Hailey Majestic sat in the cafeteria, safe.

She had fought Lena, but Theo Majestic's third child had won.

As Hailey chewed on a piece of fruit, she didn't doubt her blind housemate would attempt an ambush.

Hailey didn't fight on a battlefield, but living with Lena was like fighting on one.

Light covered Hailey. The room she sat in was huge and contained multiple long benches. The space station's cafeteria could contain many people, but a single person occupied it at the moment.

Alone.

Hailey had gone away from Vera, then she had fallen into a worse living situation. Lena wasn't gentle.

The blind High treated Hailey as if she were someone who allied with Lock Tannis, the universe's worst Soynite.

Theo's daughter had loved Lena. She even loved Lock Tannis. He could be redeemed. Lena, though, had given Hailey a difficult time. She was awful. How would Boone Windsore react if he had seen how monstrous his daughter had become?

Boone might be a good man, wherever he was.

Hailey wished she sat next to Boone. She wished she sat next to Vera, who preferred to hug her than strike her. Hailey's Watcher was not Lena.

Beneath Hailey's shoes was a blue floor. The walls were blue, taking in the light as they remained as walls Lena could not see. Hailey was in a different space station than the one she had abandoned.

Hailey's new home didn't contain Vera, but it did have a Majestic and a blind terror.

Lena could fling impolite words at Hailey, but she couldn't beat her in a fight. The incident in the bathroom had been proof. Hailey was skilled. She was more skilled than the sightless menace who had struggled to hurt her.

Hailey swallowed her food.

"Who's the true weakling, blind girl?" she said.

Hailey couldn't hug Vera, but at least she had found Watcher Betty Fly.

Betty was so different than the girl she loved the most. Kind and caring were Betty's qualities. Ruthless and spiteful were Lena's qualities.

What Hailey had done was leave her Watcher. Her father, Theo, had left her. Before that, though, her mother and brother had left her. Theo was gone. Lilly was gone. Nick was gone.

Nova had gone to Earth.

She had gone with Uncle Ken Herman. Family was with her, at least. Cape was with Nova. Hailey had never met her sixth cousin, but she hoped he would survive for as long as possible. As distantly related as Cape was to Nova, they deserved to be together.

Lena believed Nova wouldn't like Hailey.

Despite her dislike for Hailey's pacifism, Vera didn't lack love for the girl. Nova would like her sister.

What did Nova Majestic look like now?

What did Cape Majestic look like now?

Vera. Hailey had seen her earlier. It was still the third of March.

What happened elsewhere?

Hailey didn't know when she and Vera would be together again. Her love for the Watcher hadn't faded. It hadn't fled.

Lena. She didn't deserve to be in the same room as Hailey.

The High with gray eyes had lived with Hailey's older sister, but now she lived with Hailey herself. It was far from being a great living situation. Hailey knew that. The greater the distance between Hailey and Lena, the better.

Hailey's fighting talent dwarfed Lena's. The blonde had left that bedroom. She had put the cane in the room. Lena hadn't attacked her in the room, but Hailey expected the older girl to make another attempt to harm her.

Beyond the space station was Soy, the barren and lifeless Soy. Hailey had been born there. Lena had been born on that planet, but she and Hailey weren't alike.

They weren't friends.

No matter how much she loved Lena, Betty was at fault for the High's blindness.

And Lena had lost her powers because of Betty. The woman hadn't known touching the water on Still would ruin Lena's life, but it had happened. Lena's life had been ruined. Betty touching the water had caused Lena's vision loss. Lena's Saves had vanished.

Hailey had never gained a Save. She was a Pure, which meant she would develop every single Save if she lived long enough. Lena had informed Hailey that Kara Ascend was a Pure. The blind ruler knew two Pures, but she didn't like either of them.

And Hailey didn't like the blind girl, the High who possessed the lowest possibility of being the best High.

