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She bent close to herthe Tosca aria, her voice warbling and breaking, but she knew it didn’t matter She’d pro

The door slid open as she finished Three Guardians strode into the chaood-bye Would she ever be?

Oneand then wheeled the gurney out The other two Guardians stayed behind

"Give me your Smarteye," said the one closest to her

Behind hi electrical sound

Aria lunged for the door on instinct

The Guardian with the baton blocked her

Light flashed before her eyes and then everything went black

Chapter 42

PEREGRINE

Perry couldn’t leave He stayed on the overlook, waiting for her to co? Had she found Luht? He watched as the Guardians fixed the light below He watched as they rew still again

She didn’t come back out, and he realized she never would

He spun and ran, tearing into the darkness He should’ve headed west, toward ho on the wind Soon he saw the glow of firelight flickering through a stand of trees Heard the soft pluck of a guitar and athered around the fire

The guitar went silent as they spotted him Perry slipped Talon’s knife fro a few men to their feet "A trade For drink" He nodded toward the bottles by the fire

"It’s a fine blade," said one man He turned to another man who’d stayed where he sat across the fire He had braided hair and a long scar from the botto moment

"Make the trade," he said

Perry handed the knife off, wanting to be rid of it and all its iven two bottles of Luster One ht He took the again Perry set the bottles down beside hiht

An hour later, the first bottle stood on end beside hi some invisible tide Perry started on the other bottle He should have known it wouldn’t be enough His body was nuone, and no ae that

The braid-hairedacross the fire at hi into fists Get up Let’s get it over with It took Braids a few moreon his heels

"I heard of you," he said He looked sturdy, thick, but Perry sensed he could be quick as a trap The scar cut a deep line across his cheek

"Good for you," Perry slurred "I got no idea who you are Nice hair, though My sister does hers like that"

Braids looked right at Perry’s burnt hand "Dispersed life not suiting you, Tider? No elder brother to look after you? To keep you out of trouble?" Braids set a hand down on the dirt and leaned forward "You reek of misery"

He was a Scire Braids would know Perry’s te felt like work It should have worried hies he did But Perry heard hih

"You reek too,on cud"

Braids stood He kicked the full bottle of Luster, sending it spinning into the darkness The other men rushed over, their exciteured he would end up brawling tonight He kne people reacted at the sight of hi the spit out of sorabbed his knife and stood "Let’s get to it See what you can do"

Braids squared off, flashing a wicked piece of steel with serrated teeth More a saw than a knife He looked steady and h with fear

Perry grinned "You changing your mind?"

Braids came at him like a shot Perry felt the bite of the knife on his arm, but not the pain of the wound it opened A solid wound The blood that poured froht For a second, all he could do atch his blood leak out of hiood idea Perry had never fought anyone drunk He s were too heavy Maybe it had worked for his father because Perry had been a boy How hard could it be to hit a kid who’d stood there, wanting it? Looking for anything he could to ht?

He choked back a sudden rise of bile, realizing the choice he’d have to ainst his throat Pledge fealty or die An easy decision

"You’re nothing like I’d heard," Braids said "Peregrine of the Tides Twice Marked" He laughed "You’re not worth the air you breathe"

Noas the time to shut hi it He made a move A thrust that wasn’t nearly as fast as it should’ve been He alhed Knives had never been his weapon The ht another wave of nausea, this one powerful enough to double hie to voed to turn his head Took the brunt of the blow on the teround hard Saw the creep of darkness threatening to take hi on his back and arms and head They came from everywhere Perry felt them dimly, shadows of pain He didn’t stop Braids This was the easy way Staying down Perry’s head rocked forward as a kick caes of his vision He willed it to come Maybe it would make more sense if he felt on the surface as he did inside