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Archer's blood splattered the grass Call moved toward him, but Archer shook him off "We don't have time Come on" I reached Jenna, as pale and shaky, but unhurt "Th-thank you," she said to Archer, who just repeated, "We don't have ti toward us fro off it, and I kneas another de enough to tell Archer, "Lead them to the Itineris" Archer had used the Itineris on Gray up the rear"

He didn't reply, just jerked his ared behind, my shoulder near h I could hear shouts and cries froed from the woods onto a stretch of beach

And then I reic for way too long to have forgotten one of the coolest spells I could do

"Stop!" I yelled Archer, Cal, and Jenna all skidded to a halt on the sand I waved my hands at them to come closer "Okay, everybody hold hands," I said

Archer stared atchest "Sophie, this really isn't the time for a friendship circle"

"It's not that," I said "It's this"

I closed ic into a transportation spell There was a rush of icy air, and then ere standing in the grove of trees that housed Hex Hall 's very own Itineris

"Wow," Jenna breathed "It is awesoic and satisfaction rushed through reed "Now come on" And with that, the four of us dove into the Itineris

PART III

Thus slowly, one by one, Its quaint events were hammered out- And now the tale is done, And ho sun

-"A Preface,"

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

CHAPTER 27

You knoould be great? If I had one instance oflike sohto rearrange the, and a faive yourself a few minutes"

Mom

I rolledover Jenna, as curled on her side, shivering Itineris travel was especially hard on va around It was evening, and ere by soainst the shore, and the air felt da boulder, a shallow alcove carved in its center

I was guessing that was the Itineris Just past Jenna and Mo around hi to get a better look Finley I recognized her long red braid

Panicked, I suddenly re to my lower back To ainst my skin

I stood up, but round suddenly wobbled in front of me

A hand supportedat ht With a little cry of relief, I threwmy face in his jacket When I finally felt like I could speak, I pulled back and croaked out, "How?

How did you get Torin to Hex Hall?"

Dad blinked rapidly, and at first, I thought he was surprised bytears Seeing my father, who practically had a PhD in Stiff Upper Lip, on the verge of crying because he was so happy to see htened his shoulders, and said, "It was exceedingly difficult" I laughed through my tears "I bet"

"It was Torin's idea," so there Like my parents and her sister, she was dressed in jeans and a black jacket, although she also had a black cap pulled over her bright hair "We had tons of old spell books, and after you and Call disappeared, he started looking through them Found a spell that would let him travel to a differentyourout of the darkness

"Aren't you afraid that he'll perirls' locker roo?" Aislinn's eyes slid to Izzy "Torin has his reasons for wanting to stay with us," she said, and even in the diht, I saw red creep up Izzy's cheeks Maybe one day, I'd get to the bottoetting to the bottoenda

Jenna had started breathing norht around her bloodstone Satisfied, Mom patted her shoulder and said,

"Just stay down for a little bit Rest"

Closing her eyes, Jenna nodded Only then did Mom come over and wrap her arms around me "I think we've ainst the top of oing to leave the house ever again We'll just stay in and order pizza and watch bad television" Mom pulled away and looked over et out every now and then," she said

I felt the eight of Archer's hand on my waist "Hey, I like pizza and bad TV" I turned to him, surprised "Your chest-"