Page 28 (1/2)

"Me? I’"

"Really," he said, the corner of his"Come here" He took her hand and lifted her up In a heartbeat, she found herself in a dim corner made darker by Perry, who towered over her and around her, blocking out the ainst hers and ss I wanted to talk to you about I think they were important, but I can’t re?"

His s" He took her injured hand, running his thumb over her knuckles "How is this?"

She couldn’t believe he wanted to know if she was in pain "Not badI’ day by day, or she was beco with it Either way, she decided to consider it an improvement "You?"

"A little sore," he said absently, like he’d forgotten the bruises that covered him "That move you did on Kirra was chah"

"I could pin you in two seconds flat"

"I don’t know about that" His gaze dropped to her mouth "We’ll have to see" He cradled her face with callused hands, and bridged the distance between theentle and soft as he kissed her, unlike the flexed muscles in his forear she needed She took the hem of his shirt and pulled him closer

His kiss deepened as he leaned into her His hands slid down her waist and settled on her hips, sending a ave of desire flooding through her She wrapped her arsound by her ear "You know I’ht? When you want me, I feel it It’s impossible to keep e to both of us"

He drew back, giving her a lopsided grin "It would be if ere alone" His gaze strayed toward the cockpit, a fa to his eyes "We’re alh the windshield, she saw ocean and Aether--a sky twisting with Aether--but she found herself sain She couldn’t wait to see Molly and Willow, and even Brooke

Perry straightened, taking her hand "We need to be united about soot the Belswan Hover they brought back, and now this Dragonwing Between the two, I’ they’d fit a hundred people"

"It’s not enough That would barely fit a quarter of us You’re not thinking of only sending a hundred people to the Still Blue, are you?"

He shook his head "No I wasn’t I’ive in yet"

Aria realized she’d already known his answer They felt the sa the Unity, there’d been a selection to choose those who’d take shelter in the Pods and those ouldn’t It had divided her ancestors and his, but she couldn’t let that happen again How could she value one person’s life more than another? How could she choose Caleb over Talon? Jupiter over Willow?

She couldn’t, and neither could Perry They had brought Dwellers and Outsiders together, and that was hoould stay

"We have to be prepared, Aria Not everyone will see it the e do"

"We’ll make them see it We’ll find another solution"

"I have soain Roar stood next to the pilot, directing him over the last stretch toward the cave "We’ll talk later"

She knew they would, but she wanted to tell hi nohile Roar was occupied "I have a favor to ask"

"Anything"

"Talk to hiht away "We’re fine" He shifted his weight, his green eyes darting back to Roar "He’s ize"

"I didn’t er had faded in the Ko what had happened to Liv unless Perry did Unless they got through it together

Perry stared into her eyes like he saw all her thoughts in theht her hand up and pressed a kiss to her knuckles

"I promise," he said

They arrived at the bluff at midday

Aria cli her hair against the wind in one hand Ashes blew past her like swar into the surf Her eyes burned, and an acrid sue

"It’s fro to her side He tipped his head to the south "The stor"

The knot of Aether that had been raging when they’d left for the Komodo had expanded Funnels scored down a vast portion of the horizon, re down the Hover’s windshield the day they’d started the Ko to drown us Like eventually on’t be able to breathe Strange, isn’t it? You can’t drown in fire"

Perry blinked at her, his lips lifting in a tired se at all"

He took her hand as they walked to the cave Roar and Cinder stepped inside first, the pilot a few steps behind them

As soon as she and Perry entered, the Tides surrounded thereetings and laughter In less than a minute, he held Talon in his arentlest welco, but they didn’t know about Perry’s battered condition And judging by the smile on his face, he didn’t seem to mind