haven’t been eating either. You’re going to be sick. Do you need food too?”
“No. I don’t need anything. Are you almost finished, Phlix? We have to go.” I start to walk to where I left my flipcart, but Trey emerges from behind the tree next to me. He grabs me by the throat and pushes me up against a nearby tree. In his hand he holds a bottle of water.
Scowling at me, he says through clenched teeth, “Drink this!” His jaw is so ridged I’m surprised he can speak at all.
I wasn’t aware of just how betrayed I feel until this moment. I know it’s wrong to blame him for doing the right thing—for doing what he had to do to save everyone and everything he loves . . . everyone but me. I think I’m the most hurt by the fact that I’m not like him. I would’ve chosen him over everything else. The whole world could’ve burned down and I would’ve pulled him from the wreckage of it.
“No. I don’t want anything from you, Trey.”
His violet eyes narrow as his hand lets go of my neck and he clasps my chin, squeezing it so that my mouth opens. He tilts my head back and pours water between my lips, making me swallow large gulps of it. I choke a little, coughing and gasping, but otherwise he isn’t hurting me.
By the time the bottle of water is empty, the front of my shirt is wet and I’m livid. Tossing the empty bottle aside, Trey shifts his hand back to my throat and holds me steady against the tree. His violet eyes never leave mine as we try to kill each other with drop-dead stares.
Then Trey holds his hand out to Jax, “Hand me a protein bar,” he demands.
“Sir . . . I think she’s capable of—”
Trey’s scowl deepens as he growls, “Hand. Me. A. Protein. Bar!”
Jax follows orders and places one in his hand. Trey tears off the wrapper with his teeth and holds the protein bar up to my lips. I clamp my mouth shut, but he forces a bite into my mouth. I turn my face away from him and spit it out onto the ground.
Dropping the protein bar, Trey winds back his fist. I cringe, steeling myself for the hit. Instead, he punches the trunk of the tree by my head. His fist comes away bloody again and again, but he doesn’t stop. “Jax,” I whisper. Trey continues to hold me by my neck as he pounds the tree with his fist. “Jax!” I yell. “Give me a protein bar.”
Trey’s bloody knuckles rest against the bark of the tree. I feel Jax place the protein bar in the palm of my hand. Bringing it to my lips, I take a bite, chewing it. I almost choke on it because of the lump in my throat, but I manage to get it down. I eat the whole thing in three bites. Trey lets go of my neck. He leans forward and rests his forehead against mine. I don’t move; I just close my eyes and breathe for a moment. Then I put my hands on his chest and push him away from me. I don’t meet his eyes. I can’t. Instead, I duck away from him and look at Phlix. She’s on her feet, staring at me with fear in her eyes.
“Are you ready to go?” I ask her in a broken voice. She nods. I turn and gather up my backpack, hitching it onto my shoulders. Then I mount my flipcart and take off in the direction of the basin. When I look back over my shoulder, the only person I see behind me is Phlix.
We travel all the rest of the night through the Forest of Omnicron at a faster pace than before. According to the map, we will make it to the water containing the portal to Earth just before dawn.
As we rest for the last push to the mountain that forms the basin, Phlix asks, “How will we know where to enter the water?”
“I don’t know,” I admit. “I was sort of unconscious when Trey dragged me out of it last time.”
“Trey? You mean that enormous Cavar back there who made you eat that protein bar is the person who brought you here?”
“Yes,” I reply.
“He’s in love with you.”
“No. He isn’t.”
“Yes, he is.”
“He’s too good for me. I never would’ve made him happy.”
“He would’ve been happy the rest of his life with you,”