“None of this erases the betrayal,” Elena said.

“But we can stop the betrayal from determining every option she has.”

I took the notes home and found Selena repairing a cheap desk lamp with a borrowed screwdriver.

“It kept flickering,” she explained.

“I wanted to see why.”

I sat beside her while she showed me the loose connection, and it occurred to me that the future Gavin had treated so carelessly was sitting in front of me, curious and stubborn and wholly alive.

PART 8