Page 28 (1/2)

I noticed Laylen atchingat me at all, his eyes fixed on the spot of red tinted carpet resting in front of his feet He appeared at a loss for words, which was so strange for him He was never at a loss for words In fact, he usually had too much to say

I openedsome--"

"Got it" Ailsin announced as she bounced through doorith the Sword of Io"

Alex let out a breath of relief "Sounds good to me"

Laylen pulled a balled up navy blue duffel bag out of his pocket Back at the car, he’d stuffed it in there, so we could s noticed He shook it out and unzipped it "Here, put the sword in here"

Aislin placed the sword inside the bag "Are you sure no one’s going to be suspicious of us carrying out a bag?"

"They’d be far ," Laylen pointed out, zipping the bag up

"Can we just get going?" Alex snapped, backing down the hall

Aislin sighed "Yeah, let’s go"

Laylen slid the handle of the bag over his shoulder, and then he and I followed theot to the stairs Goose bu my hands up and downthe handle of the bag

"Kind of," I replied, ood

Laylen stopped dead in his tracks, his already pale skin draining to a ghostly white

"What is it?" I asked him Before he could answer, I sla was Alex I could tell by the electric surge

"Go back," he hissed, shovingup the stairs"

He didn’t have to explain who "they" were I already knew by the icy brittleness that had strangled the air My heart hammered as we ran back into the room where the sword had just been locked up

Aislin bounced up and down on her toes "Oh ed "I have no idea"

"Is there another way out of here?" Alex asked Laylen

"There’s a fire escape at the end of the hall," Laylen told him "But it’ll probably set off the fire alarm when you open it"

"Well, if there’s no other way, then I guess we’ll have to risk it" Alex crept over to the doorway, and peered out into the hall "There are two of the at the top of the stairs…What we need is a decoy" He turned around, his eyes locking on Laylen "Soet Ge you want me to be that decoy" Laylen’s tone didn’t sound bitter, but e

"Laylen, I’m sorry but I just don’t see any other way," Alex said "I think it would be best if I was the one with--"

Laylen cut hio"

Alex hesitated, but only for a split second, then he grabbed a hold ofme off balance as he yanked me toward the doorway "Coe "No"

Alex stopped and gaped at her "What do you mean no?"

She crossed her ar to leave Laylen here to fend for himself I’ll stay and help hi behind to fend for the look "Aislin there’s no way--"

"This is not a debate," Aislin interjected "I’et out of here before you can’t"

It took another second of hesitation before Alex agreed "Fine But promise me that neither one of you will try to kill theet Gemma out of here, and then make a run for the car, okay?"

Aislin nodded and shooed us toward the door Alex casted one last look at Aislin and Laylen, then he tightened his grip on edAislin and Laylen behind to fight the deathly ice monsters by themselves

Chapter 18

Guilt What a feeling, like rotting eggs spoiling inside your stoh your pores It sucked, and I wanted to get rid of it But I couldn’t Leaving Aislin and Laylen behind had created the horrid feeling, and I was pretty sure it wouldn’t go away until I knew they were safe again So add the guilt with the possibility that Ipretty high

And gedto keep up with hi hard not to freak out

Lining the sides of the hall were paper-white shoji doors On so around on the other side But I feared what they belonged to weren’t huels, vampires, take your pick All were scary in their oay

Unexpectedly, the hallway ca

"Which way is the fire escape?" I asked in a shaky, panic-stricken voice

He started for the left, and then I guess changing his ht