Thank you so much to Bamberlee for editing!

Sorry for the delay! I'm doing my best to update frequently, but I had an oddly busy week and I rewatched Tiger King. My life will never be the same now.

Thanks so much for reading + reviewing!

"Do you have a fever?"

My mother hovers in front of me, pressing her palm to my forehead and frowning. She keeps it there for a long time, trying to detect some invisible warmth, but there is none.

I'm freezing, because it's early in the morning, and I've forgotten to dress warmly. "No, I just came here because I had to. Not because I'm sick."

"Okay, well I think you're fine. I'll mark it down that you're good to continue." She doesn't look away just yet, and her expression is mildly stressed. "Everly, are you okay? Mable stopped by yesterday and said you were gone for –"

"I wasn't gone long. I was asked to bring lunch for a few soldiers, so I did. I told her where I was going." I answer defensively, because I had a feeling this might come up. I'd returned from lunch with Eric to find the class painting the barn, just like Mable said. She smiled brightly, but she watched me very hesitantly head back into the pit of despair otherwise known as our class. They had been given some paint that would wash off, because they didn't just paint flowers. They drew whatever their tiny hearts desired, which was a whole lot of scribbles and things which resembled potatoes. There was more paint on them than the barn, and Courtney was busy trying to wipe blue streaks out of her hair.

It was obvious I wasn't thrilled to be back, and I did my best to avoid getting dirty.

"I wasn't even gone that long."

"Who asked you to bring them lunch?" My mom steps away to reach for the paper beside her. She writes something on it, presumably that I'm healthy and I don't want to take any vitamins or tea or slather myself in an oil meant to make me smarter, but she glances back in my direction. "Was it…Harrison?"

The pause before his name is telling.

"No, it was Eric." I figure I might as well not lie to her, because she clearly knew Harrison, and there was a chance she could ask him. I had no reason to lie, anyway. It was unlikely she'd get mad, considering she'd been holding onto him far more affectionately than she held my father's hand. "Do you know Eric?"

"I know of him. He seems…intense." She finally writes something and signs her name at the bottom. "Did he eat the lunch? Was it just him?"

Her gaze is piercing.

She must not be taking peace serum.

Which made sense. Everyone in our initiation class was scheduled to see her. The appointments ran from five to fifteen minutes and were pretty harmless. Since we had no official doctor here, my mother was the one in charge of making sure initiates were in good enough health to continue. She took our temperature, with her hand, examined our eyes, asked a few simple questions, and then would clear the person or prescribe something for them to take.

Sophia was told to take an iron supplement.

Courtney got a multivitamin.

It was looking like I was about to get a lesson on staying away from members of Dauntless.

"Yeah, he ate it. It was fine. He said he was here on…business," I try to avoid answering the part about anyone else being there. I flash back to Eric eating the salad in an attempt to get me to trust him, and the way he'd held my hand. He was oddly concerned about it, and if I tried hard enough, I could still remember the feeling of his fingers pressing on my wrist bone. "He said…"

"You need to be very careful with him." My mother closes the folder, old and worn and reused from the last initiation. The name crossed out reads Kelly, and I idly wonder whatever happened to her. "Everly, he's…Eric is…" She pauses, searching for a word. "He's dangerous. They're all dangerous. Not just because they could hurt you."

"I thought they protect the city," I shrug, wondering why all of a sudden everyone was acting like Eric was going to stab me the next time I saw him. "Did Landon say something to you?"

"Actually, yes. Landon thinks Eric is coming to you for information. He's worried you're going to tell him what he wants to hear and he'll twist it to say people in Amity are doing something wrong. I've been worried about this all morning."

"Why?" I stare at her in pure horror, wondering if she was involved too. Of course, Landon told her Eric had spoken to me. Of course, Landon came to my mother, making it look like I was an idiot who couldn't tell Eric wanted information. I was hoping him showing up was more than that, but it was unlikely.

Still, he'd shown me how to punch Landon, and I would bet if Landon came after me again, Eric would go after him.

"Are you doing something wrong?"

"No!" My mother's eyes widen, and she looks confused. "I'm just…the Dauntless soldiers aren't nice, nor does their job allow them to be. Their job is to protect us, but not all of them are good people. They can change things around to benefit them. They aren't coming here just because they want to."

"You seem to know a lot about Dauntless." I hop down off the table, and I fix my sleeve. "How do you know Harrison?"

My mother falls silent. She tilts her head to the side, clutching my folder to her chest, and her expression becomes pained.

"I wrote down that you should start drinking some of the tea here. I think it would be beneficial to you. Just a normal, immunity boosting tea. I'll have it ready for you in the morning." Her words are dismissive; they're unlike her, but it's clear our appointment is over.

"The tea?" I shake my head, hating the idea. I didn't want to drink anything that made me feel weird, let alone something concocted with things she'd pulled out of the ground. "Mom, I'm fine. I don't need—"

"Have the next person come in. I need to get through your class before dinner."

