"Aunt Tania!" Theresa dropped to the floor, her knees striking hard against the ground. She grabbed Tania's wrist with trembling fingers. The skin was cold. Not the chill of sleep, but the cold that seeped into the dead. "Aunt Tania…" Bennie came running, breathless, panic carved into his face. "Theresa! A message just came from the Starborn Order!" He pulled out a player and pressed it. A hollow voice spilled into the room, each word slow and sharp. "Ms. Theresa, you never cease to astonish us. To the Starborn Order, you are priceless. Tania has been injected with a special serum. Without the antidote, she will not survive past a week. We have no wish to harm you, or those you love. Join us, and all will be yours. The great Starborn Order is your destiny. You will be its true leader. That is my promise." The voice was empty of feeling, cold as marble, as if it came from a god that looked down on the world with no heart. Theresa's chest heaved. Rage churned through her veins. "Don't listen to them." The words cut through the air, deep and weathered. The wheels of a chair rattled on the stone. An old man rolled forward, his dog pulling at his side. The dog barked with joy, its tail wagging fast as it bounded toward her. It was Professor K.The very man Theresa had dragged away from the Starborn Order. His aged eyes glimmered as he looked at her. The suspicion he once carried had faded. In its place was calm and hope. "Do not give yourself to the Starborn Order. I know how to save Tania." Theresa's head jerked toward him. Her voice trembled. "Tell me how!" "In the place I once guarded, there are doses of antidote." Professor K wheeled himself closer and lifted Tania's arm. His hands shook as he studied the veins beneath her pale skin. "She has seven days. You must bring it back before then." Hope flickered in Theresa's chest. Then doubt sank in. She narrowed her eyes. "Why would you help me?" The dog wagged its tail harder, circling Theresa's legs, desperate for her touch. Professor K's voice softened. "Maybe because my dog likes you. And I don't want this place destroyed too soon." He had lived here long enough to see the truth. He had seen her raise dog after dog with her own hands. He knew then her threats had been false. She would never hurt her animals. The lie had cracked, and he had accepted it as he watched his dog play among hers. This city was not like the sterile chambers of the Starborn Order. Here there was laughter. The civilization of old existed in this place, and it was the polar opposite of Starborn Order's idea of an advanced civilization. Here there was warmth. Here, in a ruined world, people had made light. It was not what they'd expected.Professor K's voice fell into a sigh. "I want this place to last. At least while my dog still walks the earth." Theresa caught his words and felt her chest tighten. Her brow furrowed. "What do you mean by that?" He shook his head. "Don't ask. Maybe when you return, if I feel like it, I will tell you more." He patted his dog's head. "Come on, boy. Let's go home." The dog barked again, circling Theresa in a final dance, its tail wagging until it followed its master away. Theresa watched them leave, unease curling in her chest. She turned to Lucas. "How has he been living here?" Lucas spoke without pause. "We did not mistreat him. We only barred him from leaving the city. A while ago, Elias brought your war dogs into town. They played with his dog. Since that day, he often brings his pet outside." Theresa thought of the sixteen dogs waiting at her home. A warmth filled her chest. She had not expected her animals to shield her in this way. Lucas studied her carefully. "Theresa, are you leaving again?" "Yes." Her answer was firm. She had to go to Firestone. Lucas hesitated, then spoke. "If you are going to Firestone, I can connect you with the Solan Camp there." Theresa's brow lifted. "Solan Camp?""Yes. Do you remember Louisa?" The name struck her like a stone. She froze for a moment. Then memory returned. Louisa—the girl she had crossed paths with in Firestone, traveling with that small convoy. "I remember her." "Louisa contacted us while you were gone. She said Firestone has a massive Solan Camp, with nearly eight thousand people. When they heard we had taken Ansford, they were shocked. They have been reaching out often. They want to meet you. If you want, I can tell them you are coming. They can meet you there. What do you say?"