Little curls fluttered in the breeze, catching on the blanket.

The door within me slammed closed on my power. The Prophet stumbled up and stared with fear tightening his face. He shook as he wiped the blood from his mouth.

All I could see was the child in Flare’s arms.

"Elsie." I gasped. "Give her to me." I reached forward, pleading. They were supposed to be safe at the cabin. Flare must have found them.

Nash’s eyes fixed on his daughter, fingers digging into the earth. Dangerous, wild rage flashed in his eyes. His muscles strained and veins popped. He climbed to his knees and then his feet and stomped one wavering step after another.

"Flare!" His hoarse voice roared through the air.

Fear widened Flare's eyes even though Nash would be no match for her, especially in his state. His rage was convincing though, like he might muster as much power as I had, even though he couldn't.

Flare held Elsie tighter and backed up. "Stay there." Her eyes snapped to me. "You had better stop him."

I ran to Nash and pushed back against his chest. "Wait!" I grunted as he pressed against me, intent on Flare. "Nash!"

He stopped but a growl ripped from his chest, buzzing against my hands. "Do not touch my child!"

"I'll get her," I said. "I promise. You don't have power like she does."

His body shook with a rage that emanated from him like my own power. "Why isn't Elsie moving?"

"I sedated her," Flare said. "She's fine."

"It's dangerous to sedate a child," I yelled.

“Undo what you did,” Flare said. "You can have Elsie back then."

The grass rustled behind us. Val had managed to get her knees beneath her and Piercey wobbled on unsteady legs.

“I’ll kill you,” Nash said, his voice eerily calm now. “I’ll find you in the next life and kill you there too. You’re dead.”

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Flare turned her nose up. “You primitive animals have no understanding of what the real world is or what we have made it into.” Flare narrowed her eyes. “And no one out there in my world understands what this world means to you. They haven’t seen it like I have. I’m trying to save you.”

“You’re delusional.” I twisted for her. “You’ve kidnapped a little girl. Look at yourself.”

“It’s only a matter of time before someone from my world realizes what you’ve done and fixes it. I made it back into my avatar before you shut us out of the system. But if anyone realizes what has happened, they will end your world in an instant.”

Time moved so much more quickly in my world than theirs. Since Dr. Henderson was still in our world, she wouldn’t be able to alert anyone. We may have had more time than Flare wanted to admit. But why didn’t she just go back to her world and deal with us herself? Could she even get out now that she’d lost control? Maybe she was trapped here just like we were.

“Are you listening, Max? You foolish, foolish girl.” I could hear Dr. Henderson’s tone buried beneath the mask of Flare’s voice. “It wouldn’t be worth it for them to try to regain control of this world. It could corrupt the data. They already considered scrapping the project. You’ll lose everyone you love. Good luck reconnecting with them after you wake up with no memory of this life.”

I didn’t want her to be right, but I couldn’t deny what she’d said. Had anything I'd done actually helped my people? I looked down to the blood soaking into the grass where slain warriors from both sides gave up their lives. Beside me Nash still breathed heavily from being strangled.

In my first two lives, I'd destroyed everything. I was doing the same thing again.

"I can't give up." I said it to myself more than I did to Flare. "You're hurting the people I love. How can I ever give up?"

“Your fight is pointless. What did you think would happen?” Flare asked. “Do you think we’re powerless? We made this world. Either you give me back control or you destroy it all."

“Maybe it isn’t so simple to turn us off when you no longer have access to our simulation.” I stared at Elsie. “Maybe that is why you’d be so desperate as to steal a child.”

"Nash said I feared you. Well, he's right. I do fear you. We all should fear you, because you're out of control. It doesn't matter that you know you can't win a fight. You'll raze everything to the ground trying to win. Piercey tried to speak reason to you but you're unreasonable."

I couldn't deny what she said, but I wouldn't let it break me like it had in the all-white room. "All I want is for us to have what every other world has. We don't deserve to be experimented on."

Flare clutched Elsie tighter. She didn't want me speaking of that which she'd forbidden. “Prophet.”

He looked at her with his face pale.

“This demon’s blood will quench the god’s thirst. There’s no need to take the rest.” Flare patted Elsie’s back softly. “You freed them, so let them stay free. All of them. Take only Max.”

The Prophet’s inky eyes turned to my own.

“If she resists, I’ll take the child home to the gods.” Flare’s voice showed no hint of emotion. “Stop anyone who tries to follow me. I’ll return the child once the demon is dead.”

"I'm not giving up," I shouted, mind racing to figure out how to get Eslie back without risking her safety.