Risk : 13

Newt? Where are you? Something happened, there's an alarm going off somewhere. Lizzy's anxious voice cut through the storm of panic inside my head. I looked over at Thomas but he shook his head.

We're okay, Liz, don't worry.

"Block her out, we can't have the police know where we are." Thomas stood again and stepped closer to me.

"How do I do that?"

"The same way you blocked out the pain in the Race Rings. Imagine a fire, then put it out with water."

I closed my eyes and concentrated. I could feel Lizzy's presence just like Thomas', I could distinguish between them. Lighting her puzzle piece on fire felt wrong, like I was somehow betraying her. But we needed time to sort this out. When I opened my eyes again, I could feel her absence as an empty hole.

"Great, now where are we?" Thomas looked around the dark forest. Moonlight spilled past the thick trunks and cast shadows over everything. A light breeze ruffled his hair as he turned around, taking in everything. "I've seen these treetops through the glass dome, but never…"

"This is a forest. It goes on for a while, just trees, rocks, and shrubs." I could still hear the screaming alarm from the city behind us. "We should get moving, I don't want them to find us."

I unfolded my wings and jumped into the air, flapping hard to get airborne. Thomas followed just behind me. The trees dropped away and we soared past the top edge of the domed city. Thomas coasted next to me, his mouth slightly open as he gazed in awe. The landscape kept going all the way out until the dark horizon cut it off. The forest thinned and became rocky mountains to our right, while a long road extended out from Akrisoulis and disappeared into the night.

Just wait until the sun comes up. You can see for miles. I looked over at Thomas. He nodded absentmindedly.

The air is so thin and fresh up here.

I aimed us straight into the mountains. We could take cover there in the meantime. But I was worried for Lizzy. Being disconnected from her was terrifying. I felt blind and empty. Would the police really go to Mrs. Wrens looking for us? Should we go back? Would Lizzy be alright?

Thomas titled his body down, his wings fanned out wide as he slowed his descent. We passed over a large canyon with a sheer drop off. The rock looked like it had been cleaved in two by an enormous ax. He backbeat his wings hard, kicking up dirt and dust as he landed nimbly inside the mouth of a large cave in the cliff face. I landed behind him, bumping into his back as he stepped out of the way too late.

"This is crazy…" Thomas breathed, running his hands over his face. I paused in the mouth of the cave. Something felt off about it. I carefully walked further in, ignoring his comment. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Be quiet." I raised my hand. The cave was empty except for us two. Fine silt covered the floor and the rock walls were damp.

"We're fine here, we're alone." Thomas sighed, frustrated. "We need to figure out what we're going to do, Newt."

"There isn't really anything we can do." I turned to face him. "We can't stay out here forever, there's nowhere to go. We'll have to go back eventually."

"And have the police arrest us?" He jabbed a thumb behind him. "We collapsed a major construction site!"

"They probably think something tried to get in-"

"The cameras, Newt! They know who did it!"

"Then we'll go back and get it over with!" My voice echoed off the walls behind me. Thomas just shook his head and walked away to sit down on the ground by the entrance. I stood there for a few moments and watched as he tried to collect himself. He finally looked up at me.

"We can't go back, Newt." His voice was eerily calm, dead serious. "The police won't let us stay with Mrs. Wren."

"What are you talking about?" I moved to sit down next to him.

"Remember what I said about hybrids always being controlled?"

"Yeah?"

"Mrs. Wren isn't technically my guardian." He stared at the cave floor. "And your parents aren't here anymore either."

"What are you saying, Thomas?" My voice was rising as panic began to seep in.

"When the police come to the house, they'll see that Mrs. Wren has a bunch of hybrids she can't control. They'll know that two of them just trashed that site and escaped the city." Thomas took a deep breath, slowly to calm his nerves.

"Spit it out!"

"The police will take us away. They'll take everyone away. Ben, Lizzy, the others, and us if they find us." He looked up at me with fear filled eyes.

"Take us where?"

"We're too young for the Race Rings, and WICKED stopped taking in hybrids years ago… so that leaves the Venom Trade."

"What is the Venom Trade?"

"I don't know." Thomas looked out the cave entrance to the cliff face surrounding us. "But kids sometimes disappear. You'll never hear from them again."

I stood up and began pacing the small width of the cave. Thomas was right, we were in serious trouble if what he said was true.

"Newt, we can't go back."

"What about my sister?" I whirled to glare at him. "We can't just leave her there!"

Thomas stood quickly and stepped right up to me. "Newt, listen to me. We can run away, there's nothing stopping us now. We have the entire world!" He gestured out of the cave.

"I'm not leaving Lizzy behind!"

"The Venom Trade probably can't use her, she has no venom." Thomas tried to get me to meet his eyes.

"Neither do you." I glared at him. He swallowed hard and set his jaw. "If she keeps her telepathy to herself, could she pass as human?"

"No." Thomas sighed, finally stepping back out of my space. "All hybrids have the same triple heartbeat as wraiths. It would be easy to tell she wasn't human." He slowly sat against the wall again, folding his arms on his knees.

"If the Venom Trade can't use her, what would they do to her?"

"I don't know." Thomas groaned and rested his head on his arms. I sat down next to him again and stared earnestly at him.

"Then we have to go back. I can't lose her too."

Thomas looked over at me with one eye, the rest of his face still buried in his folded arms. He sighed in defeat and slowly nodded.

"Okay, Newt. Okay."