the earth. I hoped Daniella was blissfully unaware, though I had no way to know for sure. What I did know was Vinya had been very aware as death took her. She’d sacrificed herself to save us, even my aunt who she seemed to despise. The world didn’t deserve someone so good.
I pressed my face to my knees and tried not to think about it.
But I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t stop thinking about the ship’s attackers. They must’ve known people would die, that we all might die. Did they care about those lives that they were taking? Or were they just following orders?
I knew at least two people who had ignored the number of lives they would put in jeopardy: Adaline and Alexander Habermann.
Before the ship crashed, I hated the twins. I’d even wanted to make them pay, but now… Now, no death was good enough for them. Now, I wanted them to suffer.
But our group was a broken, disheveled thing. Those of us who survived sat under the tree cover, a small band of subdued people. Becca had started crying and hadn’t stopped since we’d all found each other and taken cover away from the crash site. Ronnie got to work fixing small injuries, but once those were magically healed, he’d sat next to Becca and gone quiet. My aunt stood aloof at the edge of the trees, holding herself. Antonio and Regina sat deep in the shade, their eyes wary. I got the sense that they were minutes from bolting and leaving us for good.
We’d had no word from the rest of the crew, the silent twins, or the dean.
We were alone.
Vaughn sat beside me, rubbing an absent-minded hand over my back as he kept watch over us. His gaze swept the trees in all directions, ears alert for any sound. We were sitting ducks here, but no one seemed able to move much further from the ship. Maybe we thought the dean would come back and save us. Maybe we thought the Habermanns would show up and put us out of our misery.
I didn’t think either of those things would happen. It would be far too convenient. If there was anything I knew about this island, it was to expect the worst. That was all this place had to offer.
But we couldn’t just sit here. I had two, maniacal twins to murder.
I stood up, brushing soot and dirt off my jumpsuit. It had survived, but my sword was gone. Nearly all of our weapons were gone, though Antonio had thought to grab his sword. It was strapped across his chest.
Turning, I scanned the group, realizing we amounted to the second round of New Starts recruits minus Bael. We’d been through so much in such a short time. And it was up to me to rally them once again.
“Hey, all. We need to get up. We can’t stay here. The Habermanns will send guards to see if anyone survived.”
Vaughn nodded, standing, but no one else followed suit.
“What’s the point?” Regina said, her eyes narrowed. “They’re going to kill us, so let them come. I’m sick of the cat and mouse game.”
I stared at her. “Regina, I’m surprised. I thought you had more fight in you than that.”
If only I’d been able to hold on to Karen’s helmet during the crash, maybe I would have some hope to offer to them, but we didn’t have anything.
“She’s right,” Becca said. “Let them come get us. I’d rather be in jail than do this anymore.”
“Becca, I’ve been to that jail,” I said. “It isn’t what you think. They torture people. You saw Daniella. They turn witches like you into monsters.”
“You don’t know that was really your friend,” Becca offered. “She might just look like her.”
Vaughn stepped closer, forming a united front. “That was Daniella. And I know how bad the dome is. I was a guard there. You cannot let them capture you unless you’d like to become a mindless creature.”
Becca’s eyes dropped to the ground as she fell silent.
Antonio and Regina stood up and relief washed through me until I saw the looks on their faces.
“We’re leaving,” Antonio said. “We’ll head west and you head east. That way they will have a harder time following both of our trails.”
I shook my head. “We’re stronger together.”
He snorted. “Look at us. We’re not strong. There’s no debate here. Good luck to you.”
Together, he and Regina walked off into the trees. I didn’t have the heart or the words to stop them. What