“You’ve been reading sun dweller history books, I see,” Ben says. “The real story is much darker and more complicated than your father wants anyone to believe.”

My mind whirls. But if there are still secret trains maintained by the Resistance, then that means the organization still exists. That there are still people out there fighting. “Tell me,” I say, my throat aching from swallowing too much water.

“Maybe later—we’ve got a train to catch.”

I have so many questions, but Ben hasn’t led us astray yet, so I follow him to the train doors, which open automatically as he approaches. Elsey is clinging to his side.

“Will the train whisk us away to a better place?” she asks innocently.

“I can’t see how it could take us to a worse place,” Roc grumbles.

“We’ll see, Elsey, we don’t know whether subchapter 1 has been hit yet,” Ben says, not sugarcoating the situation, even for his youngest daughter. I can see how Adele got so tough. Her father probably always gave it to her straight—the real story, not some children’s fairy tale. A harsh truth perhaps, but the truth nonetheless.

We step onto the train, which is spotless, in better condition than even the sun dweller trains. The seats are gray and hard, lined up efficiently along the edges like a military convoy, with plenty of room in the middle for satchels of weapons and ammunition. At least that is how I guess the space was being used by the Resistance. Correction: is being used by the Resistance. I’m still trying to get my head around what Ben said.

While Roc and I take a seat with Elsey between us, Ben presses a black button on the wall and speaks into an intercom. “It’s Ben, requesting immediate train transport from subchapter 26.” His leg is covered in blood, and I start ripping shreds off my tunic so he can bind his wound.

There’s a bit of static, and then a female voice comes through loud and clear. “Ben? Is it really you? We thought…we thought you were dead.”

“It’ll take more than a traitor prison camp to kill me.”

“And Anna?”

“Anna is below. My daughter is going after her.”

“Do you think she’s—”

“Yes,” Ben says firmly, glancing at us. “She’s alive, I know it.”

“Adele has been all over the news,” the voice says.

“Look, Jinny, I’d love to catch up, but…”

“Right, sorry. I’ll get you moving right away. We’ll have plenty of time to talk later…but Ben?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sure glad you’re alive—and we’ll be pulling for Anna, too.”

“Thanks. Over.”

Before Ben can sit down, the train starts moving, beginning slowly and picking up speed as the lights flash off and we’re thrust into absolute darkness.

I feel a scrape against my arm as Ben sits next to me, grunting slightly. “Mr. Rose—I mean Ben—are you okay?” I ask, handing him the strips of my tunic.

“Thanks,” he says, taking the fabric. “I think so. I’m not sure, but I think the bullet missed the bone and lodged in the muscle. At least that’s what I’m hoping.”

“What happened to your ear?” I ask in the dark.

“That horrible soldier with the sword sliced it off,” Elsey interrupts from my other side. I turn, half-expecting to see that face that reminds me so much of Adele, but see only a black void.

I turn back and say, “He cut your ear off?”

Ben chuckles, which seems odd given we’re talking about his missing ear, which is likely being examined by the star dweller soldiers as we speak. “Nah. Just the tip, I reckon.”

“Oh, just the tip. No big deal then,” Roc says. “Sorry, guys, I’m not used to all this violence. I think I might just catch a transfer back to the Sun Realm at the next stop.”

I laugh and it hurts my throat, but still feels good somehow. “Oh, I think you fit right in, buddy. I’m not sure what won you the battle—your clunky sword work, or the deranged look on your face while you swung that pointy hunk of metal like a madman.”

“You taught me everything I know.”

“I don’t remember the day I taught you Fearsome Expressions 101.”

“Yeah, you were absent that day, so I had to do self-study,” Roc retorts. Elsey giggles. I can sense Roc grinning in the dark. Somehow we are always able to joke. Somehow it makes things easier.

“Ben, can I ask you something?” I say.

“I’ll tell you all about things later,” he says.

“No, not that,” I say. “Something else. About Adele.”

“Sure.”

“Why’d you teach Adele to fight?”

“Because she wanted to,” he replies simply. It’s not the answer I expected at all. I thought he might say So she could defend herself, or Because it’s all I know, or even Because it’s a dangerous world out there, son. I don’t know, something like that.

“How’d you know that she wanted to learn?”

“Because one morning I took Adele out back, behind our house, and showed her a few things. You know, how to kick, how to punch, that sort of thing. I was mostly just messing around, having fun with her. Roughhousing. The next morning when I went out back to train, Adele was already there, practicing her kicking. She always loved to kick. Every day after that she showed up, without being told. When Elsey was born, she never seemed interested, so I didn’t push her. We did other things together, but with Adele it was all about the training.”

“I liked cooking with Mom,” Elsey interrupts.

“And your doll.”

“Molly!” Elsey exclaims. “Oh, dearest Molly, my only doll. She and I used to go on the most incredible adventures together. To defeat evil witches and dark wizards and meet fantastically handsome knights.”

I can’t help but to laugh. Roc’s cracking up, too, and Ben’s deep chortle rises above us all. A proud father.

“How’d you learn to talk like that, El?” Roc asks.

“Like what?” Elsey says innocently.

Ben chuckles. “She loved reading old throwback books with my wife, about princes and princesses and kings and queens. Something about the formal way they spoke just stuck with her.”

“Well, I think it’s pretty silly,” Roc says, tickling Elsey on her stomach, which earns another squeal of laughter from her.

We sit in silence for a few minutes, each lost in our own thoughts. I think back to what Ben said. Because she wanted to. He’s the opposite of my own father, who always encouraged us to do certain activities with the back of his hand or his belt. It was never a choice. Learn to fight or face his wrath. Ben is a good man. The best kind of man. A role model. I’ve barely just met him, but already I want to be like him. I’ll follow him to the molten core of the earth if he asks me to.

I’m in the game.

* * *

A few hours later the lights come back on and the train slows, pulling to a stop next to a dimly lit stone platform. A half-dozen people are gathered to meet us. They remind me of Ben: strong and capable, heads held high, tight lips that are quick to smile and then spring back to serious again. They are each wearing various shades of brown tunics that have seen better days, littered with patches and ragged edges.

To my left, Elsey is asleep on Roc’s shoulder, and he on her head. To my right, Ben is wide-eyed and alert, as if he hasn’t slept at all. I couldn’t sleep either, but chose to pass the time in silence.

As the train doors ease open I feel my stomach lurch with hunger. The greeters push their way inside. “Ben!” the woman in front shouts as she sees us. Ben is on his feet in an instant as the woman charges him, hugging him fiercely. She looks to be in her early forties, with the beginning of wrinkles under her amber eyes and creasing her broad forehead. She wears a long, brown ponytail with just a touch of gray around the edges. Her jaw is firm, her lips full. I stand up next to them and wait in uncomfortable silence as they embrace. I feel somewhat embarrassed at the emotion they display, especially given Ben is a married man.