CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Caitlin walked with Aiden in the early morning light, winding their way slowly through the forest, Ruth at her heels. They had been walking like this together, silently, for what felt like hours. On the one hand, no words needed to be exchanged. As always, when she was around Aiden, she felt like she already knew everything he was going to say.

Yet at the same time, she rarely knew precisely what he was thinking. What she wanted to know most of all was if he remembered everything. From the look in his eyes, she sensed that he did.

Aiden had a funny way of showing up at the strangest moments in her life. Every time she felt like she was at a crossroads, every time she felt unsure of what direction to take, he seemed to appear. And each time he led her back on the path, and she realized he was right—that she should not give up the search for the Shield, for her father, for her own identity. But once she got away from him, once other things happened, it became harder to see clearly. Jus