Someone was hollering a friendly greeting, so Ronan had no reason to believe it was for him. Cheng had told him about a portal, a doorway to another Darrow. For a foolish moment, Ronan had let himself be hopeful that he would wind up in Henrietta and not Darrow. Not that Henrietta was any less of a shitshow, but he had the Barns back home, and all of the peace and quiet he wanted. When he could be bothered with school, he inspired distance. That was how he liked it.

One particular Kerah sounded like a warning, and that made Ronan turn his head just in time to see a boy -- a pale boy with shoulders slumped down like the world had pushed him into it -- fall into step beside him.

"The fuck you mean?" Ronan asked lowly, growled, and flicked his eyes up to Chainsaw to see how she felt about this turn of events. She was watchful but still swooping about contentedly. Not a day went by where Ronan didn't wish he was that bird.