My mother walks away from me, taking the file with her. She ignores my protest completely, not even budging when I don't leave.

Damn.

Forrest was the first person who'd told me the tea was dangerous. He claimed the evidence of what the tea did was unfounded. I'd squinted at him, not really sure how someone who worked with plants and cheerfully helped grow them could go against his own job or his mother. He whispered the tea did nothing, and it was just hot water with ground up plants and leaves but none of it was safe to ingest. His words went against everything one would believe, especially our mother, and he waited until she was gone to dump his drink down the sink.

I wouldn't be so lucky.

"It's just a tea."

I try to point this out to myself, figuring maybe I could get away with drinking a few sips, and then she'd forget.

I try to convince myself of this while I walk out to tell the next person they can go inside.

The sun is warm.

The bright rays feel luxurious on my skin, after days of unusually cool weather. I lie on the blanket I'd brought, reclined back with one arm over my eyes and my dress pulled up so my legs would be warm, and I listen to Zander splash at the edge of the lake.

"Everly! Everly watch me!"

I blink my eyes open to see him spin around, kicking water everywhere.

I wasn't particularly worried, because Zander had no fear. He had learned to swim the minute someone could teach him. He tagged along with anyone going to the lake, anyone who went to the river, and anyone going anywhere where he could jump into something. Even as a tiny baby, he lived his life defiantly, bored by the confines of my parents wanting to keep him alive.

"EVERLY!"

"Nice, Zander. Good job," I call back, moving my arm to squint at him.

He stands on the edge of the lake, jumping up and down, so his feet sink into the bank. This pleases him, so he does it again, then looks over at me expectantly.

"Can you find a rock for me?" I yell, hoping this will buy me a few minutes of quiet time. "Or two rocks? Don't forget, if you want to go into the water, you have to tell me so I can go with you."

"I CAN FIND ROCKS!" His shriek is thrilled; not only did Zander love the water, but he loved having a task to do. I'd learned a great way to keep him busy was to have him "help" with something, unless he was being a little shit and knew you were trying to distract him. "Two rocks! Three rocks! Four rocks!"

His little counting drifts into the air, and I close my eyes.

Life is not going so well.

I mean, it is, but not really.

A few days ago, my mother had performed my physical exam and declared I could continue through initiation. No one ever failed this part because we needed members. A few people would go back to her for various ailments; there was a guy with dark hair who was anxious and nervous and afraid he'd fail, so my mother would see him a few times a week. A kid who'd had a headache since he got here. A girl covered in bug bites, having failed to realize the fields were full of bugs, and she was a nice treat for them. Someone with a sunburn, moaning how their skin felt like it was on fire. A girl who was panicky at the thought of endless fields, endless days, and had fallen down on one of the pathways and now had a lovely gash on her leg.

My mother was quick to treat these things, and she did so cheerfully.

I had returned to my class with the utmost of reluctance, feeling a bit like a failure. I was so sure Amity was my home. I had been confident with my test results, and I'd picked Amity without an ounce of hesitation.

But now, weeks deep into watching small children and struggling with the fact that my parents had asked I continue living with them, I was feeling trapped. I could have moved to the communal living, where all the transfers were staying, but my mother needed help. Zander isn't my total responsibility, but sometimes it feels like it.

So when they asked, I couldn't say no, and now I feel like I've missed the opportunity to say yes. I was great at thinking of others, and always willing to lend a hand, but it was starting to feel stifling.

Mable had noticed, too.

Yesterday, she gently pulled me aside and asked if I was okay. I was sort of spacing out, watching Cody and Holden feed the chickens, and I must have been frowning. I promised I was fine, but she didn't look like she believed me.

"Eighty-six rocks, eighty-seven…Hey! Everly look!"

I open my eyes when Zander says my name, and I sit up suddenly.

There, at the bank of the lake, is Harrison. He's crouched down with Zander, paying no mind to his boots getting wet and the chilly water lapping in lazy waves toward them. They're both busy; Harrison leans in, helping Zander pick out a few rocks, smooth and flat from years of being in the water, and it takes them a second before they both look over at me.

"Hello Everly."

"Um, hi." I answer back in pure disbelief, as Harrison points to a dragonfly skimming over the lake, a brave one hanging on despite the upcoming winter.

But I can't focus on that.

Only on Harrison and Zander, now busy trying to get my attention.

My whole world tilts, because in this moment, they have the same face. Their expressions mirror each other to the point where I can't look away. Both of their eyebrows are knit inward, and their smiles are the same. They grin at me, amused that they'd caught me off guard, like they're sharing a secret.

"Hey!"

"You okay over there?" Harrison calls out, and Zander looks up at him with the utmost pure adoration.

He reaches out tentatively, tiny fingers touching the sleeve of Harrison's jacket, totally transfixed on the sight before him. "Mine."

"Does your brother know how to swim?"

