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"How do you plan on us convincing the hu everyone to not answer the door" Magda was perched on the edge of Ree’s desk opposite of Met

"I’estions" Ree looked at the Guardian "Because, short of having thes of their own, I don’t kno to convince them"

"I have an idea" Roland said quietly "We can knock out the less cooperative ones"

"You want to hit them?" Weylin asked froent" Roland shrugged "We have it in stock in case one of you had not taken well to the change"

Ree closed her eyes for a e to rub her temples She was pretty sure she was the only one they had been worried about freaking out "Okay Break up into teams No less than two people in a team" Her eyes shifted toward Niall, who didn’t look up but se while she was on watch

Roland stood and quickly slipped out of the roo ould work together Ree got up fro closely behind She couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten People moved out of her way respectfully, and it e They nodded in her direction or watched her warily, and Ree fought the urge to shiver She was grateful her friends hadn’t treated her like that

Kay was in the kitchen, busysandwiches for everyone She offered a sry"

"Starved" Ree took the plate Kay handed her and s island and dug into the food

"You too, Paden" Kay handed hi and kissed her te, but don’t knohere anything is in this kitchen" Kay looked over the counters and shrugged "I guess I’ll figure it out"

"You don’t need to cook for us" Ree finished off her sandwich and eyed the one sitting on the cutting board Kay smiled, scooped it up, and deposited it on Ree’s plate "Thanks"

"I don’twas killing ainst the edge of the sink "So, you guys are going to back to the city?"

"Not yet The new Guardians are going to pick up the people in danger" Ree looked out the , her thoughts back on the people that needed to be brought to the island "I guess I should go et here"

"You need to sleep, Ree" Paden grabbed her hand and squeezed "You o without sleep forever It’s been two days since you rested fordown and looked at Ree "Shouldn’t be much to it"

"No, Ms Kay You’ve done more than you need to" Ree shook her head

"Paden, take her to bed" Kay ers "To sleep, you two Don’t make me call your parents"

"Uhed as he squirmed

Kay narrowed her eyes at Paden "I said sleep! Do we need to have a talk? I could draw a chart and go on about condo--"

"No! I ets soed Ree to her feet

"Good I , but I’m not stupid" Kay turned her back on them and set their plates in the sink

Paden practically ran froot to Ree’s roolance at the Guardians they passed Ree turned to look at him and couldn’t help the snicker that fell from her lips

"I’ve never seen you so embarrassed before in my life" Ree threw herself on the bed and kicked off her tennis shoes

"Our friends knowing is one thing, but Ms Kay knows my mom She knows your mom" Paden lay down on the bed next to her and pulled her into his arh even er into his side

"You didn’t see the glare your dad gave ave you a bad look?" Ree’s eyes widened She would have thought that Paden would be so" He sighed "I’s to worry about" Ree rolled over on her back and stared at the ceiling "I need to go check that everyone has everything they need" Sitting up, she ran a hand over her eyes and fought the yawn that caoing to up the ante"

Paden pulled her back down on the bed "Sleep A few hours, that’s all I’ for"

"There is so much to do…"

"Trust in your friends Trust the Guardians that are here to help I doubt Athena would pick anyone she didn’t think was capable" Paden pulled Ree against his side

"Niall--" Ree started

"Niall is hurting, but he isn’t the only one who lost so in Paden’s tone pulled at Ree’s heart She could feel his e threatened her

"What would have happened, Pay? If I hadn’t been given the Death Gift?" She whispered the words