Reed’s lip quivers. He’s doing a good job of portraying petrified. “Wh-wh-what are you going to do to us? My dad will come looking for us.”

Kennedy’s lips press together. “Yes, Emma will see to it that he does. Oh, in case you were wondering, your little love interest got away. I’m a terrible shot, I have to say.”

Galen springs from the wall and is jolted back by the heavy chains. He couldn’t act this angry if he wanted to. Real, unfiltered fury wells in his chest. “If you hurt her—”

“Oh, now,” Mr. Kennedy says, “aren’t you the wild card, Galen? You leave, you come back, you leave again.… Where have you been, anyway? But don’t worry. Good ol’ Reed has been keeping an eye on Emma for you. He’s been most attentive if I do say so myself.”

“But not as attentive as you, apparently,” Galen growls. “You’re not a botanist, are you?” He pulls at his chains with all the aggression of a caged shark.

Mr. Kennedy readjusts to get a better look at Galen. “You’re smarter than you look, now aren’t you?” He chuckles. “Not all balls and brawn after all, eh?” Mr. Kennedy sighs dramatically. “Well, you’ve caught me, Galen. I am indeed not a botanist. And can I just say how boring it is to pretend to be a botanist? But Neptune would have run me off if they’d known I was a marine biologist.”

Galen’s gut twists like one of the pretzel’s Rachel was so fond of. A marine biologist. Just like Dr. Milligan—the only other human, besides Rachel, whom Galen has ever trusted. He’s devoted to helping preserve the Syrena way of life, and he’s in a good position to do just that—a marine biologist himself, he keeps Galen updated on the human world as it relates to ocean exploration. In exchange, Galen allows him to run tests on him in order to study his species.

Dr. Milligan certainly doesn’t go around kidnapping his specimens.

“Oh, Galen, just wait until your memory kicks in, then you’ll be really impressed,” Kennedy is saying.

My memory? Did the dart do something to my memory?

But Reed is unconcerned, quickly turning the conversation back to plan. “What are you going to do to us?” he whimpers, a little more convincing than Galen would like. Is he breaking? Is he losing it?

Galen tries to make eye contact with Reed but he won’t look at him. He keeps his frightened gaze on Mr. Kennedy. Galen is officially impressed with the acting skills of the Half-Breed across from him. If they’re real.

“Oh, now, shush, little Reed. I’m just going to run a few tests. And by a few, I’m afraid I mean a lot,” Kennedy says. “Unfortunately, some of them will hurt. But of course, I’ll keep you as comfortable as possible and show you the same hospitality you’ve shown me, Reed.” He shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels, smirking down at Reed. Galen has seen that look before. Rayna wears it right before she does something bad to Toraf.

At this, Reed’s face darkens so briefly Galen wonders if he imagined it, but then he recovers beautifully, showing himself the terrified companion he needs him to be. “I didn’t mean to be rude to you, Mr. Kennedy, I swear,” Reed says. He shifts his weight against the wall. “I was just frustrated, that’s all.”

Mr. Kennedy waves at him in dismissal, then pivots on his heel to examine Galen. “You’re in luck, Galen. Since you’ve been such a scandalous absentee and Reed has been so very … congenial, I’m pleased to inform you that Reed will be the first in my tests. Once we get you out of here.”

Out of here? He’s moving them? Galen tries to decide if this changes things, and he hopes Reed’s thinking the same thing. Galen knows that Kennedy isn’t stupid enough to move them without tranquilizing them first. Or without help. Maybe that’s who he was talking to on the satellite radio.

No, they have to stick with the plan. Which is why Galen is pleased that Reed seems to agree.

“No!” Reed shouts. “No! You don’t want me to go first.”

Mr. Kennedy turns on him. “And why is that Reed? Because right now, if I had the equipment, I’d be taking all kinds of painful samples from you.”

Reed shakes his head. “I’m not that interesting, I swear. I’m pretty ordinary, in fact. I can only Blend, but—”

“Blend? What do you mean blend?”

Reed’s mouth snaps shut. “Nothing.”

Kennedy nods and walks calmly to the table, retrieving the lock there and gingerly testing the weight of it in his hand. Then without word or warning, he closes his fist around it and strides toward Reed, his expression blank. The Half-Breed makes himself small against the wall, and Galen knows this is real, healthy fear, but no matter how compressed he can make his body, it will be of no help. Kennedy’s fist connects with Reed’s jaw, sending him sprawling to the side. The chains catch him violently and force him to sit back up, or possibly dislocate his arm. “In case you’re not aware,” Kennedy sneers. “That was not a test.” Reed’s lip is swollen and red in the corner where a small tear has begun. “Now that we’ve set the bar,” Kennedy continues, “I’ll ask again. What do you mean you can blend?”

“Please don’t hurt me,” Reed says. “But I’m not supposed to show our Gifts—”

And Galen is again impressed.

Kennedy is not. He clutches the lock with one finger, striking Reed with the body of it across his nose. This time blood spurts across the room with the force of the blow, and when Reed opens his eyes, there are real tears in them. Galen knows the nose and face area are sensitive places for humans. He wonders how much of the pain registers with a Half-Breed. Not much, he hopes. If it were Emma in Reed’s place, Galen might have broken through his chains by now.