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"Matthee need your help What do we do?"

"Look at my new kicks" He raised one boot "Finn said I’?"

"Yes, yes, but--"

"He took care of uilt In a rush, I said, "I thought you’d be safer at Finn’s than going back out on the road with erous it’ll be to reach the coast" But then, I’d believed that before I’d understood how lethal I could be

"Dangerous E all of you up here" He’d co to be with me Until he’d witnessed what I was "Sweetheart, can you please concentrate? What should we do?"

"Fight to the death"

"Darabbed my upper arm "You want me to join in this make-love-not-war bullshit? Then convince ht not be able to defeat them, but you better look like you can"

5

"This isn’t working!" Back on Arthur’s front porch, I’d shed led but reauge blinking E "I used everything in ht--"

Selena’s hand shot out and smacked my face

"What the hell?" When I raised my pallyphs stirring

"If you don’t want these cards to die, then get to work, Evie! You need to look like the Empress of Old, slithery and creepy and sexy all at the saain, and you’ll see slithery and creepy--"

With her enhanced speed, she shoved me back before I could even react I tripped overon my ass "You bitch!" I bounded up, thorn claws bared

"That’s it! Sell it, sister, or we are dead!"

I gazed down at h the fabric of my clothes Sharp emotions like fury and utter terror always sparked ive me a jump-start I narrowed ry, terrified, and sad for the rainy season?"

Blank slyph wasacrossdown at the three thorns that e the barbsa tornado

"Rad-ick-ull!" Finn cried

You haven’t seen anything A few slashes of row vines I let it drip to round Greenery slithered to life When I popped a crick in my neck, irl" Selena strung her arrow, holding her bow at the ready "Jungle this up!"

I surveyed ht, but"It is what it is"

We all took up positions on the porch In this lull, my mind flashed to Jackson, and my chest ached Don’t think about him, don’t think about hiht noere facing a possible supernatural battle

Selena asked ranny can help you exit the ga chronicler" Before, I’d needed to reach her to ask about es taking place insideinto a stone-cold killer, one who’d had the impulse to murder her friends "She’ll have answers"

Yes, Gran had once toldancient rules The fact was that her granddaughter E to do with the game

"How could the cards find us here and so fast?" Finn asked "Evie just toasted one of these freaks yesterday"

Selena scanned the street "We’re drawn to each other, seeking so us into the fray They were probably close already"

"Convergence," Matthew said

Finn wiped his sweating pal his jeans "What if some player had been in the Antarctic before the Flash? It isn’t like he could fly or take a boat now"

A good guess, since there were no planes Or oceans

"Convergence," Matthew repeated in an overly patient tone "We are led We lead We follow MacGuffins! The Tower’s alliance arrives in twentynineteeneighteen"

As he continued his hushed countdown, Finn asked, "If the Tower is a heavy hitter, what’s this guy packing?"

I htning He has these silver javelins that appear in his hand Wherever he throws the strikes Plus he can electrify his skin"

"Fourteenthirteen"

Selena explained, "A direct strike could fry ht survive Evie would be stunned, h for him to take her head Finn, you and Matt die instantly"

Finn scowled, wrinkling his freckled nose "That’s not fair! Why are we so lame?"

"Matt should be able to foresee a strike, and you should elude it with your htseven"