"I can swim!" Zander answers for me, unwilling to share the attention of this soldier with me. He moves in front of Harrison, showing him the rocks, he'd found, one after the other. "Look at this one! Hey! Hey, look!"

"He can swim," I sit up further, staring at the two of them in the warm sun. Behind Harrison are trees and rocks, then a path leading deep into the woods, a picture-perfect background. "He's a really good swimmer, actually."

I move to sit on my knees, and Harrison gently takes the rocks from Zander. He turns them over like they're some precious stones, rather than lake rocks which Zander will undoubtedly toss back into the water before we leave.

"What are you doing here?"

"Patrolling. It was my turn to come through here. My territory runs past this lake. I saw him by the water and wanted to make sure he wasn't alone." Harrison answers, and I feel a flash of guilt that I hadn't been over there with Zander.

"Sorry, I was watching him. He's really enjoying the warm weather. I told him to call me if he wanted to go in," I watch Harrison carefully, still not caring that he was in the water, and if he wasn't careful, Zander was about to drag him out farther. "Did you find anything interesting?"

"Sure," Harrison shrugs, and he turns back to Zander. "Those are nice. I bet your mom would like to see them."

"Okay," Zander looks confused for a moment, but he nods slowly. He turns, and his look is demanding. "Everly! Carry the rocks!"

He points to the pile he's made on the shoreline. It's impressive, and I wonder how on Earth I'm supposed to carry a million rocks home.

"Okay, but maybe just…pick a few. Your favorite ones." I make no move to stand up. I wasn't in a hurry to go home. My father had left early this morning, waking almost everyone up while he looked for some paperwork he'd misplaced, and he and my mother had a frosty exchange over how long he'd be gone. Their temporary truce was forgotten when he told her he had to work late into the night, and when I finally saw her, the look on her face told me she wasn't happy with this news.

"Who taught you to swim?" Harrison asks, but he's not talking to me. He's facing Zander, listening intently while Zander gives him a thousand-word explanation. "Who?"

"Forrest," I call out. "Our older brother taught him."

"Yes," Zander solemnly agrees, and I realize he's on his best behavior. There's something about Harrison and his uniform that Zander likes, so he's not willing to risk him leaving. "I show you."

"I wish, pal. I gotta get back to my work," Harrison stands up, but the unwillingness is all over his face. He looks back down at Zander, and smiles, in an oddly affectionate manner. Maybe the key to getting someone from Dauntless to like you was to be a smiling child, standing shin deep in lake water. "I bet I'll see you around though. I don't know too many little guys who can swim."

"No!" Zander's gasp is loud, especially when Harrison steps away from the water. He throws me a goodbye nod, half waving and half waiting for me to say something, but I can't.

I don't know why, but I feel the same way Zander does. I don't want him to leave, but I don't know why.

"I'll see you around. Don't worry."

"Will you come back? "I ask him hopefully, the same way I asked Eric if I would see him.

Harrison answers much quicker.

"Couple days. The soldiers have a route through here routinely. I may wind up on another one. You both be good, especially you, little guy."

And then, he's gone.

Harrison heads onto the dirt pathway, and strides straight toward the woods. There is no truck parked that I can see, nor is there anyone else with him. He vanishes at the point where the trees move closer together, and his dark uniform fades away into a blur of greenery.

I expect Zander to yell or scream, or insist we go the same way in hopes of finding Harrison, his new favorite person, but he doesn't.

He flops down on the blanket next to me, his hands full of rocks, and he cheerfully tells me he'd like to go home.

My mother's surprise lingers for days.

Until I'm not so sure I believe it's surprise.

After our day at the lake, Zander immediately showed her his rocks. She was appropriately enthused as she examined them, and she promised to keep them. She willingly took them from him, but she froze when he pointed out which ones Harrison helped him find.

"Harrison helped you pick these out?"

She was verklempt; her posture tense, and her expression flitted between overwhelmed and horrified. I could see it in her eyes, blinking the thought away, and her mouth, torn between frowning and smiling.

"Yes! He came back!" Zander happily took the rocks from her and shoved them back in his pockets. He left her standing in the kitchen, empty handed, looking at me. "Bye!"

"Why was he there?"

Her question is as pointed as her insistence that I drink her tea, and just as stern. "Everly?"

"He was working," I shrug, not wanting to share what had happened. It felt oddly special, a moment between the three of us, well really -him and Zander, but I didn't want to tell her he'd said he'd come back.

I was slowly figuring out she had plenty of her own secrets, and I wanted to keep this as one of mine.

This time, I take a jacket.

I grab one that belongs to Forrest, heavy and thick and too warm, but my mother made me promise to bring one.

I was being sent to bring my father dinner.

For the past few nights, he'd been working late. It wasn't unusual, until it was. He often stayed late when it was required of him; during the winter, the crops were less and less, and he was in charge of making sure anything that could grow inside, would. But it isn't that cold yet, and his absence is noticeable.

