Page 61 (1/2)

"So, what happened in there?" Shelton asked as I gave purpose to et back to the arch

"I don’t know, exactly," I said, savoring the pain-free s, and the absence of the ever-present cold ache beloaistline "I had an episode"

"An episode?" Bella said, keeping stride despite her short legs, and regardingdifferently"

"The uess"

Bella’s brow furrowed "Helped you? How?"

"What happened?" Shelton said again "Saying you had an episode doesn’t explain jack"

I stopped Bella skidded to a halt, Shelton beside her "Maybe I should explain it to everyone all at once" I gave the look "Okay?"

They looked at each other, worry obvious in their eyes As one, they turned back to me and nodded We proceeded without conversation toward the university and the Burrows, though I could sense Bella’s worry I wasn’t sure if it was due toI didn’t want to worry the twenty tiarden, entered the hallways, and proceeded down the stairhen a faint noise caught my ears Bella seemed to hear it too We turned, and saw a flicker of blonde hair pull back behind the turn in the landing A blue eye peeked around the corner followed by a sigh Vallaena stepped out, face placid, and not an ounce of sha us

"When you arden without stopping" She arched an eyebrow "Naturally, I was curious, since you all have such deter inof feet up the stairs caused us all to turn and look as MacLean, Cinder, and Zagg, faces worried--well, except for Cinder--rushing up the stairs

"Justin!" Zagg said, breathing hard "We can’t get back into the cha it--a powerful one We must have tripped a ward"

"Impossible," Shelton said "Bella and I went over every square inch of that place and didn’t see any other wards"

"What do youit down We tried blasting the walls, but it’s like the shield for shook his head "What are we going to do?"

"Who the bloody hell is that?" MacLean said, pointing up the stairs at Vallaena "She’s a fair sight on the eyes, that one is" He gave her a toothy s out loud," I said, having couest in the confusion

"I do not blame you for your secrecy," Vallaena said, a sh that it would do no har," I said "I’m sorry, but I don’t trust you farther than I can throw you"

"As I recall, you threwpractice the other day" Another sroaned "Everybody back to the house"

"I a as well," Vallaena said

"I’d be happy to escort you, lass," MacLean said, still grinning

The Daee onto the house," I told aze on me "And you will stop h et in there and speak it, and we could secure the rune Victory was so close I could taste it This shield was no coincidence It had Daelissa or one of her cohorts written all over it But why? If they knehere the rune hy hadn’t they tried to take it? Did they know about the guardian? What if Jeremiah really had ears in the mansion?

Too many questions Too many problems Too little time

I didn’t know if Vallaena would complicate matters, but I kneithout a doubt she’d eventually find out about the rune by hook or by crook At the ht left in et all about this s pushed e lack of sensation, I had no trouble controlling thele of friends followedBella if I was okay I heard her tell him I was under a lot of stress I almost turned around and told theer felt qualified to lead them into whatever the hell lay ahead

I called Elyssa, and told her I was about to deliver a han showed up about the ti room, I dropped into a seat at the far end of the table, and waited, sluo, I’d been so happy So confident Hoe going to get through that da Vallaena, I told them about s drew gasps from all corners of the room When I pulled upcurse, Bella broke into tears Vallaena’s lips curled, though whether froust or fear, I couldn’t tell

Elyssa went pale, her finger tracing the line upeveryone "So, I guess what this all et us past the guardian, but the new shield is going to keep us fro consulted with Cinder MacLean stared at Vallaena who pointedly ignored hiave me a shake of his head "The new shield is tethered so about it, and there’s no possible way someone could have just thrown it up in an instant The enchant for soer it"

"There were no wards," Shelton said "We would have found the replied "Just an enchantment that needed a word of activation"