Hailey was not sixteen, yet she had fought and won against the sixteen-year-old Lena. The older Hailey got, the closer she came to earning all the Saves. The girl was a Pure, and she needed to develop all the Saves. If she had all the Saves, it would be easier to beat Lena in a fight.

Hailey had defeated Lena without powers.

She didn't need Saves to win against the only blind High, who was possibly the worst High.

The door opened.

Hailey put her fruit on the food tray. If she was a fortunate pacifist, she would take another bite in the future.

A hand moved into the large space, its owner blind and ruthless. Lena walked into the room. She hid her other hand behind her.

Of course.

"Relax, weakling!" Lena shouted. "I just want to talk!"

She listened.

Due to her sightless eyes, Lena needed to hear Hailey if she planned on hurting her with success. The blind teenager needed to hear the younger Soynite. She needed to hear Hailey speak. She needed the girl to reveal her position.

"I'm right here!" Hailey yelled.

Lena slid her hand along the wall as she moved.

Hailey stayed in her position, far enough from Lena, ready for her High to attack.

"You embarrassed me!" Lena said.

"Be glad this space station only has a population of two at the moment!" Hailey said. Lena continued advancing closer to the aisle between Hailey's bench and the unoccupied one behind her. "You only got embarrassed in front of me!"

"Just keep talking, weakling," Lena said. "Just keep talking. Keep talking."

A brief moment after she saw the blue dagger, Hailey scoffed and shook her head.

"I can see your dagger, Lena," Hailey said. "You've been caught with a weapon. You won't surprise me, so I suggest that you go back to your room and rest. You know you won't be able to kill me."

"I don't want to kill you," Lena said. "I want to seriously harm you. I don't want to kill my new housemate."

"But cutting her up is okay?"

"Yes, it is,"

Hailey didn't fiddle with her fingers. She could handle Lena. No reason existed for fright to engulf her. Lena didn't make her bravery crumble.

"Me and your sister used to sit in a cafeteria just like this one!" Lena said. "I hated her back then. I still do."

"After spending enough time with you, I see why Nova hated you so much," Hailey said. She placed her fingers against her bottled juice, took it off the tray. "You're almost as bad as Lock Tannis. You're one bad day away from being just like him. Maybe that bad day is today."

Lock Tannis was bad. He could be redeemed, but maybe Hailey would despise him as much as she despised Lena.

"If Lock Tannis were in my position, he would kill you," Lena said. "I'm more compassionate than he is, weakling."

"That's not saying much," Hailey said. "You won't even call me by my real name, Lena!"

"I know, weakling," Lena said.

She reached the aisle near Hailey.

"I'm right here, blind girl," Hailey said. She grabbed her tray, touching its solid blue. "Come to me, Lena. You want to hurt me, so come over and try to."

Lena stopped walking.

"Right here," Hailey said.

Lena charged.

Hailey sent the food tray launching. It struck Lena. Her charge stopped. Hailey ran. Hearing the rapid footsteps, Lena swung. The sharp blade reflected bright light as its owner screamed in rage.

Theo's daughter caught Lena's wrist, squeezed.

The dagger dropped. It clattered against the floor, away from Lena.

"You're the weakling!" Hailey said.

Still holding the blind ruler's wrist, Hailey punched Lena's stomach. A sharp exhale rocketed out of her.

She shoved Lena.

"You like to hurt people!" Hailey said. She struck Lena's thigh with her foot. Lena hollered. "You like to hurt me! And I'm not going to let you hurt me anymore!"

Lena took a step back. Her foot bumped against the fallen food tray.

She moved onto her hands and knees. Her hands roamed the floor, the girl searching. Her fingers met the Soynite dagger's handle.

"I'm going to kill you!" Lena said.

Her intent to harm had become intent to kill.

Lena grabbed the dagger, stood. Her nostrils flared as her shoulders rose and fell.

"Don't just stand there," Hailey said. "If you're going to kill me, try to do it. My name is Hailey Majestic. I'm a child of Theo Majestic. I'm not going to be killed by a blind High inside a cafeteria."

"Yes," Lena said. "You will!"