"I'll be back!" I yell to no one.

My mother is upstairs giving Zander a bath. He'd spent all of dinner rattling on and on about Harrison, and she'd let him after she couldn't get him to stop. Holly and Paisley were already in bed, and Leif and Wesley were with Forrest, chopping wood just in case it got cold sooner than we expected.

The only person who answers is Forrest, and he cheerfully yells for me to shut up.

"You shut up," I mutter, and I let the door slam behind me.

This week hadn't improved at all. I kept hoping to see Eric, and I had been telling myself it was because I was bored. I was doing my best to convince myself his presence was nothing more than some mildly dangerous entertainment and I liked it because everything else felt monotonous.

So far, I had only seen Harrison.

I liked him, though. He had been much friendlier this time around, and he seemed to really like Zander. I should have been worried by his sudden appearance, but I wasn't. It was obvious he had his own secrets and they might overlap with some of mine.

I try to put all this together, my mother holding onto him, her ongoing argument with my father, and Harrison and Zander at the lake, but before my brain can point out the obvious, I arrive at the greenhouses.

To my dismay, they are dark.

I hesitate at the large doors, because the glass panes aren't lit up. Not even the dim nighttime lighting is on, and it's quiet. The only noise is the hum from the generators, the slow whirl of the vents, and the chirp of a cricket.

I hesitate because I don't love the dark.

I liked nighttime. I liked being out here, I liked the quiet and the aloneness and the way it felt like I was sneaking around. I just didn't like the total blackness when someone was supposed to be here.

"Dad?"

I call out his name tentatively, hoping he'll answer. There's a chance he's outside working on the backup generators as a failsafe, or maybe he's closing everything up for the night.

It's not the case tonight.

I open the door slowly, and I'm met with warm, damp air, the smell of overly floral plants and the distinct scent of the Earth.

"Hello?" It takes my eyes a moment to adjust, and in the dark, the plants are threatening. They grow in every direction, twisting and tangling so high I can't see the ceiling. I wait until I can see better, then I make a beeline for his office. The door is halfway open, dull light spilling out in a neat sliver. "Is anyone here?"

I keep going in hopes of finding him here, maybe in his office, so in the zone that he didn't hear me calling for him.

"Dad?" I try once more before I reach his office, and I fling the door open. I'm met with an empty room, and a mess, like someone left in a rush. The chaos isn't unusual for him, but he liked a little more order. He wavered between being creative in how to grow all sorts of things, and smart in how the systems worked. He'd once been awarded the title of Head of Agriculture, something which he strived to live up to. It was usually easy; he loved what he did, and at times, he seemed too smart to be tinkering with watering systems.

Other times, it was clear he loved having his hands in the Earth, and training others to feel the same way.

"Well, shoot. What am I supposed to do now?"

My stare sweeps over his desk, and I'm tempted to look at the neat log of initiates he was working with. He rarely spoke of them at home, and during initiation time, they were his priority.

It had long felt like they were always a priority, especially the ones who stayed working with him.

I decide to take the dinner back home and put it away. I figure he can eat it when he's home, or someone else will. I shut off the light and close the door, and I hurry toward the exit. I've just passed the largest row of plants, the ones growing so high they've tangled together where the panes of glass meet, when I hear the voices.

One low, and one lower.

I freeze in place, mere steps away from the large doors, when they fly open.

I don't have time to move or even think, because in walks Landon.

He slides in like he owns the place, gesturing grandly but speaking lowly.

He's not alone.

The man from the factionless is with him, his hands shoved in the pockets of his dark jacket, and his eyes sweeping over the greenhouse. They miss me entirely when Landon insists the guy walk with him, and I try to remember his name. I only remember him because his clothes were suspiciously dark, and he was a little too clean.

"So, he works from here. These are used to grow the crops when the fields can't. I told Evelyn he's brilliant. Amity could support a dozen more of these, but Johanna has been slow to get on board. We're working on constructing them this initiation…"

Landon speaks quickly, not letting the guy look at too much. It hits me his name is Tobias, and he's silent. Occasionally, he reaches out to touch a plant when Landon doesn't notice, and his shoulders rise up. They keep walking until they reach the office, and they disappear inside.

I have half a mind to follow after them, but I don't.

Outside the door, waving and gesturing for me to stay silent, is Sophia.

"I've been following him all night."

She and I collide into each other as we half walk, half sprint home. She had grabbed my arm outside the greenhouse, and we took off. My first thought was to find someone to tell. My father was a good start, but he was nowhere to be found. Johanna would be next best, but I remember someone saying she wouldn't do anything.

Sophia was the last person I expected to help me, but she was clearly suspicious of Landon ever since he'd threatened us.

"I saw him leave after dinner and…and I followed him into the woods. I lost him for a minute, and then I found him, and I…"

She stops talking when we pass a girl walking her ducks, and we both smile brightly. She barely acknowledges us, and mumbles something about the waning moon and how we should get inside.

