this is some next-level shit. Didn’t you all run off so you could be safe? And now you’re gonna walk right into the lion’s fucking mouth! Girrrrl, you better not fucking die!” She ranted on about how her friends kept dropping like flies, then went on a tangent about how I’m not even a friend, I’m family. That last bit made me choke up, but I let her get it all out of her system.
When the sounds coming down the phone were more heavy breathing than shouted threats, I asked, “You done?”
“No!” She huffed, then after a pause: “Yes . . . I’m scared, Eve. I don’t want to lose any of you.”
“I’m scared too. But this is the right thing to do.”
“Eve?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m really fucking proud of you.”
I had to swallow around a lump in my throat, and even then, my answer still sounded choked. “Thanks, Dot. Love you.”
“Love you.”
I cleared my throat and wiped the tears off my cheeks. “What’s been going on with you? I’ve only been gone a week, but it feels like a year.”
“I know what you mean. So much has changed. I’ve stopped going to class. Mom and Dad are too freaked out, and the guys are on their side.” I could practically hear her rolling her eyes. “I’m still doing a few classes by correspondence, but I’m starting to get cabin fever. I haven’t left the house in, like, three days. But I have had a ton of extra Internet time. At least that’s still up and running—we haven’t gone full Walking Dead yet.”
I chuckled. Only Dot would be excited about still being able to check social media during a time of crisis. “Been doing some online shopping to fill the time?”
“As if! I’d have nowhere to wear my new clothes. No, I’m using my uncanny digital communication skills to do some good. There’s a resistance happening, and it’s taking off. Eve, our generation, most of the young people I speak to, want nothing to do with this conflict, and we’re sick of being ignored. I started to see these groups pop up all over the world, independent of one another—people using social media to organize peaceful protests and sit-ins, that kind of thing. So I thought, why not connect them? Make a global network of resistance?”
“Holy shit, Dot, that’s amazing.”
“Yeah, Charlie helped me set some stuff up, secure webpages and shit, and even connected me with some of his hacker buddies. Anyway, we’re all working together to spread more messages of unity. There’s gonna be a worldwide peaceful protest next week. Oh! And we’re getting T-shirts printed!”
I had to laugh at that. Of course she was getting T-shirts printed. I’d been gone a week and my best friend had managed to set up a global resistance movement. “I’m gonna make sure you speak to some of the Lighthunters. What they have planned is really in line with what you’re doing too. After . . .”
I had no idea how to finish that sentence.
Nina walked into the cottage, backpack slung over her shoulder. “Ready? The boats are waiting.”
The guys started to gather up our last few things while my heart jumped into my throat. I gripped the couch cushion. “I have to go.”
“Shit! OK, um . . .”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Dot.” Considering how fucking terrified I was, I was surprised at how even my voice sounded. I didn’t want to say goodbye to her. I didn’t want to say goodbye to anyone.
“Yeah . . .” She was crying again. “Yep. I’ll see you then.”
I hung up and stood. Immediately, Josh took my hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. Ethan waited by the door. Alec and Tyler were just outside, watching.
I squared my shoulders and walked toward what I knew would be a defining moment of my life—if it didn’t kill me.
And my Bondmates would be with me every step of the way.
Three speedboats carried us and a delegation of Lighthunters to the mainland. No one spoke much, and in Athens, we split up. The Lighthunters headed off on various assignments to prepare for what they were about to reveal to the world, and the five of us headed straight for the airport.
I gave the airport worker a weak smile as he checked my passport. In all my years of using fake documentation, I’d never been as nervous as I was to hand over my actual, legitimate passport. The man scanned it, stamped it, and handed it over.