News spread through Rooftop like wildfire. It was how we stayed safe. So it was with confidence that I only informed a few people about the night's meeting and let the message work its course.

I didn't mention Evie. Part of me hoped that no one would notice her.

Thankfully, when I began tending the fire, there were already teenagers gathered around the pit. They greeted me quietly, but otherwise, we did not interact.

More and more residents arrived. Sarah joined us, arms crossed tightly over her chest in a way that suggested she as trying to look confidently aloof but was actually controlling her grief. I desperately wanted to ask her about her visit to Nik, but now was not the time.

I kept scanning the rooftops for Evie. Scenario after scenario played out in my head - would my fellow Rooftop residents fight against her intrusion? If so, verbally or physically? - without a single one concluding happily.

Too late for concerns.

Finally, I saw a figure approaching us. I clenched my fists, waiting for someone to notice.

It didn't take long.

"Who's that?" someone muttered, and within seconds, everyone had gone still and quiet, watching Evie approach. I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"She's my guest."

Everyone turned to me, shocked into silence.

"Her father is a very powerful person who despises the Order. I invited her to see if we're...worthy of his help."

"Do you realize how dangerous that is?" one boy demanded scathingly.

"I know, But we can't be expected to carry on like this!" I glanced plaintively around, searching the crowd for one friendly face. Even Sarah stared distrustfully at me. Charlie squeezed my hand.

"Oh, screw it," one girl finally muttered. I recognized her, had seen her around Rooftop, but otherwise had no personal connection to her.

"We've lost enough," she continued, her voice grimly tired. "If there's even a chance to rest, I'm going to take it." She met my gaze steadily and I understood in that instance that she was not doing this for me. She was doing it for whoever she had lost in this hellhole of a city.

Slowly, the rest of the crowd grudgingly accepted this. They continued to quietly watch Evie, however, and I felt bad for the girl - approaching a crowd of strangers glaring at her couldn't be easing her nerves.

Finally, she arrived, panting slightly and glancing around nervously. Her eyes widened with almost imperceptible relief when her gaze found me.

The ensuing silence was, it quickly became apparent, my responsibility to rectify.

"I thought tonight could just be a...moral booster," I explained to everyone, completely making this up as I went. "Just as a chance to...recover."

Nothing. I hadn't really expected everyone to blindly agree to this and began amicably chatting, but I had hoped for it.

"Does someone wanna go grab us some snacks?" I asked desperately.

"We don't have enough food for snacks," someone replied, placing so much scathing emphasis on the word that it was all I could do to keep from visibly flinching.

"Oh. Right." Finally, I gave up. "Come on, Evie. The fire's right over here."

Surprisingly, this opened some fissures in the ice's surface. I heard people settling into their usual groups around us as I settled down by the fire. Evie copied me. Charlie followed close behind and Sarah sat a small ways away, looking embarrassed to even be associated with me.

"I shouldn't be here," Evie muttered, refusing to raise her gaze from the rooftop.

"You've gotta understand, these kids have been through a lot. They need some work in the trust department. They're just not used to outsiders. That's all."

"How'd you explain me?"

"I said you're here on behalf of your extremely powerful father to evaluate us and...consider helping us." I spit out the last three words as if they burned my tongue.

She turned to me, horrified. "Claire?"

"What?" I asked defensively.

"Why would you give them false hope like that? My father can't possibly help them all - there are other impoverished areas in the city, you know."

"I panicked. I - I just wanted them to accept you."

"Mission accomplished," Evie said, her sarcasm biting. She turned her attention to the flickering flames. I found myself unable to tear my own gaze away from the dancing orange reflected in her stormy blue eyes.

She turned back to me and I hastily looked away.

"So what now? Are we just going to sit by the fire all night?"

"No," I decided. "Let me introduce you to some people."

The night became easier as it continued. I ironed out my lie until my cover story was relatively flawless. Evie was as confident and charming as ever, so people who initially hated her left us with smiles and goodwill.

We spoke to Sarah first. Strangely, she was one of the only people not to ask copious amounts of questions. She mainly told Evie about the police raid, as well as what had happened to Nik.

The raid, in fact, was the discussion that night. Evie seemed suitably horrified as she heard of the resulting fear and loss.

"Is it seriously as bad as everyone's saying?" she murmured to me between conversations.

I nodded, expression grim. "Afraid so."

Finally, the night began to wind down. Siblings of young children were the first to go, then those most affected by the raid. Soon, just a handful of people was around the fire.

Sarah took Charlie home, leaving only Evie and me. We sat in companionable silence by the fire, which various people had been keeping stoked.

Suddenly, Evie spoke. "There are so many young children here," she whispered.

I glanced at her in surprise. "Yeah, I guess so."

"And everyone else died?"

I furrowed my brow, confused. "Everyone else?"

"The adults."

"There were never any adults. Just us."

Evie seemed utterly shocked at this concept. "And Rooftop's been here ever since - ?"

"The Uprising, yeah," I replied, bobbing my head.

"So you were all children?"

"A few of us were teenagers. Most of us were preteens."

"And you've been surviving here ever since," Evie murmured. I didn't reply.

Suddenly, Evie clapped her hands against her knees and said decisively, "I'm going to try to open a sub-lottery specifically for Rooftop."

My eyes widened. "Really?"

"Really. It'll be hard to convince the Gambler, but I can sure as hell try."

"Oh, thank you so much! You really have no idea how much this will help."

Evie watched me for a second, a slow grin spreading over her face before she declared, "And I am going to help you."

"But Nik - "

"Claire, listen to me. This group of teenagers is the most resourceful team of people I've ever met. I doubt something like jail could stop them. Besides, you have to think of Charlie."

She was right. I knew she was. And, even though Nik had been furious with me initially, he would probably be even angrier if I threw this chance away. Charlie would have to grow up in this thankless town otherwise.

On a more selfish note, if I backed out now, I would never get to see Evie again.

"Okay," I heard myself saying, the sudden hope that flowed through me stifling my doubts.