"He's doing something with the factionless. I don't know if he's trying to help them or harm them. There weren't very many, but the guy he was with kept saying they had to hurry. Don't say anything to anyone yet. I want to find out what he's doing so I can bust him in front of everyone."

"Sophia!" I'm surprised, both at her bravery and her pettiness. It was pretty unlike her. The Amity thing to do would be to talk to Landon privately, and give him the chance to explain what he was doing. He would explain it easily, of course. He'd say he was helping them or serving them dinner or trying to help feed them. Anyone in Amity would be hard pressed to find fault in the kindness of this act, and he knew it. "I know. I think this is why he's been acting weird. I just…we need to let him do it for a few more days. Then we'll know for sure. If you say anything now, he'll tell everyone he's helping someone."

"He shouldn't be in the greenhouses," she answers firmly, but she nods her head. "I agree. But when I find out, and I will, I'm going straight to Johanna. Will you go with me?"

My heart sinks when she says Johanna's name, because it was unlikely she'd do anything, but I nod.

With any luck, I'd have this figured out by then, or I'll have told Eric Landon's name.

This time, the Dauntless soldiers show up at dinner.

But not the ones I want.

It only adds to my annoyance. Friday was stretching on forever. The day spanned hours upon hours, with each passing minute stabbing into my skin. There was no sign of Eric, and I knew this, because I'd been looking for him. All morning, all lunch, all afternoon, right up until the kids were dismissed and parents arrived to pick them up. I looked for him while I walked to dinner, agreeing to go with Courtney and Sophia, and half listening to them gossip about one of the transfers.

Gossip wasn't very Amity like, but it was inevitable.

Especially when a lot of the transfers were proving to be pretty whiny.

"Hey, Sophia and I are going to grab plates. Can you find a table? It's super crowded already," Courtney fixes her hair slyly, watching one of the transfers slink past to join the line. He's tall and handsome, and he glances back at her while trying to pretend he isn't. "Maybe to the left?"

"Sure," I agree easily, having no real appetite.

I was feeling a little forlorn, and I knew why.

Because Eric hadn't shown up and the only ones here were a woman I didn't know, a guy I didn't know, and a wave of black jackets poking around doing nothing. Some smiled, some looked at us like we were the grossest thing imaginable, and some flat out laughed as they walked by.

It just wasn't a very promising way to start my weekend, feeling lovesick over a soldier who promised me he'd show up, nor getting mocked by the ones who didn't like what we were wearing.

I sit with this sulkily, examining the ends of my hair out of sheer boredom. I had found a table on the left, by the entryway doors, and pretty secluded. With not much to do except wait, I try to drown out the noise of the Dome, chatter from the initiates and members alike, until someone plunks themselves down at my table and elbows me.

Hard.

"Everly!"

"Jake?"

I look up to a shock of red hair, now cut short and sharp, and another blur of blonde hair. His friend drops into the seat beside him, flashing me a blinding grin, and they're both dressed in matching Dauntless uniforms.

They are tall, looming over me and Jake is much larger and more fit than I remember.

"What are you doing here?" I reach over to hug him, having known Jake forever, and still secretly jealous that he'd been brave enough to leave Amity. Jake wasn't as kind as Landon pretended to be, for he was actually really, really nice. I'd never once thought he'd leave here, because he seemed as enamored with this slow pace of life as everyone else here, but he did. He cheerfully sliced his palm and chose Dauntless, and I thought I'd never see him again. "How are you? And who are you?"

"I'm good!" Jake answers, grinning happily, and his companion is eager to get my attention.

"I'm Karl," the blonde one reaches his hand out to mine, and I stare at him for a minute. "Um, you can shake my hand. I'm not going to rip your arm off or anything."

"Are you sure?" I take his reluctantly, and he shakes my hand far more enthusiastically than I shake his. "I'm Everly."

"Karl is very formal. He's from Candor. He tried to shake Four's hand, too." Jake answers, and I can tell they're already best friends. "Four refused."

"Who's Four?" I stare at them in confusion, and my table is suddenly swarmed with soldiers in dark jackets. They all must be in the same class, because they shove and push one another, vying for a spot to sit. Each of them is large and bulky, wired with jock adrenaline from working out for hours. "What are you…"

"Are you Everly?" one asks, staring at me with wide eyes. "Jake, is she Everly? For real?

"Yeah, she's Everly! I told you she was real." Jake answers quickly, smiling smugly, and I wonder how much he's told them about me.

Or why he told them anything.

We'd never been anything but friends, and occasionally, he'd rescue me from getting stuck with Zander for too long.

"She is pretty! Are you single?" The one named Karl is still staring, like a cross factional marriage proposal could take place, and I wonder if this is how Sophia and Courtney felt when they were proposed to. "Is your boyfriend that guy glaring at you?"

I don't turn around.

My guess would be Landon is watching and banking this little dinner away for his own reasons.

