Almyra and I decided to go talk to the Impure Mildred had saved yesterday, but before we could even step on the elevator, my smartwatch rang. I answered the hologram call, despite the gravity blast to my chest, because I should have been the one who called.

“Ellie and your parents’ve been worried sick of you, Cael,” Tim said. And I guessed he was as well. Not that he’d admit it, though. He was too proud. But not a sinful pride, but more in the vein of I’m proud to be an Irish kind of way. His family was living in Colorado when Yellowstone erupted. His older brother told him to wait until he returned with their parents. They never came back. And he was forsook, just like Ellie, like those considered weak by the world.

“You didn’t even leave a note or something! Why haven’t you called them? What in the—”

“How about saving someone’s life?”

“So it’s true what they said at the news conference?” he muttered. “That you saved Almyra Bernhart instead of a Natural?”

“I did,” I declared, almost as if Tim had coaxed the Naturals and Impures into joining the Harmonists. “And if someone—”

And then Ellie arrived, wheeled herself next to Tim. And she doused the flames that formed in my stomach. Her eyes were shut, but when she opened them, they sparkled innocence. Her face, her smile gleamed as if we already rested in Heaven, with the Lord, the Virgin, and all the saints. And had left the iniquity of the Earth behind. She even wore a scapular, the Lady of Carmel One, to remind herself to offer her pain for the world, for me. She was only thirteen, but age did not impede holiness.

“But someone has a problem with that, Teacher. Not many in the districts feel that way,” Tim said, as he fingered his words into Ellie’s hand. In Braille. “Naturals are siding with the Harmonists, ‘cuz they think you’ll betray them. Or that you already have.”

“Assure them that I won’t,” I said. “That I’m with them.”

“You ask me to assure them, Teacher Cael,” Tim said. “But you’re there and not here. You saved a Bernhart instead of a Natural. How can I justify that? How can I justify that you’re gonna receive an award from the Zielkkenhom Foundation?” He shook his head. “There’s even talk about Congressional reform of the district system. And not a good one.”

Was that what Ashley had warned me about? Was that why I should have stopped investigating? But Samuel was innocent. And Mildred was alive. And I knew what it was like to be falsely accused of something. The bombs. The wails. The cries. They all pelted my mind, but vanished when I saw Ellie about to speak. Tim had asked her his question. An ice blade sleeted my veins. And I didn’t know why, but maybe because she was my práta, my source of strength, but I feared her answer more than anything Zielkkenhom could ever do. That she’d think me not worthy of being her brother, of being a Christian.

And one second later, her answer came. “You don’t need to justify anything, brother,” she said. It was as if gravity had lightened. “Jesus healed the Roman soldier whose ear Saint Peter sliced. That’s all you need to say.” And before I could even utter a sound, she said, “I admire you, brother.” She smiled. “Not many have the fortitude to help an enemy, jeopardize their reputation, everything, to help someone. It’s easy to help friends, but it takes the Holy Spirit to save an enemy.”

“You’re too good for this world, Ellie.”

“Perhaps, though I don’t think so,” she said. “But it’s the world we have to live in, it’s the world for some reason God wants us to live in right now, and make it a little bit like Heaven, so we can have a sip of it before the real thing, so we can all live in peace, as if we were seeds that God waters on Earth, but that will only see their true tree might in Heaven. That is my aspiration, a hope that will come true, though not because we wish it on a comet, but thanks to our actions, our goodwill toward others, and our prayers. But I know that it will take a long time, time you won’t be alive to measure, brother.” She chuckled.

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So did Tim and I, because of her dream, but I guessed that was what God wanted, before Our Lord returned, as impossible as it seemed. But the gravels barreled at my heart, lacerated it. I kind of wished I lay back in the chaos. At least, that got my mind off them. Had that been a sin? Lack of kindness for Ellie? It had been involuntary, but still, I felt my soul squirming my nerves, coiling my heart, until I had none.

