R

ike a wall of fury. My ears rang from the gunshot, but I could still feel

shot c

the wall inches fr

ssed, eyes glowin

ve. He shoved

u get up now, and they'l

is back to the shattered window. His eyes locked on

p. "How many rooftops

Ryker a

Good. That narrows d

"I'm not staying dow

ce clipped. "They're

cked to the photograp

bas

red. "That's what this is. They want t

ff and pushed up to m

aid. "But I am asking you not t

to the basemen

. "You think I don't

mine's

o was right. "Pi

r

the alley, shadows swallowing us whole. Bullets to

black mask, long-barreled rifl

t and threw a silver

t the

tumbled, dropped the w

y r

wa

wouldn'

ad anything t

low, read

apped. "St

. But then he turned, scooped

erent building, this one layered with stronger wards. A

like a man trapped b

d much since

fol

ed me more than

nce meant he

ulat

g on th

r, then checked the chamber of the sniper's rifle.

at Ryker. "

aid immediate

h's?"

flin

l the answe

rward. "Let m

id, voice

here to

n't c

o know he

ked a

me a s

inner pocket of my jacket a

ci

ng a front tooth, eyes f

ded i

r st

-his han

s

a

knocked the strengt

ne," he

ay that. You forfeited that right when you reject

dn't

at the boy h

. I would've

dn't,"

or. "We need to move him. If Lili

ak," I muttered. "

ake was assuming I'd sit back

us now. Don't act like this is about protecti

"You think I don't

egret it. I want

between us. "

se of your Luna, I swear to the Moon Goddess I'll drag you both

idn't r

e knew I

ng, I sat on the edge of the makeshift bed, fin

the window, sc

erent," I

d. "You me

ever met. Speaks names he shouldn't know. Sometimes,

owly. "You think it's be

d. "I think Lucien was born with fire in

"Then we make sure

y looked

I said. "Not f

"You should be. Fe

laugh. "Not exac

d. But not of them. Be scared of what you'll do when they cros

ailed

d at th

ow if I'll

id quietly. "But the

*

in returne

edi

on

one hand, ignoring the smear o

ssed,"

psed to one knee.

urse h

was the

de her

as th

es

he cup do

she s

oo

n looked up

r the table, her

to be a father, let him watch

hing the morning light stretch

xt team. No bul

sin's eye

silver

R

d church near the border, shrouded in mist and old pro

t my mind was still in that safeh

nothing as

ept look

hether to beg forgive

uts near the crypts,

d

lowed myself

hone to buzz

ess

num

n

one i

school

ed in

ndern

e line

Or we send