"No, whoever is glaring is not my boyfriend," I answer firmly, and Karl smiles even wider. "Don't look so relieved. Why do you even care?"

I hope I don't come off rudely, but they are overwhelming. They seem much rougher and far more resilient than the men who work in our fields, even at a younger age.

"We heard about you from Jake. Everyone has been giving him shit for coming from Amity, and he promised us there were some cool people here. He talked about you but we didn't think you were real," Karl's friend answers, and he glances around the Dome. "Does everyone eat in here?"

"If they want to. Some families cook at home. Those with no cooking skills can eat here," I answer, perking up slightly. They seem fine. Totally nice, and not at all like the ones looking down their noses at the puffy sleeves of the dress I have on.

"Everly can't cook," Jake winks, and it's with great horror that I remember the time he dropped by. To find me attempting to help my mother, and discovering I was close to burning the house down.

"Neither can we." One answers, and I decide I like them. They all look alike; Karl is the only blond, but they all have the same haircut, the same uniform, and the same stirrings of authority.

One day, they will trample through here, and perhaps one will remember to be nice to me.

"Do you guys like Dauntless?"

"I love it," the one to the left of Karl answers loudly, and they all agree. "It's dark and loud and fast. Everything happens so quick. We had to learn to fight and prove we could hold our own. Jake was the best at knife throwing and-"

"Knife throwing?" I stare at Jake, watching his smile suddenly fade. The color drains from his face, too, and when I turn around, I know why. "Oh."

There, leaning against the wall with a dark sneer on his face, is Eric.

"I didn't think you were coming."

This time, he drags me along with him. I manage to get my arm away, the feeling of his grip a little too close to Landon trying to drag me to my death, and Eric glances down in surprise. "I can keep up with you. You don't have to pull me everywhere."

His sneer drops completely. I'd say I've caught him off guard, and my guess is no one talks back to him.

"I didn't mean…" he mutters something I can't hear, but he drops his hand away and sticks by my side. He's taller than the boys at the table and his uniform is darker. It's easy to see why people fear him. Violence comes easily to him, and it'll soon come easily to Jake and Karl. "I don't have much time. There were reports of people walking through your faction the other night. Did you see anyone?"

"No," I answer without thinking, because I have to walk fast. I'd lied about being able to keep up. Eric's stride is much longer than mine, and I trip over the skirt I have on.

He catches me without looking.

His hand is on my arm, this time less tightly, and he pulls me back toward him.

"You wouldn't last a day in Dauntless."

His words are dark, but they make me smile, because it means he's thought about what it would be like if I were there. Or maybe I'm over thinking it, and he's just commenting that I'd fall to my death in his dark underworld of a faction.

"Actually, I did see someone…"

This gets his attention. Eric points to the barn, and I follow him inside without question. I revel in my moment of bravery, because going after him was either very smart or very stupid.

"Who?"

His question is less of a question and more of a demand, and I waver with how much I should actually be sharing.

"I don't know," I also don't know how he knows where he's going. He leads me through the barn and to the stairs, and my eyes fly up to where Johanna's office sits. "Are you meeting her?"

"She's not here. She missed her last meeting, won't answer our emails, and appears to be shifting the delivery schedule by a day. We're here to find out why." He takes the steps two at a time, then pauses to make sure I'm following him.

I am.

"Do you know where she is?"

I shake my head as he reaches his hand out. I remind myself he's not being considerate; he just wants information.

"I haven't seen her in days." I reach my hand out to him, and he takes it in his. His hand is much larger than mine, and rough. Not like Landon's, which were rough from working in the fields, but rough like he's not used to holding onto someone. "I came to talk to her and she…she told me to come back if it was important."

He tightens his grip.

His hold on my hand is awkward. There's nothing romantic, no fingers slid together or tightly because he can't bear to let go, only a tense grip to keep me from falling. We reach the top of the landing together, and before I can notice the office is deserted, he's behind me. He nudges me forward but doesn't let go.

"Where did you see someone?"

Eric looks down at me, casting away all my convictions that I'd be fine if I didn't see him again. His grey eyes are light in the dimly lit office, and his skin is paler than before.

"Did you really see someone? Or did you just want to talk?" His words hold a faint hint of mockery, and so does his loss of attention. He glances over my head, and his eyes scan the room like he's memorizing it.

Johanna's workspace was interesting. It was lofty and warm, faintly smelling like hay and pine, and she was rarely in it. An ancient computer sat on a desk built by someone here, and it was rarely used. There is paperwork by it, unmarked and messily stacked, and a whole tower of folders beside them.

They are of no interest to Eric.

He returns his stare to me, biting on his cheek as he waits for my answer.

"I saw them twice. Once in the woods, and once in the greenhouses."

"Recently?" His interest is piqued, and he makes the word sound dirty. He murmurs it, but he lets go of my hand. I regret saying anything, because him pulling me up the stairs was the most physical contact I'd had unless you counted Zander kicking me in his sleep, and it's gone now. "Come on, Amity. Stop playing around. I told you, you can trust me."

