Chapter 41 · You said Joren was missing

He stared at me for one hard second, then grabbed my hand and pulled me through the opening.

The seam snapped shut behind us. A shot punched into the metal. The impact rang through my bones.

Kade kept hold of my hand as we ran.

"You said Joren was missing," he said.

"He is."

"You said he never worked for the company."

"He didn't."

"You said he was just a kid when the district vanished."

"He was seventeen."

Kade stopped so fast I crashed into him.

"Seventeen," he repeated. "And you?"

"Don't ask me that."

"How old were you?"

The tunnel shook. Dust fell between us. He didn't move, and neither did I.

"Ayla."

"Young enough to be used. Old enough to remember the screaming."

His grip softened, but he didn't let go. "You were there."

"I was outside the core chamber."

"That's not what I asked."

"Yes. I was there."

His face changed. Not anger. Not exactly. His eyes searched mine like he could force the missing years out through the pact.

"Did you see me?" he asked.

I looked away.

"Did you see me, Ayla?"

"I saw a boy strapped to a chair."

Kade's breath came rough.