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the house. There is one visible difference though. I walk straight over to it—an ant farm. I grin a little.
    “Friends of yours?”
    I can feel his smile. I turn to look at him. He is leaning against his dresser, grinning. He remembers the last time we had a conversation about his ants.
    Ezra sighs and plays along. “Yes. Yes, they are.”
    His smile falls, and I don’t understand why. Then, he asks, “Will you take care of them if anything happens to me?”
    His simple question hits me square in the chest. My grin fades, but I don’t shift my gaze away from his. He’s waiting for my answer. The question is not simple anymore. It’s a rather complex request and an intense responsibility on my part.
    My reply is simple, but it weighs heavily on my heart because of what we are both implying now—humanity. “Yes. I will take care of them.”
    Ezra nods and whispers, “Give me your hand.”
    I put out my hand reluctantly, turning my palm open. I smile slyly. My voice is filled with curiosity. “Why?”
    Ezra places his closed fist above my hand and releases a copper medallion on a chain into my palm. The metal is cold at first, but it quickly warms in my hand. I pull it closer to see the details on it. It’s a device. The workings within the device are intricately crafted and beautiful.
    “What is this?”
    Ezra puts his hands in his pockets. “It’s the first generation Copula, Jes. Sebastian asked me to give it to you. He told me that this is your legacy now.”
    I sigh deeply, letting those words really sink in as I continue studying the device. I quickly put the Copula in my jeans pocket.

Chapter 8
    Jesca
     
    After our talk, Ezra leaves to run some errands before tomorrow’s departure. I shower and dress to head out to Ms. Olivia’s. It’s pointless to sit around the house all day, waiting for tomorrow.
    I walk out into the kitchen and grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
    Nate is sitting on the sofa with the TV on.
    I walk over to the sofa and sit cross-legged next to him. “Have you called your parents?”
    Nate drapes his arm over the back of the sofa and leans back. “Not yet.”
    I pull my hair to the side and start braiding it. “You need to talk with them, Nate. Let them explain everything to you. They love you.”
    He ignores my suggestion, his eyes never leaving the TV screen. I finish braiding my hair, and we watch the news in silence.
    Nate breaks the silence a few minutes later. “So, I was wondering…”
    His voice sounds different, so I look at him, giving my full attention.
    Nate takes a slow breath in, and then he releases it. “After we leave Ms. Olivia’s tonight, would you like to grab something to eat with me?”
    I am caught off-guard by his question, and I quickly divert my eyes away from Nate, looking at the TV again. I feel him looking at me, and I can see him from out of the corner of my eye, measuring my reaction to the question. Did he just ask me out?
    I keep my eyes steady on the news anchor. “You want to take me to dinner? Like a date?”
    He doesn’t answer right away, so I look in his direction.
    Nate is looking at me with those comforting eyes again. “Yes, a date.” He shifts his body to face mine. He laughs a little. “I mean, I guess I should take you out since I sneak into your room every night.”
    Grabbing the pillow from behind me, I throw it at his head. “Ugh! That is so sincere, Nate.”
    He laughs hysterically at my weak attempt at being frustrated with him. I can’t keep from giggling when Nate’s laugh intensifies. We both desperately need to laugh, even if it is temporary in this crazy, chaotic mess of reality we exist in now. We have to take what we can.
    When Nate and I finally catch our breath, he clears his throat and becomes serious. “I only sneak into your room to check on you. Scouts honor!”
    He has been so good with me at night. When I wake up sobbing from the dreams of our potential future, Nate is there to console me. It