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"Gin-"

"I’ to make you choose between me and your sister, Owen," I snapped "I would never, ever ask you to do that-not when I kno ht now, and you need to get to her Just like I need to get to Bria and Finn But we can’t be in two places at once, at least not together Splitting up is our only option We both know it’s true"

Owen turned his head to stare at me in the darkness After a ripped the steering wheel like he wanted to rip it to pieces He kneas right, and he didn’t like it one bit I understood his anger, his frustration, because I was feeling it too So I putto soothe him-and myself-in some small way

"I-I appreciate your concern and the fact that you want to come with me But we both know that it has to be this way I would never forgivehappened to Eva because of ht I knohat it’s like to think that your sister is dead, and I don’t ever want you to have to go through that pain I care about you too much for that, Owen"

"I know you do," he said in a soft voice "And I care about you too, Gin"

"Good Then pull over into that parking lot"

Owen did as I asked, steering into a lot that fronted one of thecenters that populated this part of Northtown A few folks had decided not to try to drive home in the snow, because a couple of cars remained in the lot, despite the late hour Owen parked his BMW next to a late- to do?" he asked "First of all, I’ht there," I said "Then I’ to drive over to Fletcher’s house, hide the car at the bottoe If everything looks kosher, I’ll go in and get Finn and Bria and see why they weren’t answering the phone"

"And if it’s not kosher?" Owen asked

I shrugged "Then I guess I’ll be killing people until it is"

He just nodded, and we fell silent Both of us bruised and bloody, andmy hands and arms Mab hadn’t completely melted ed the sleeves in places, lettingelse that ht was far from over-for me or Owen

"I’ at my burned flesh instead of at him "So, so sorry All of this is ht If only I hadn’t ain-"

Tears scalded my eyes, and frustration burnede that I didn’t need Not now, not if I wanted to survive-and save the others

Owen understood what I was feeling because he put his arms around me and pulled me over into his lap For a moment, I buried my head in his chest, and he rocked me back and forth like a child

"It’s okay, Gin," he whispered againstto make it okay I know that you will You always do"

His words gave th to blink away ht painted his chiseled face in soft lines and dappled shadows, and I trailed ers down his bruised jainced, since he’d taken a couple of the giants’ punches there, but he didn’t pull away

I leaned forward and kissed hiiven our mutual injuries I poured all ofto tell hi his lips toto tell hiet stuck in my throat

I don’t know if it worked, but Owen kissedaroundnear him, but there was no time for that No time at all

I drew back and stared into his violet eyes, wondering, as I always did, at the concern that shone there for me and what the hell I’d ever done to deserve it

"I’ll see you at the safe house," I whispered

"You’d better," he et you er sister, Eva, and told her as going on She was at home with her best friend, Violet Fox, and Owen told the two college girls that he’d be there to pick theed around in the trunk, pulling out the tins of healing salve I’d gotten fro with their hands, Air eleic into certain products, like creaive them an extra kick When Jo-Jo had come over to Fletcher’s house earlier to do iven ot a few licks in on ift

The lids of the tins all featured Jo-Jo’s puffy cloud rune, painted on the tops in a vivid blue I cracked one of theers into the ointment, and slathered it all oversles spread throughout the blistered areas, just like they did when Jo-Jo was around in person to work her Airpain of the burns lessened The oint h for et to Fletcher’s house and see what trouble waited forup with Eva, and I popped open another tin and passed it to him He smeared the ointment onto his face The salve soaked into his skin, and Jo-Jo’s ic made short work of the cuts and bruises that marred his features

I moved over to the sedan that Owen had parked beside I didn’t bother trying to finesse the lock with a couple of elemental Ice picks Instead, I used Owen’s hammer to smash in one of the back s, then unlocked the front door, slid inside, and stripped the wires under the dash like Finn had shown ine purred to life I clier’s seat of Owen’s BMW