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Luke placed his left hand over her arht, started to move another lever toward her To her horror, she saw that it was eht that pulsed with dangerous energy

She started to shake, but Luke gripped her arhter "It’s okay," hecloser Glass could feel the heat on her skin Luke’s face tensed with concentration, his eyes fixed on Glass’s wrist as he

Glass closed her eyes, bracing herself for the searing pain, the screa of her nerves as they lost contact with her hand

"Perfect" Luke’s voice cut through her terror Glass looked down and saw the bracelet had been split into two neat pieces, freeing her wrist

She sighed, her breath ragged "Thank you"

"You’re welco her arm

Neither of thean to wind their way back up toward the skybridge

"What’s wrong?" Luke whispered as he guided Glass around a corner and up another flight of stairs, narrower and darker than anything on Phoenix

"Nothing"

In the past, Luke would’ve reached over, taken her chin in his hand, and looked her in the eye until she giggled You’re a terrible liar, Rapunzel, he’d say, a reference to the fairytale about the girl whose hair grew a foot anytime she fibbed But this time, Glass’s lie evaporated into the air

"So how have you been?" she asked finally, when she couldn’t bear the weight of the silence any longer

Luke glanced over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow "Oh, you know, apart fro my best friend executed for a bullshit infraction, I’d say not too bad"

Glass cringed as his words landed in her chest She’d never heard that kind of bitterness in Luke’s voice before

"But at least I had Calance at Luke’s faerous, in her mind What did he think she had done to be Confined? Why wasn’t he more curious or surprised? Did he think she was such a terrible person that she would have co Glass to stuain her balance

"Does yourto face her

"No," Glass said "I mean, she kneas Confined, but she can’t have known about the Earth mission" The Chancellor had made it clear that the operation was top secret Their parents wouldn’t be informed until it was certain their children had survived the journey--or until the Council was sure they’d never return

"It’s good that you’re going to see her"

Glass said nothing She kneas thinking of his own mother, who’d died when he was only twelve, which hy he’d ended up living with his then-eighteen-year-old neighbor Carter

"Yeah," Glass said in a shaky voice She’d been desperate to see her uards long to find her What washer ed away toward certain death? "We should keep Se s

They crossed the bridge in silence as Glass drank in the sight of the twinkling stars She hadn’t realized how e until she’d been locked in a tiny, less cell She stole a glance at Luke, not sure whether to be hurt or relieved that he didn’t turn to look at her

"You should go back," Glass said as they reached the Phoenix checkpoint, which was, as Luke had prohtened and he gave her a bitter sh to meet yourof the scan trail he’d already left behind "It’s not safe for you to help me I can’t let you risk your life You’ve already done so , then nodded "Okay, then"

She forced what she hoped was a s"

Luke’s face softened slightly "Good luck, Glass" He started to lean in, and Glass couldn’t help tipping her head up, out of habit--but then he stepped back, wrenching his eyes from her with an almost physical force Without a word, Luke turned and moved soundlessly back the way they’d coood-bye kiss they’d never feel again

When she reached the entrance to her flat, Glass raised her fist and tapped lightly The door opened and Glass’s mother, Sonja, peered around it A symphony of emotions played across her face in an instant--surprise, joy, confusion, and fear

"Glass?" she gasped, reaching for her daughter, as if she wasn’t sure she was really there Glass leaned gratefully into her ht I’d never see you again" She gave Glass onethe door Sonja stepped back and stared at her daughter "I was just counting down the days" Her voice faded into a whisper "You turn eighteen in three weeks"