Broken Bonds

North gives the paper a B-. Though Oli thinks this is inadequate, she accepts. Sage and Oli study feverishly, Oli because she wants to show up Nox by succeeding despite his efforts and Sage because her parents let her avoid social obligations if she is studying, hoping that this will prove to Riley that Sage is worthwhile. Oli feels murderous rage toward Sage’s family and her Bonds. Sawyer, Felix, and Gabe study with them. Gabe, jealous that Oli is close with Sawyer, makes antigay comments about Sage and Oli. Sage threatens to use her fire Gift against Gabe if he hurts Sawyer. Gabe confronts Oli about flirting with Sawyer, insisting that he will prevent any relationship that she pursues with anyone other than her Bonds.

Vivian reports that TT class will take place in “the basement,” a maze where students are allowed to use their Gifts with as much force as they choose. Being trapped underground causes Oli to recall being tortured, seemingly at the hands of the Resistance. Oli is paired with Zoey, the student who is interested in Gabe, and Brenton, who is gleeful at the prospect of making things harder for Oli.

The maze is completely dark and silent, which Oli finds disorienting. She wanders aimlessly in the dark until the lights suddenly turn on. She is alone, wondering whether this is due to the “magic or whatever” of the maze (139). A Shifter named Martinez approaches, only to be injured by moving walls before he can “use [Oli] as bait for the pond bitch” (141). Oli jogs through the maze, alarmed at hearing other students scream.

She finds a garden where vines try to snare her with large thorns. She gets through by imagining how she would seek revenge on her tormentors if she had access to her powers. By the time she escapes the garden, she is bleeding, and her clothes are in tatters. She looks back and sees that another student is unconscious, entirely wrapped in the malicious vines. A beacon appears near her; Oli assumes that this means Vivian will rescue the trapped student and so doesn’t help. She finds other unconscious students as she continues.

Oli comes across a pond. Recalling Martinez’s words, she climbs above the surface. From her vantage point, she can see into other rooms of the maze, including one filled with hundreds of rats. The pond creature tries to pull Oli into the water, but Oli kicks free. Oli gets to the center of the maze at the same time as Zoey and Brenton, but Zoey uses her Gift to knock Oli unconscious before Oli can reach the flag that signifies victory. This is purely out of spite since only the first team to finish the maze together will win the activity’s reward—automatically passing TT.

Sage and Felix, whose gift is Healing, fuss over an injured Oli, who has sustained the most severe injuries of all her classmates. Vivian praises Oli’s performance in the maze, commenting that grit is more important than one’s Gift. Gabe is astonished that Oli made it through the maze by herself. When Felix heals her, he can sense her Gift, but he doesn’t say anything when Oli subtly indicates that he shouldn’t.

When Oli wakes up in her room later, a text from Sage informs her that Gabe carried her home while she slept, post-Healing. Atlas texts to report an incoming package, which North has approved. North’s unsympathetic message warns her against missing class. She sleeps more and wakes ravenous. She finds a box of chocolates from Atlas and pushes down her guilt that she cannot return his affection.

Gryphon comes to Oli’s dorm, much to her surprise. He wonders why Oli wasn’t more affected by the pond creature, which feeds on fear. He contends that when she ran away from her Bonds, she “made a mistake and instead of owning up to it and making amends, [she] doubled down” (157). Oli insists that she made the right choice because “at least [he is] breathing” (158).

Oli spends the remainder of the weekend recovering. On Monday, Gabe seems uncharacteristically sad; he reports that three other Bonded were abducted the night prior, including his cousin. Oli frets over whether “that man” has found a way to track her even if she doesn’t use her Gift. (This person’s identity is not revealed in this installment.) Gabe confides that he feared for Oli’s safety when she first disappeared. She in turn shares that when she was tested for her Bonds at 14, she was in the hospital because she’d survived a car accident that had killed her entire family. Gabe doesn’t have to imagine losing a parent to violence: The Resistance tortured and killed his father two years prior. They agree to become friends but to not yet bond via sex.

Gabe’s popularity leads Oli’s classmates to treat her with less hostility. Meanwhile, Zoey finds herself a pariah for her actions in the maze. She has been kicked out of TT class, as well. Nox lectures on the Tier System, a ranking of Gift strength. Most Gifted people have a primary ability, some have a secondary ability, and few have a third weaker ability. Blood testing reveals Gifts and Bonds. Further testing then reveals the strength of these Gifts, which is important for political clout and for knowing if Resistance influence has turned someone highly dangerous. Oli panics, remembering that she herself nearly became a brainwashed Resistance agent killing anyone who tried to stop her from abducting other Gifted people.

Over spring break, Oli seeks a job to no avail. At a pool party, Sage urges Oli to reconcile with Gabe, though Oli insists that she will resist Gabe’s attractiveness and their bond. Sage laments that Riley gave Giovanna an heirloom ring previously intended for Sage. Oli exchanges flirtatious texts with Atlas. Oli and Sage tease Sawyer about his boyfriend, to whom he is not Bonded. The three friends drink alcohol until they become heavily intoxicated. Oli finds Gabe more appealing while she is drunk.

Gabe explains that North is protecting Oli from a Council member named Sharpe who thinks that Oli should be forced to consummate with her Bonds. Gabe finds Oli extremely attractive in her revealing bathing suit. Gabe jokes with his friends from the football team but insists on staying close to Oli, which she dislikes, as it makes her feel like an obligation. Sage grows upset when she sees Giovanna, which makes Oli’s Gift strain to be let loose.

As Sage, Oli, and Sawyer prepare to leave, Martinez makes a crude comment about Oli’s body. Gabe punches Martinez, and the two fight until Martinez’s father breaks it up. Gryphon and North appear; Oli successfully convinces them that Gabe attacked Martinez due to the incident in the maze. Gabe is impressed that Oli is able to lie and not be detected by Gryphon’s truth-sensing Gift.

Gabe’s text wakes up a hungover Oli early the next morning. He drives her to the TT center. On the way, he explains that North enrolled Oli in the class not to torment her, as she has assumed, but to help her learn to defend herself against the Resistance, should they try to abduct her. Gabe is there to help her train. As they flirt, Oli complains about Gabe’s rigorous training schedule, but Gabe claims that Gryphon (whom Oli still wants to impress) planned their circuit.

Over breakfast, many students greet Gabe, which makes Oli anxious about all the people she will miss when she has to leave them behind to flee the Resistance.

Gabe wakes Oli in the middle of the night, panicked because 12 Gifted have been abducted, including several from her dorm. Gabe refuses to leave her alone for the rest of the night, citing their new friendship as his reason for protecting her. Gabe laments the Council’s inaction regarding the kidnappings. Atlas texts her, claiming that he is going to transfer to her school as quickly as possible. Gabe sees the secret phone that Atlas sent her.