She lunged.

Hailey disarmed her. She tossed the weapon, letting it hit a wall.

"Your dagger is far from you," Hailey said. "You lost. You lost again."

She lunged and slammed her fist against Lena's forehead. The girl staggered. Hailey grabbed her, then lowered her onto the floor. She straddled Lena. Then she pinned her arms against the floor.

"You tried to kill me!" Hailey said. "People deserve to live, Lena!"

"Not you," Lena said. She shut her eyes, winced. "My head hurts. My leg hurts. My stomach hurts."

A Save found Hailey Majestic.

"I can heal people now," Hailey said. "I sensed a Save coming to me. I can heal wounds. I'm going to help you, Lena."

"Why?" Lena said. "I tried to murder you."

"But you didn't," Hailey said. "I stopped you. I'm going to touch you."

She moved a hand to Lena's forehead, the forehead she had punched. Hailey healed it. Lena opened her eyes. Hailey kneeled between Lena's legs, moved the green shirt to expose her belly. She healed it.

"Pull down your pants," Hailey said. Moving with her knees, she backed away. "I have to heal your leg."

Lena unbuttoned her blue jeans, unzipped them. She moved her pants. The girl bared her thighs a short moment later. Light cloaked pale skin.

Hailey touched the thigh she had struck.

She healed it.

"Does it still hurt?" Hailey said, as she kneeled near the blind girl with her black panties showing. Embarrassment coursed through Lena, no doubt. Lena shook her head. "Good. You're going to be okay, Lena."

Hailey stood.

Lena stood and pulled up her pants. She zipped them, buttoned them.

"You finally got your first Save," Lena said. "And you used it to heal me. Maybe you don't deserve to die, but you're still wrong. Beyond this space station are people who lack the right to live."

"Everyone has the right to live," Hailey said. "Even... you. Even you."

"Then give me my dagger," Lena said. "Let me be happy. I'm not going to kill you."

A heavy sigh left Hailey.

"Really, I'm not," Lena said. "I promise."

Hailey, with great reluctance, retrieved the dagger and handed it to the blind girl.

"Come on," Hailey said. She grabbed Lena's hand. "I'll walk you to your room."

They left the cafeteria.

Hailey aimed her eyes at a man. He stood in the long hall, wielding a sword. The sharp red could slice through a person's arms. It could take off someone's head.

The light cloaked the man's too-pale skin.

"Hello, Lovely Windsore," the Freeman said, speaking Soynite. Lena stopped holding Hailey's hand. "I've finally met the blin-"

Lena launched her dagger.

The blue blade sunk into the Freeman's ear. He dropped his weapon and yelled.

He had spoken. Lena had heard him.

The blind High had turned the Freeman's ability to speak into a liability.

The sword clattered and Lena closed in on it. She grabbed the weapon, swung. The Freeman lost his arm. He yelled louder. Listening to the enemy's yelling, Lena slid the red sword through arm flesh, blood, bone, more blood.

Red poured out the gaping wounds where the Freeman's forearms had been.

He dropped onto his knees.

"My arms!" the Freeman yelled, speaking his native language as pain drilled agony into him. "You chopped my arms off! You chopped my arms off! You chopped my arms off!"

Hailey covered her mouth with her hand.

Poor Freeman.

Lena had taken his arms off, but Hailey could heal him. She could bring the Freeman warrior new arms, make him better. Afterwards, Hailey could savor the fact she had helped him.

Maybe more Freemans had come into the space station.

Hailey wouldn't try ending their lives, but Lena would. In truth, Lena maintained her hunger to kill Freemans. Even though she hadn't made another attempt to kill Hailey, the blind High viewed slaughtering Freemans as necessary.

The armless Freeman was someone to love, not kill.

Vera the Watcher had trained Hailey. The woman was more skilled than the typical Freeman, Hailey believed. Because Vera had trained Theo's kid, Hailey had been able to win against Lena. If Hailey wasn't skilled, maybe Lena would be tougher than her.

