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Soren ss in mind too"

Aria sucked in a breath He had to be kidding He was just trying to scare her because she’d led him on, but she’d had no choice

The boys huddled together as Soren muttered, "Try it like this," and "Other end, stupid," and "Just let me do it," until they jumped back, away from the flame that flickered up from the leaves

"Oh, zap!" they yelled in perfect unison "Fire!"

Chapter 2

ARIA

Magic

That was the word that came to Aria’s mind An old word, from a time when illusions still ic coold and aed shape constantly The shtened the skin along her ar leaves curled and blackened and disappeared

This rong

Aria looked up Soren had frozen in place, his eyes wide He looked bewitched, just as Paisley and the brothers did Like they were seeing the fire without really seeing it

"That’s enough," she said "We should turn it offor get water or so to spread"

"Let’s give it more"

"More? Trees are made of wood It’ll spread to the trees!"

Echo and Bane ran off before she’d finished speaking

Paisley grabbed her sleeve, pulling her away froain"

"This whole place is going to burn if we don’t do solanced back Soren stood too close to the fire The flaht The fire made sounds now, pops and crackles over a dull roar "Get sticks!" he yelled at the brothers "The sticks er"

Aria didn’t knohat to do When she thought of stopping theht happen again Echo and Bane ran up with ar sparks into the trees A surge of hot air blew past her cheeks

"We’re going to run, Paisley," she whispered "Readygo"

For the third tirasped Paisley’s hand She couldn’t let Paisley fall behind She wove through the trees, her legs churning, as she tried to keep theht course She didn’t knohen the boys started chasing them, but she heard Soren behind her

"Find them!" he yelled "Spread out!"

Then Aria heard a loud wailing sound that brought her to a halt Soren was howling like a wolf Paisley’s hand cla a sob Bane and Echo joined in, filling the woods ild, keening cries What was happening to the Paisley so hard that she stumbled

"Come on, Paisley! We’re close!" They had to be near the door leading back to the farency alarhts overhead flickered again This time they didn’t co solid She went rigid Paisley ramround, their li hard as she tried to orient herself Eyes opened or closed, what she saw didn’t change

Paisley’s fingers fluttered over her face "Aria! Is it you?"

"Yes, it’s me," she whispered "Quiet or they’ll hear us!"

"Bring the fire!" Soren yelled "Get so to do to us?" Paisley asked

"I don’t know But I won’t let theh to find out"

Paisley tensed at her side "Do you see that?"

She did A torch wove toward thenized the solid tromp of Soren’s stride He was farther than she expected, but she realized it didn’tand feeling along in front of the a few feet would hardly help

A second flaroped for a rock or a stick Leaves disintegrated in her hands She shtened her lungs more She’d been worried about Soren and the fire Now she realized the ser

The torches bobbed across the darkness, drawing closer She wished herto Soren But wishing wasn’t going to get her anywhere There had to be so she could do She turned her focus inward Maybe she could reset her Smarteye and call for help She reached for coh she were fu that had never been turned off?

It didn’t help her concentration to see the torches closing in, or the fire burning brighter and louder, or to feel Paisley quivering against her side But she had no other hope Finally she felt a tap in the depths of her brain A word appeared on her S woods