My steps were quick as I pushed out of the infirmary and into the compound's main corridor. I kept my head down, forcing everything back where it couldn't spill out in front of anyone who might be watching.
Weakness was currency here. And I was already overdrawn.
Behind me, Isabella's voice echoed faintly in my head—soft, fragile.
Thank you.
The word didn't make sense. It scraped against something raw in my chest. I didn't deserve it. And the fact that she'd said it anyway made my stomach twist harder than any accusation could've.
I kept walking.
Boots scraped against concrete. Generators hummed. Somewhere, people were talking—laughing, even. Life continuing like it always did.
My hands curled at my sides.
Then I saw them.
Up ahead, near the outer walkway, Aubrey and Hale stood in quiet conversation with—
Carl.
The sight hit me harder than I expected.