Whether Lena was a skilled warrior or had gotten lucky, Hailey didn't know. She saw an armless Freeman shoot blood out the spots his forearms had been attached to. When that was the pale person's reality, it didn't matter how he had become that way.

The damage had been done.

Lena went to the space behind the kneeling Freeman. As the Freeman hollered, the High aimed her pale gray eyes at his head.

"How many Soynites have you killed?" Lena said, speaking the wounded man's language.

The Freeman didn't stop hollering.

"How many Soynites have you killed?!" Lena shouted.

"Thirty-three," the Freeman said.

"Thirty-three."

Lena turned her head forward, but she didn't land her gaze on Hailey. She couldn't see.

"Thirty-three Soynites, weakling," Lena said. "This foolish piece of trash killed thirty-three of our people. He even kept count. Disgusting."

"Lena, please!" Hailey said, speaking Soynite. "Don't kill him! People can change. People can change."

"This Freeman is a monster," Lena said, as she stood behind a poor man she had made armless. "This is what Lena does to monsters."

She sunk the sword's red blade into the Freeman's skull. It slid into his brain.

"No!" Hailey said.

Lena tugged the weapon free and took several steps back. The Freeman collapsed onto his face, became still. His corpse morphed into smoke. The severed arms had changed into smoke.

Lena inhaled through her nose.

"He's dead," the blind girl said.

Hailey's hands trembled. She hadn't been able to use those hands to help the Freeman. He was dead. Lena had murdered him. She had failed at murdering Hailey, but she had succeeded in murdering the unfortunate person.

"You killed him!" Hailey said.

"That's what happens when someone gets stabbed in the brain," Lena said.

She didn't drop the sword.

"I could've helped him!" the Majestic girl said.

"He was going to kill me!" Lena said. "Then he was going to kill you."

Hailey's knees hit the floor and she moved a hand to her forehead. Liquid fled her eyes. She sobbed.

"Cry later," Lena said. "There are possibly more Freemans here, in my home. Our home. I don't like you, weakling. But I like the Freemans even less. Help me kill them."

Hailey moved her hand, wiped at her tears. She stood.

Lena kept her eyes trained ahead. If a Freeman stood in the hall, she wouldn't see them. Yet she had murdered one.

"Get killed by a Freeman," Hailey said. "The one you murdered was just like us. But he was on Lock Tannis's side. That's all."

"Yes," Lena said. "He was on the side of the Soynite who destroyed our planet. You're referring to that Lock Tannis, correct? You're going to be like that Freeman was. You're going to be a killer. I've killed. Betty killed. And you're going to kill. Considering the current circumstances, you have to become a killer as soon as possible, weakling."

"I've gone thirteen years without killing anyone," Hailey said. "I'm not going to start now."

Lena moved, armed with her victim's sword.

I'm so sorry I couldn't save you, Freeman.

The blind High moved around the Freeman's belongings. She came to a stop near Hailey. The blonde looked at the girl who could not see. Lena moved her free hand, found Hailey's shirt. Her grip tightened. The gray-eyed High went to stand in front of Theo's daughter.

"With those eyes of yours, you never saw a Freeman gun down your mother!" Lena said, her voice shaking. "You're not a girl who stood so far away from her father as a man turned her into a High! Your father didn't possibly get killed during the invasion! You know exactly what these Freemans did, yet you still try to protect them!"

Lena shoved Hailey.

The blind Soynite turned and lowered her knees to the floor. She set the sword beside her. A noise erupted from the girl. It was a noise she had heard come from Hailey more than once.

"I'm sorry, Lena," Hailey said. "You don't have to cry."

"Who are you?" a deep voice said, speaking Soynite, speaking it with a Freeman accent. "If she's Lena, who are you?"

Hailey turned.

Six Freemans stood in the hall, wielding swords. The one closest to Hailey and Lena scowled.

"I'm Hailey Majestic," Hailey said. "I'm the third child of Theo Majestic and Lilly Majestic."

