couldn’t have known I’d end up here. Right?
Always spoke in past tense. As if the future had already happened.
Always knew I’d escape Prynne.
One of the creatures lands just in front of me, and I skid to a stop. Wings made of bone and metal stretch on and on, knocking down trees. The boys draw weapons—crudely made wooden daggers. Good, that’s good. Four of us against one of them. Excellent odds.
Kayla crawls to the base of a tree and curls into a ball, whimpering.
Okay. Three against one. Not bad odds. But even now, the skin-melting rain is closing in. Except...do we want to get wet? Eight times eight times eight they fly, whatever you do, don’t stay dry.
Don’t stay dry. But...if the rain melts us, it isn’t water; it’s some type of acid.
So the rain is out.
“Water,” I say. “We need water.” It’s worth a shot.
“No.” Brett jumps from one foot to the other, preparing to leap. “The lake is more dangerous than the creatures.”
Clawed feet remain embedded in the ground as the creature lunges forward, its neck stretching...stretching...its beak snapping at Brett, who dives out of the way at the last second.
“No one ever returns from the lake,” Reed adds.
But the song—
Is probably meaningless. Get over it. Concentrate.
I’m weaponless. I can’t help the boys fight, but I can act as the bait.
“Hey,” I shout. “Over here. Come get me.”
The creature focuses on me. At least, I think it does. The head swings in my direction, but the eye sockets are clear.
The boys understand my intent and dive on the creature as it steps toward me. Another squawk is followed by another crash of thunder, this one louder than any of the others. Warm liquid gushes from my ears. I scream as I fall—
“Ten!”
My eyelids spring open. Killian looms over me, the sunglasses gone, the gold flecks in his eyes bright. I pat my ears as the throb fades. I don’t... I can’t...
“You’re all right. I’m here, I’m here.”
Yes, yes, he is. He’s here, and I’m alive. Thank Firstking!
I scan the vehicle. We’re stationary, pulled to the side of the road. “Where’s Archer?”
“Don’t worry. He’ll return shortly...had to run an errand.”
Even though my synapses aren’t firing at full capacity yet, I detect doublespeak. “Did you destroy his Shell?”
His teeth flash in a smile that’s part delight, part malevolence. “Define destroyed.”
So, yes.
“I didn’t punch him,” Killian adds, “I just showed him my fists really fast.”
We’ll have to address that, but not now. Now I have to go back. “The Realm of Many Ends,” I say. “There are kids there. They need me.” If they aren’t already dead...dead...dead again. I can’t go back without dying.
I don’t want to die.
He cups my jaw and I can’t look away from him. He’s too relieved, too gut-wrenchingly gentle. He acts irredeemable so much of the time, but he has these great moments of compassion.
“You were in the Realm of Many Ends?” he asks gently.
“I was. But how did I die?” The fog in my mind...the pain in my chest. Oh...zero. Bowel check!
I don’t want the last memory people have of me in this life to be soiled pants.
I manage a discreet glance down. All clear.
“How was I brought back?” I ask.
Killian releases me to rub his forehead. “You were poisoned. I looked you over, found an injection site.” He slides his hand under my back, tapping a sensitive spot. “Your heart stopped, and I poured Lifeblood down your throat.”
Poisoned while I was alive? Impossible. “When could I...? How?” No one knows where I am. “Who?” I sound like an idiot, but I don’t care.
“My guess? The kid at the charge station. He bumped into you on purpose, must have had a needle hidden under the stone in the ring he was wearing.”
I remember the sting in my back. But...but... “Why?”
“Whoever wants you dead could have had someone waiting at every charge station between New York and LA.” Killian closes his eyes, draws in a deep breath. “The realms are definitely tired of waiting for you to make up your mind. They won’t give you more time.”
“That sounds like a me problem, Killian. You can ease off—”
“No! I won’t ease off.” He gives my shoulders a little shake. “This is an us problem.”
We stare at each other, silent, and I wonder if my expression is as tortured as his.
I know the realms are capable of murder. Not just because of the plane crash and the poison, but also because of the kids from HART. Someone feared their