My heart skips two very painful beats.

One when his hand finds my waist.

The second when he pulls me against him, and his gaze drops from my eyes to my mouth.

"I told you I'd come back." He reminds me of this with a smugness that makes him unbelievably handsome. He looks like he's trying not to laugh, and his fingers skip up higher. They touch my spine, pressing one by one. "I kept my word."

"You did," I answer, craning my head to look up at him. He's almost too good looking, and it's a shame he's always so covered up. "But you brought along half the Dauntless initiation with you. I don't remember you saying that part."

This makes him laugh.

His face lights up in rare delight, fast and fleeting, and it's gone in a second.

"I had to. Part of their initiation is to tag along with leaders. The others are here. I just showed up to help out. Their current trainer is a bit…all over the place." Eric murmurs this information like I know what to do with it, but I don't care. He's moved infinitesimally closer. His free hand moves my hair off my neck, and he stares so darkly I can't move. "Have you met him, Everly? Is that why you're so quiet?"

I shake my head no.

"I don't know who he is," I answer, and my hands betray the last ounce of common sense I have. I reach up to touch the collar of his jacket. My fingers move along the thick fabric, and when I touch the exposed skin of his neck, his lips part. "I just…I didn't think you'd show up."

"I always keep my word. Have I lied to you yet?"

I'm screwed.

Truly screwed, because he's so close to me now if I were to tilt my head up, my lips would touch his. For a second, I envision this, a lovely image blossoming in my mind and how it would feel to kiss him.

I imagine it would be terrifying in the best way possible.

"You said to stay alive and I did," I answer, even though this isn't what he asked.

But he likes it.

Though he does his best not to, his lips turn up and his eyes flash with pride.

"I have to say, judging by the way you walk, that is impressive." Eric moves closer, tilting his head to touch mine. "Who knew Amity was so dangerous?"

I want to tell him it is.

I want to tell him there was something going on, and I knew about it. I knew Landon had met with the factionless, and I knew he had met with someone who I believed to be from Dauntless. I want to tell him all of this, but I don't, because someone yells his name from downstairs, and he hesitates. I can feel the annoyance radiating from him, thick and heavy and unrelenting, and he screws his eyes shut.

"WHAT!?" Eric barks at the person downstairs, and once they realize he's upstairs, their footsteps are heavy on the wooden staircase. It creaks as they rush up here, and he lifts his head when they near the top.

Our moment isn't quite gone. He doesn't look away, and he doesn't move his hands.

Jason and Not Jason show up at the same time. They shove each other out of the way, each vying to get to him first. Both stop in their tracks when they realize he isn't alone, and Not Jason nearly falls backward.

"Holy fucking shit. You said-"

"Did you two find anything? You were supposed to be waiting for Harrison's call, not fucking playing around." Eric answers him rudely, his tone dipping so far into rage I'd be afraid if I were Not Jason.

He's not at all bothered.

"First of all, how dare you. You said nothing was going on between you two. You even agreed she's too short." Not Jason stares, cocking his head at an angle and squinting. "Does she even have shoes on?"

"I have shoes on!" I answer defensively, but I don't know why this comment bothers me. "He was asking me about the men I saw. That's all."

"The men you saw. Sure. Now Amity is spy. How tall are you? Four foot-"

"She's fine. A little short for Dauntless, but that's alright," Jason interrupts and he flashes me a friendly grin. "It's good to see you, Everly! I was wondering if we'd run into you. We've heard a lot about you but Eric made us swear we wouldn't-"

"Did Harrison call or not?" Eric interrupts him, and he finally lets go. The loss of him is immediate, and I'm suddenly right back in Johanna's office, standing beside a soldier who isn't here to see me. "Are we ready to leave?"

"We're heading back but he didn't call," Not Jason answers slickly, and his attention is fully on me. "He's waiting on a few things. Said the cameras aren't working. But wait, back up, Everly saw some men. Really?"

"I did," I answer him, and Eric takes a step closer to me. It's not incredibly obvious, but his arm brushes against mine, and I have the urge to press myself against him. "I was just telling Eric. I would have told Jason or…Harrison or…you…. but this is the first time I've run into anyone from Dauntless."

"I see," Not Jason steps closer, inspecting me intently. "Everly…my favorite person in Amity…can you tell me something..."

He waits, looking at me to make sure I'll agree.

"What do you want to know?" I'm suddenly suspicious of him, and his messy hair. He and Jason have the same air of mischief about them, but Not Jason seems even more outgoing. "Wait, I'm your favorite person here? Am I the only person in Amity you know?"

"Yes, but that's not important," Not Jason waves dismissively. "You said Jason's name. Harrison's name. And you and Eric are very close, clearly. What's my name?"

Shit.

I stall by chewing on my lip, trying to remember if anyone had said it.