I even thought about saying I’m sorry, Ellie, but she would have said, What for? I would have answered, Because I laughed when you said your hope, as if it could never happen and she would have replied, Don’t be silly. It’s okay to laugh. Just because Jesus never laughed in the Bible it doesn’t mean it never happened. What I care about is your actions, what you do for others, what you do for God, how you follow Him, not if you chuckle or not.

And Almyra would have thought I was insane, more than with that thing at the elevator. I glanced at Almyra. Hoped to distract myself until the gravels eroded. Even she had chuckled. But her eyes seemed like ponds, though she had not shed a tear. Her face, almost as if she believed in Ellie’s hope. But she was an Enhanced. Perhaps, there was still hope for the Enhanceds, after all. And the Harmonists were snatching that of the Naturals.

“I thank God you’re alive, Ágend Bernhart,” Ellie said. “Any survivor from those blasts is a miracle.”

Almyra could not utter a sound, not even thanks. Not because she hated the Naturals, I had seen she didn’t, but because hearing a Natural thank God for her life must have been like hearing Jesus say, None have condemned you. Go and sin no more. She must have thought the Naturals loathed the Achroites, abhorred her, but Ellie didn’t, we didn’t. I didn’t.

“Kudos, Teacher, for saving Almyra,” Tim said.

I sneered. “You’re only saying that because you want Ellie to like you, like you.” He didn’t finger that last part. I chuckled.

“And besides, brother,” Ellie said. “Tim is magnifying things. Some Naturals have voiced harsh words against you, but most support you. At least here in the district. Hunter even convinced a Harmonist adherent to reject their ways and denounce them for their violence. It’s mostly the Impures who are enraged.”

“Because I saved an Enhanced?” I said. “But they’re Enhanceds too.”

“Because you did not extort her for free Achroite Eugenex.”

Made sense, I guessed. The Impures sort of detested the Achroites. Internally, at least, even if outwardly they didn’t show it. The Impures would never so much as utter an unkind word against the Achroites, always bootlick them, but deep down, envy corroded the Impures. That they were not Achroites. The envy that pervaded all the classes.

I glanced at Almyra. “Don’t worry,” I said. “I won’t extort you. Definitely.” I turned to Tim. “Are my parents there? I want to—”

“They’re at St. Cruithnechán,” he said. “To calm down Harmonist rallies against you.” He hesitated a second, but then said, “I’ll take Ellie there later. She thinks the bastards will listen to her.” He chuckled. “I guess she takes her naiveté from you, but don’t worry, Teacher, I’ll protect her.” He fisted his heart. “On my life.”

“Thank you, Tim. Keep things in control in the district while I’m gone,” I said. “And tell all bridgers to locate Samuel and Mildred and inform you of anything,” I said. “That I asked them to.”

“So you want me to tell bridgers to do something because you said so,” Tim guffawed. “That might’ve worked yesterday, and that’s a big might, but it’s not gonna work today.” And he must have seen my face, for he said, “But don’t worry, Teacher, I’ll see what I can do. Just remember, Teacher Cael, death before sin.”

“I know, Tim,” I said. “Death before sin.” I paused for a second, to let my words sink in my mind.

“Godspeed, brother.”

“Godspeed, Ellie, Tim.”

I shut the hologram call, ready to head to the Impure’s lottery-won, subsidized apartment in the lowest Section, but Almyra stood, as a frozen flame. “Your family seems to love you, Mr. Cavanaugh,” she whispered, as if she wasn’t sure whether to tell me or not. “My mom did. Now, I am in mere remembrance of that feeling.”

I stepped toward her and hugged her. Perhaps she had a point. Her father hadn’t come, but I could not remind her of that. I just said, “I’m sure your father loves you, Ms. Bern … Almyra.” Even though I felt I was lying, because I wanted to soothe her. The first time I had called her by her name. But before she could even utter a sound, I got a text. Sleet shot through my veins when I read who had sent it.

Mildred.

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