"that's not true. we've all worked together to find the final keys! it will all be okay!" she tried to smile, but her dad paced by her, shaking his head.
        "that boy has you fooled, honey. we don't care about vampires. he doesn't care about a daywalker."
        elysia bit her cheek. how could he say that? after the way vargas was looking at her like she was the brightest star than the ones above her. they weren't so different after all ━━ with the way they acted and the way they teased each other. 
        "you're wrong," elysia retorted. she couldn't believe she was here, yelling at her father and trying to defend the beings they've been after for years. she's never felt so good about it and it made her stomach queasy. "he helped me so many times since you left." 
        "it's all an act, elles." commander bright pointed to his head. "we agreed to side with the vampires until we got our hands on that bloodfruit and who knows if they will do the same. we have to be ready for war." 
        she swallowed. "just let me go back to camp." 
        "no," he shut her down. "you're staying with me until further notice." 
        "dad, you can't do that!"
         "yes, i can." his eyes were wide. she was scared to say another word. "you are my daughter. i know what's best."
        elysia stood frozen in place, her fists trembling at her sides. her heart was hammering against her ribs in rage. there was so much she wanted to say, but couldn't. she felt helpless, just like she's always been under her father's fearful gaze. 
        "you will stay right here," he continued slowly, "until we get that bloodfruit, do you understand?"
        no ━━ she didn't understand. she didn't understand anything! she didn't understand why the world was made to separate daywalkers and vampires when they had one common goal. she could see the picture now, the way nova and victor and the councillors are always enforcing the friendship between everyone at the camp.
        she didn't understand why her heart beat so fast the first time vargas held out his hand when she got hit against the tree, why his eyes that were supposed to be cruel were soft and curious. caring when he offered to help her walk. her chin wobbled in defeat, closing her eyes.
        "yes."
        her dad was gone when she turned around, and she wouldn't let her tears fall, not in front of him ━━ weakness. she sighed, running down the steps of their home until she reached the beach, dark skies blooming of puffy clouds under the moon's spotlight. water hit the rocks in the distance by the cave, and she stared at it for a lingering moment. she could run away, live with freedom. who was to say the daywalkers wouldn't be the ones dead in a few days anyway? atleast elysia could die in peace.
        "a million thoughts, in my head. should have let my heart keep listening." she turned, hair flying as she pulled it out of her hair tie. she watched their side of the cave from the beach where they always trained. where nova would watch the waves and the moonlight before they even came across a vampire. "cause up till now, i've walked the light. nothing lost, but something missing."
         she imagined vargas alone by the field, spinning in anger as her father watched her sing from on top of the hills at their balcony. he gave her one last look before he turned away, disappointed. "i can't decide what's wrong, what's right. which way should i go?"