Broken Bonds

Nox’s date asks Oli about her apparent lack of Gift, disrupting Oli’s enjoyment of the decadent meal. Oli mocks her in return. Gabe takes her back to her dorm on his motorcycle, which leads Oli to reminisce about her father, who loved to ride dirt bikes. Gabe cautions Oli against threatening the dates that Nox will inevitably bring to subsequent dinners, as they have dangerous Gifts. He says that the unpleasant dynamic is Oli’s fault and the result of her fleeing.

The next day, Oli wakes up with a peculiar sense of dread. The whole campus is roiling. Several Bonded have been abducted; one has been discovered dead. Gabe knew the deceased—a Shifter who could change forms. Oli is horrified, knowing the dreadful fate that awaits those kidnapped by the Resistance. Gabe vows to get back his dead friend’s Bonded.

When Oli commiserates with Sage, Gabe criticizes their closeness with antigay comments. The friends discuss classes; Sage reveals that Oli dropped out of school, which Gabe takes as a personal affront, as he assumes that Oli did so to avoid her Bonds. Sage recognizes that Oli must have had a good reason for fleeing, but she doesn’t press Oli for specifics. Oli invites Sage to her dorm, citing her curfew, which Sage finds uncommonly possessive. Oli enjoys having a Gifted friend for the first time in her life, as she grew up among “humans” (the novel’s term for non-Gifted people who descend from non-Gifted people, a contrast to Ungifted people who descent from Gifted parentage).

Sage and Oli have a girls’ night where they dye Oli’s silver hair lavender. Sage’s parents, concerned that she has stopped being social after getting rejected, urge her to go to a football game. For her friend’s sake, Oli asks North’s permission to attend the game, which goes beyond her curfew. The two lament their Bonds’ unkindness. Oli frets that her Gift feels increasingly uncontrollable. Sage praises Oli’s strength, and the two discuss the importance of their friendship. Sage offers to accompany Oli if she runs away again.

Sage is excited to attend the football game, though she is reluctant to join her parents; Maria, one of her father’s Bonded, works for North and disapproves of Sage and Oli’s friendship. Sage is excited to see her brother, Sawyer, however. He is cool but not hostile toward Oli. While giving the siblings space to chat, Oli sees Gabe secretly giving a note to the captain of the rival football team. (This is not clarified in this installment.)

Oli meets Gracie, one of Sage’s friends, though their relationship is strained. Gracie reports that Felix, the quarterback, is really into Sage. Later, Sage confides to Oli that she stays away from Felix, worried that she will feel abandoned when he finds his Bonds.

School becomes a “weirdly normal pattern” (99), though Oli still worries about her past catching up with her. Gracie appears at Oli’s dorm room one day. Sage’s birthday is in the coming week, and her parents are throwing a party designed to curry political favor. Gracie urges Oli to attend so that someone who actually cares about Sage will be there. Oli is suspicious of Gracie’s motives but agrees. Gabe cautions her not to leave for the party without him, as the dangerous people of the Council will be at the party. Oli likes being physically close to Gabe and is tempted to trust him, though she pushes the thought away. He teases her about being affected by him.

Though she improves, Oli still struggles in TT class, particularly when the other students are permitted to use their Gifts. One student, Zoey, flirts aggressively with Gabe and consistently attacks Oli during training exercises.

North instructs Oli to not interfere with his political connections at Sage’s party; Oli happily agrees. Nox taunts Oli about his past sexual exploits, which Oli finds an unexpected relief, as her bond no longer aches when he discusses his sexual encounters. Gryphon drives her home. It’s the first time they’ve been alone together, and though the drive is silent, Oli’s bond desires him, which, she feels, makes him “the most dangerous of them all” (107).

Oli is taken aback by how attractive she finds Gabe when he dresses up for the party. He seems unsettled but refuses to explain why. (This is not explained in this installment.) Oli is impressed by Sage’s home, which leads her to briefly fantasize about a life where she has money, though she considers this an impossibility with the Resistance trailing her.

Gabe joins Riley, so Oli slips away to find Sage. Giovanna and Oli get into a verbal fight, insulting one another using slurs against sex workers. Giovanna tries to slap Oli, but Gryphon stops her. He cautions Oli that Giovanna’s sister is one of North’s political allies. Gracie flirts with Gryphon. Oli finds Sage and Sawyer hiding from the party; Felix joins them, and they complain about Giovanna. Oli flirts with Sawyer to annoy Gabe.