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I flashed him a startled look "The more I use my powers" I trailed off

"The more you want to kill us," Finn finished for ed But this conversation ain clarity if he could wean his cal our powers seemed wise anyway Our abilities weren’t infinite Both Finn and I had tapped ourselves out, and needed to recharge I gazed up at Selena, vaulting a gully with ease So what happened to her if she used hers tooout of arrows? What were her weaknesses?

Changing the subject, I told Finn, "It see problems with parents is an Arcana trait Like, more than just a few spats over curfew"

Was it our curse to be misunderstood by them? My beloved mom, rest her soul, had sent me to a nuthouse Matthew’s mom had tried to drown him Even Arthur had hinted that he’dbranch, this time to my left When I jerked ht Ahead, Selena paused, canting her head Sensing sohts of her last arrow, retrieved before we’d left Requie

Finn’s eyes were on her as well

"For what it’s worth, I’m sorry about hoorked out with Selena," I said "I kno much you like her"

"Past tense It’s one thing to like a girl ants another guy It’s another to like a girl who plans to murder you at a time of her convenience"

"She said she was raised for this I guess she can’t help it" I couldn’t believe I was taking up for Selena I turned to Matthew "What’d you tell her to get her on my side?"

"The future If she kills you, Death stabs her in the eye with her own arrow"

"Such a lovely guy"

A raindrop pelted an to fall"Matthew, you told roeaker when the rain came You said, ‘You’ve never known terror, not like you hen the rains coreen? You annihilate Now?" He shook his head "Powers Stop Start Fits A plant with no sun is weak Already you feel it Plus, obstacles get faster, stronger Foes laugh at us"

Matthew’s lessons had fallen into four categories: arsenal, foes, field of battle, and obstacles "Which obstacles?" No answer "At least tellthe rain will last"

With a decisive nod, he said, "Until the snow co

"When will that be?"

"The Arrinds on, a windmill spins The one who learns most wins last"

Whatever that meant Matthew couldn’t be pumped for infors

When I saw that Jackson and Selena had stopped atop another rise ahead, I almost moaned with relief The sun would set soon Maybe there was a shelter nearby?

Once we reached the by Jackson’s rolled eyes, I fooled no one

"I didn’tsay a word," I gasped "Notco"

After a hesitation, he muttered, "No, you never do"

That had sounded ale, we could see down into Requie the road to that warehouse Just as Jackson had said, it was overfloith Baggers They were spilling out of doorways, huddled in alcoves So back to shelter Like they were testing the sunlight

"Is it just me, or do they look faster?" Selena asked

I nodded "What’s driving theot them in such a frenzy?"

Matthew said, "Bloodlust"

Finn shook his head "I thought they turned to blood because there was no water around"

"Rain h to track blood New battery"

"You’re joking" I pinched ize theer No longer would we see their cruhtfall?"

"Loved the Alche Most blood for miles and miles The hunt is afoot"

Even with all our Arcana powers, ere at a serious disadvantage against that uise us, but the zombies would just follow our scent Matthew had no attack powers

And ht well on the run,in fits

"What’s the ht hand, at my icon "Why you look scared, you? You can just take them all out" The not cruel vibe of earlier had been short-lived

I exhaled wearily "No No, I can’t"

"Ain’t like you can die anyway"

Matthew shook his head "She can die Death sees to her"

--Count on it-- came Death’s whisper --You’ll be under my sithin the week--

7

DAY 249 AF

"Soooanybody else have a sense of i doom?" Finn asked around a mouthful of Mayday bar "Iwatched?"

Teeth clattering, I said, "Oh, y-yeah" I had since we’d left Requieht we’d spent miserable, restless hours huddled in the shelter of soht, after we’d plodded around nearly blind in the dark, Jack had co house Basically it was a e paint and one open end