“You’re a Traveler,” Finn says. He’s got one eye on me and he’s clearly trying to stall her. “You of all people should know that actions have consequences—and not always good ones.”
“We lose a little more every day as each world splinters and fragments and re-forms into other realities. The possibilities are becoming too infinite. We must return to a state of control. Rudy is the only one brave enough to make the tough choices. The ones that will restore order.”
I dig my fingers farther under the rock, feel warm blood on my fingers as I tear up my knuckles, but it’s starting to shift now. Back and forth, back and forth …
“Oh, but it is such a shame about you, Finn,” she says apologetically. “You had such promise. Rudy always thought so.”
“I don’t give a damn what Rudy thinks,” Finn snaps. “And you’re a fool to believe anything he says.”
“Year after year, century after century,” she says with a flamboyant gesture of her hand. “We hesitate and we doubt ourselves, making only the smallest changes, the ones with the least risk. We need a leader who isn’t afraid to take those risks, to move mankind forward with purpose and vision. To make the sacrifices that must be made. You, Jessa, are one of those sacrifices.”
She sighs, and her face settles into determined lines. As she centers the gun and squeezes the trigger, I pull my arm back and throw the rock as hard as I can.
I hit her wrist, sending the shot wide and making her drop the gun. Ben is closest. He and Eversor both make a dive for it, but my eyes are on Finn as he staggers back, slamming into the wooden post and raining dirt and small rocks on us. He’s clutching his shoulder, and blood is running down his arm.
“Finn!”
“It’s only a graze,” he says. Then his eyes widen as he looks past me. “Ben! Don’t let her—”
I whirl just in time to see Ben holding the gun on Eversor, who has crawled over to the lantern. She puts her hand to the reflective glass, and in the blink of an eye, she vanishes.
The gun drops to the ground with a clatter as Ben stares, openmouthed. “What the hell!” he says in disbelief. He turns to look at us. “What just happened?”
But there’s no time to answer him. A second later, a cracking sound turns into thunder as the post crumples and rock rains down all around us.
“Run!” Finn shouts, as everything shakes. A giant cloud engulfs us, throwing dirt and debris into our mouths and eyes. I feel a hand latch on to my arm, yanking hard, and we run, coughing and feeling our way along the wall. Ben’s foresight with the glow sticks helps to dimly illuminate the way out, and we stumble forward until the air begins to settle. It’s still so thick, I can’t see much, and the dust chokes my throat as I hold on to that hand like a lifeline.
I swipe at my eyes as the flashlight switches on, shining first on me, then around. It’s reflecting off the dust, but it’s enough light for me to see that it’s Ben’s hand I’m holding. The flashlight is in his other hand.
And I can’t see Finn.
I call his name once, then again, coughing to clear my lungs so I can call him louder.
Ben’s hand tightens on mine.
“Jessa,” he coughs.
I wave my other hand, trying to clear some more of the dust, and I look around wildly.
“Finn!” I call out again. “Finn!”
I pull my hand from Ben’s so I can feel my way along the wall and back the way we came, but he moves to get in front of me.
“Don’t go back there,” he says grimly. “Stay here—I’ll look.”
“No! Finn!”
I push past him and I am running, stumbling, falling to a pile of rock and debris so monstrously wide and tall, it’s impassable. I skid to a stop, tearing up my knees as I scream Finn’s name. I’m grabbing rocks and throwing them, determined to dig my way through.
“Stop!” Ben’s voice is urgent behind me. “You might bring more of it down! Stop!”
But I’ve found him. I’ve found his arm and it’s ominously still. Ben shines the flashlight down, and he reaches across me, putting his fingers to the wrist to feel for a pulse. He pulls his hand away, and something breaks inside me as he silently shakes his head.
“No! No! No, please! Finn!” I squeeze his hand, willing life back into it. “Finn. Finn.”
I begin throwing rocks like a madwoman; my fingernails break off and blood pours from my knuckles. I can feel the pile shifting and sliding, sending rocks down that bounce and strike me.
“Jessa! We have to get out of here!”
I can hear Ben’s voice, but I’ve got to get to Finn. It can’t be too late. It can’t be.
“Jessa,” Ben says urgently, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me back. “Come on! We need to get out of here. It’s still not safe!”
“I didn’t get to say good-bye.” I can hear my voice echo off the walls, high-pitched and shrieking. “We didn’t even say good-bye!”