I don't think they had, but judging from the look on his face, he's about to be terribly insulted that I don't know it.

"Um, I've just been calling you NJ!" I answer brightly, and next to me, Eric fights down a huff of laughter.

"NJ?"

"It's a…nickname," I try to come up with something quickly, and I hope he doesn't know what it stands for.

"NJ…NJ, nice. Do you want to tell me what it means? No, wait. Let me guess. Not Jerky? Night Justice? Nice and Gorgeous?"

"That doesn't start with a J," Eric answers dryly, and Not Jason shrugs.

"Well, there's a reason I didn't stay in Erudite, Eric."

"No shit," Jason laughs, and he slaps him on the arm. "Hey, we should get back downstairs. Lauren said ten more minutes and they're heading back. We just came to find you, unless you're staying here."

"I'm good, thanks." Eric retorts, and it's like a kick to the stomach to know he's leaving.

His time here had been fleeting. All too brief, but far more intense than the last time I saw him.

"I'll meet you downstairs. Make sure Four's class is all there." Eric commands, and he doesn't bother to see if they agree. It must go unspoken that they have to listen to him, because they leave with a wave, and Not Jason mockingly salutes Eric once his back is turned.

"Bye Everly. I'm sure we'll see you again soon."

"Bye…NJ!" I call out, and before I can say goodbye to Jason, Eric is in front of me.

"Where did you see them? In the forest?"

"I can show you," I offer, but I know we don't have time. The sun is setting quickly, and it'll be dark before they make it back to their trucks. "Maybe tomorrow? It's sort of far."

Eric contemplates this. I watch him process my words, and his mind whirls as he decides. I don't know why he's hesitating, maybe he thinks I haven't actually seen anyone or I just want him to come back, but it would be understandable. He'd been honest with me, but I'd kept a few things from him.

"They were in my father's greenhouse, too. Last night, around seven."

I step forward, but we're so close I wind up back in the same position as before. This time, my mind reminds me that no matter how attractive he is, he's dangerous. He's here to hunt down the very people he'd warned me about, except two of them are close to me.

I could very easily be brought in with them, as an accomplice.

"Did they see you? What did they look like?" Eric looks down at me, and there's a hint of concern. "Can you stay alive until tomorrow?"

"I can," I promise, but for some reason, this feels like a lie.

Maybe it was Landon promising to ruin my initiation or becoming braver and braver in his quest to win me, no matter how he went about it, but I had the weird feeling I was very slowly putting myself in danger.

A danger I might not be able to get out of.

"You look worried. Is something wrong? Did Landon try to hurt you again?"

This time, his touch is soft.

His fingers find mine, not his hand grasping on to keep me in line to answer his questions, but because he's trying to reassure me things are alright. His hand is just as warm as before, but he stops halfway, then bends his fingers so they slide between my own. His thumb touches my palm, stroking softly as it traces down the center.

Coming from him, the action is downright illicit.

"I think…I think one of them is going to come after me." I barely get this out, and he nods. He exhales sharply, but he waits for me to continue. "I think…I'm pretty sure…."

Ultimately, I can't say it.

I look away, until I find the courage that I've been pretending doesn't exist.

"I think Landon is involved. I'm not sure how, but he's doing something he shouldn't be doing."

"With the factionless?" Eric raises an eyebrow, and I nod. "Okay. Okay, I'll meet you tomorrow night. Meet me at 6 where we met for lunch. Don't tell anyone. Just…show up there, and you can show me where he's been."

"Don't you have this on camera? I thought everywhere had them?"

I look up at Eric and his answer is a flat no.

"Someone's been turning them off. We work with Johanna to allow us here to fix them. It's a social nicety. We can come here as we please, but in order to keep the peace, we ask. She's declined the past three times." Eric's eyes find mine, and he blinks. "The cameras anywhere past half a mile into the woods don't work. All of them are offline. Harrison is working to get them up, but it's too big of a job for one person. He's refusing to allow anyone to help him. So until then, stay where I can see you."

"Do you watch them?" I ask, and he shrugs indifferently.

"Depends. But stay on the main pathway. Don't get any braver between now and then, Amity. And don't tell anyone else what's going on. This stays between you and me," Eric warns, and he steps back. His fingers stay through mine, and he doesn't break eye contact. "Understand?"

"Okay," I reassure him, hoping he believes me. "But how do I really know I can trust you? How do I know you won't kill me once we go out there and blame it on…"

"I won't hurt you. I promise. I haven't broken any of my promises to you yet, have I?"

This time, the insult is there. It's in his tone and his posture, and I realize he doesn't want me to be afraid of him.

Even though I should.

"Amity?"

He waits until I shake my head no, feeling both nervous and excited that I'll see him again so soon, and it takes him a long time to let go.

He drops his hand away from mine, slowly, like he's unwilling to part ways, until it becomes clear he has no choice.

Jason and Not Jason yell for him, and he leaves without looking back.