1 ARIA Aria lurched upright, the echo of gunshots ringing in her ears. Disoriented, she blinked at her surroundings, taking in the canvas walls, the two bed pallets, and the stack of battered storage trunks, finally recognizing Perry’s tent. Pain pulsed steadily in her right arm. She looked down at the white bandage wrapped from her shoulder to her wrist, dread swirling in her stomach. A Guardian had shot her in Reverie. She licked her dry lips, tasting the bitterness of pain medication. Just try it, she told herself. How hard could it be? Aches stabbed deep in her bicep as she tried to make a fist. Her fingers gave only the slightest twitch. It was like her mind had lost the ability to speak with her hand, the message vanishing somewhere along her arm. Climbing to her feet, she swayed in place for a moment, waiting for a wave of dizziness to pass. She’d come to this tent as soon as she and Perry had arrived days ago, and hadn’t left since. But she couldn’t stay there a second longer. What was the point, if she wasn’t getting better? Her boots sat on top of one of the trunks. Determined to find Perry, she slipped them on—a challenge one-handed. “Stupid things,” she muttered. She tugged harder, the ache in her