The scowling Freeman, Hailey assumed he was the one who had spoken. Lena grabbed the Freeman sword. She stood. After the blind Soynite turned to the Freeman, he inspected her face. Lena didn't look around.

"Is she Lovely Windsore?" the Freeman said. "Are you the blind High, Lena?"

"I am," Lena said.

The Freeman made eye contact with Hailey.

"And you're Hailey Majestic," the Freeman said. Hailey went close to the dead Freeman's belongings, bent down, then pulled a throwing knife from its sheath. She stood and faced the Freeman. "We've been looking for you for some time. You took my comrade's knife. Did you kill him?"

"This weakling doesn't kill," Lena said. "I do."

She charged.

The High lacked sight. She didn't lack courage.

One of the Freeman's dropped his sword, disarmed Lena, tossed the weapon onto the floor, then pressed her against his huge body.

The Freeman who had spoken aimed his eyes at Lena's unseeing pair.

"You truly are blind," the Freeman said. "Two of you, hold her down. I'm going to kill her."

The Freeman behind Lena pinned her arms to the floor. Another Freeman pinned her legs to the floor. Hailey swallowed. Lena writhed. She struggled, but she couldn't break free.

"This won't be a fair fight!" Hailey said.

"Clearly, Hailey Majestic," the Freeman speaker said. "There are two of you. There are six of us."

"It's not going to be a fair fight for you," Hailey said. "Let Lena go and leave. Or I will do to you what she did to the dead Freeman."

"No," the Freeman said. "You don't kill."

Hailey flung the throwing knife.

The red blade sunk into the gap between the Freeman's eyes, doing so with satisfying violence.

One Freeman dead.

As the Freeman fell toward the floor, Hailey ran. She ducked under a Freeman's swinging blade. The girl moved onto her hands and knees, grabbed a fallen red sword. She stood and whipped around.

Swords clashed.

Hailey backed away, sliced off the Freeman's sword-wielding arm. She buried her red blade into his chest.

He died.

Two Freemans dead.

A Freeman closed in on Hailey.

With efficient deadliness, Hailey Majestic slaughtered him.

Three Freemans dead.

A Freeman rushed toward Hailey, swinging his sword as his roar pierced her ears. Hailey ducked and sliced off his legs. The foe dropped onto his stomach, then Hailey stuck her blade into his broad back. She pulled it free.

Four Freemans dead.

Hailey impaled a charging Freeman with her weapon.

Five Freemans dead.

The sixth Freeman released Lena's arms. He grabbed his sword. Lena swung her hand, found the Freeman's leg, squeezed it.

He aimed his gaze at her.

Hailey impaled his chest with her sword, tugged the weapon free. Her heart pounded. The Freeman dropped his sword. Bleeding, he collapsed. His lifeless body morphed into smoke.

Six Freemans dead.

They had doomed themselves.

Hailey hadn't expected the Freemans to leave her and Lena in peace. The fighting had started and the girl had expected the Freemans to die.

It hadn't been a fair fight for the Freemans.

"They're dead," Hailey said.

Lena crawled backwards, putting distance between herself and the smoke. Hailey followed her. They stopped a safe distance away. Hailey tossed away the Freeman sword.

"You killed them," Lena said, awe rushing in her.

"It was easy," Hailey said. "Vera trained me well."

Hailey's pacifism had broken.

Even though she had slaughtered six Freemans, tears didn't leave her blue eyes. Killing those Freemans had seemed as natural as seeing.

Hailey had taken six lives in a murderous fury. Vera would be proud.

Tears continued leaving Lena's eyes.

She moved onto her back, rested her head against the floor. Her breaths left her, short and heavy. Hailey kneeled beside her.

"Why did you do that?" Lena said. "You could've died trying to save me. I even tried to kill you, but you saved my life."

"You don't deserve to die, Lena," Hailey said. "You love people. And you're just like me. Those Freemans I killed got what they deserved."

"Thanks," Lena said, sincere appreciation flowing through her. "I can't thank you enough."

She sat up and wrapped her arms around Hailey. The blonde embraced her blind High.

"I love you, Hailey Majestic." Lena said.

Hailey grinned and closed her eyes.

"I love you too," she said. "I always will, Lena."

"Lena!" Betty shouted. "Hailey! I'm here! Me and Zoey are coming!"

Betty and an unfamiliar girl ran into the hall. Hailey and Lena didn't let their hug die. Hailey had let Freemans die, but she had saved Lena's life.

The Watcher and the girl named Zoey came close.

"It's okay," Lena said, holding Hailey. "It's okay now. Hailey isn't a weakling anymore."

Betty kneeled and hugged both girls.

"Lena," Betty said. "I know you and Hailey just had to deal with Freemans, but you really have to meet Zoey. She's your father's stepdaughter. Zoey is your stepsister."

Hailey looked at Zoey, and she was reminded of a married couple she knew and loved.

"Please, don't hurt her," Betty said, directing those words to Lena.

The group hug ended.

The Majestic, the Watcher, and the blind High stood.

"I'm not going to hurt her," Lena said. Betty held her hand. The Watcher moved toward Zoey. "Zoey, what do you look like?"

"I have brown hair," Zoey said. "My eyes are brown. And I'm sixteen years old."

Hailey had revealed her age to Lena, then the girl had struck her with a cane.

"And your father survived the invasion," Zoey said. "He helped take care of me. Now I'm going to help you, Lena."

Betty released Lena's hand. Zoey stepped in front of the High, put her arms around her. She closed her brown eyes as Lena hugged her back.

"I've been wanting to meet you for so long," Zoey said, embracing her father's stepdaughter. "I'm your stepsister."

"You're my sister," Lena said. "You're my sister."

Hailey and Betty smiled. The Watcher turned to the blonde girl.

"You're a hero, Hailey," Betty said. "Our hero."

She hugged Hailey and the hero hugged her back.

Hailey had killed six foul Freemans to save the girl Betty loved the most. Saving Lena had been worth destroying the no-killing code Hailey had upheld.

After the embrace, Hailey approached Zoey, who had stopped hugging Lena.

"You're Hailey Majestic," Zoey said. "Betty told me about you. I had a theory that Theo and Lilly had children. I'm glad to see that I was right."

"How did you and Betty meet?" Hailey said.

"I got separated from the people I was with on Earth," Zoey said. "We were in Hawaii. Betty found me."

"Zoey told me that Boris Endman is dead," Betty said. "One of her friends told her. I don't know how it happened, but that former High is dead."

"Yes," Zoey said. She shook her head and crossed her arms. "He's gone. And if my mother heard one of you mention that name, she would've gotten angry."

"Where's your mother now?" Hailey said. "We might be able to find her."

"No!" Zoey said. Her hands came to Hailey's shoulders. "I can't go back to her. I can't."

"Hailey, Zoey has to stay with us," Betty said. Zoey moved her hands. "She told me everything she had to. When she's ready, she's going to tell you and Lena the truth. For now, though, don't mention her mother."

"Okay," Hailey said.

"Lena, I'm sorry!" Zoey said. "I forgot to kneel for you."

Lena pointed her palm at the space near Hailey and Zoey.

"It's okay," Lena said. "You don't have to kneel for me. Hailey, take Zoey to your room. I have to talk to Betty. I need to tell her what happened here."

"Okay, Lena," Hailey said.

"You saved my life, Hailey," Lena said. "You're not a weakling. You're Hailey Majestic. You're my friend."

"And you're my friend," Hailey said. Despite the fact her friend couldn't see, Hailey smiled. Then it faded. "I'm sorry about your mother. And I'm sorry that you're blind. I'm sorry that you lost your Saves."

"It's not your fault," Lena said. "And Betty didn't know what that water would do to me. I'm glad the last person I saw was her. There were worse sights."

Betty wrapped her arms around Lena from behind and kissed the girl's orange hair.

"You're not going to be like this forever, Lena," the Watcher said.

Hailey led Zoey to her bedroom.

Taped to one of the walls was the photograph that had been taped to Hailey's bedroom in a different space station. The girl's father grinned in the photograph, safe in the picture. Wherever the man was, his third child hoped he was safe.

Zoey was safe.

"Lena is blind," Hailey said. "And she doesn't have Saves anymore."

Hailey had stated what Zoey already knew, but Lena's blindness and her lack of powers caused serious trouble.

"I love her anyway," Zoey said. She glanced around the room. "We're sisters. And I remember when I was looking at my friend's room. He lives in a spaceship. It's the fastest Soynite spaceship in the universe, actually."

The Ascend Museum had housed the fastest Soynite spaceship.

"Your friend went to the Ascend Museum?" Hailey said. She sat on the bed.

"Yes," Zoey said. She gestured to Hailey with her hand. "And you knew Don Ascend. You and him lived in the Soynite royal palace together. You lived with the other Highs, back when they were still Highs. What was Boris Endman like?"

"He was a great man," Hailey said. "But he changed. He tried to kill my father after the invasion. Lock Tannis corrupted him."

"My friend told me that Lock Tannis is a Soynite," Zoey said. "He's Reed Pisces."

"It's true," Hailey said. "Lock Tannis and Reed Pisces are the same person. He's immune to Strife, and you can't recognize him as a Soynite by sight. I don't know why. Anyway, you're safe here. Lena used to treat me horribly, but she doesn't do that anymore. And she likes you. Her father is your stepfather."

"I love Boone," Zoey said. She clasped her hands. "I called him Father."

She pointed at the bed.

"Can I sit on the bed?" Zoey said.

Hailey had sat on Lena's bed. After getting off it, Lena had pursued her. They had fought. They had clashed in a bathroom. Hailey had won that fight, and she had won the fight in the cafeteria.

She had saved Lena's life in the hall.

Plus, Hailey had seen the blind teenager's dark underwear. The Majestic had gotten to know Lena too well.

Now she had the chance to learn more about Zoey.

"Of course," Hailey said. "Sit."

Zoey sat.

"My friend's name is Hero," Zoey said. "Hero Shame. I got separated from him, but I'm going to see him again. I was with him and his siblings. Most of them were adopted by this man. His name is Mitch Shame. His only biological daughter is Sydney Shame. She's eleven years old."

Sydney Shame.

Vera had mentioned that name to Hailey.

"I even kissed Hero," Zoey said. She smiled and ran a hand through her brown hair. "I only just met him today, but I like him a lot. I'm going to see him again. I know it."

"You will," Hailey said. "There's still hope. I left my Watcher, Vera, and then I found Lena. I found one of the six Highs in this massive universe. Lena gave me an extremely hard time. She even tried to kill me. But we're friends now. And I got to see her meet and hug her stepsister. You are her sister. You consider her father to be your father. I also don't know where my Watcher is. Knowing Vera, she probably left left our space station. Being lonely makes a person want to find other people. Vera is a Bloodhound. She can find anyone in this universe."

Bloodhounds were good at finding people.

"Do you love her?" Zoey said. "Is she like a mother to you?"

"She is," Hailey said.

"She never hit you?"

"No," Hailey said. "She's not one of the Freemans out there. Me and Vera didn't agree on the same things, but she never hit me. And I never hit her."

Zoey leaned forward and hid her face with her hands. Hailey touched the girl's back.

"Are you okay, Zoey?" Hailey said.

Zoey moved her hands away from her face.

"My mother hit me," she said, as her voice trembled. "She hit me more times than I can remember."

Rage boiled in Hailey. Zoey's mother, someone less deserving than Vera would ever be, had hurt the poor girl sitting on the bed.

Hailey hugged Zoey.

Zoey hugged Hailey.

As for Zoey All, the friend of a boy called Hero Shame, she sobbed.

As for Hailey Majestic, her pacifism remained broken.