Page 52 (1/2)

Her eyes, so vividly blue, darkened, like seas beneath a roiling storotistical and dangerous as they ca?" Ethan asked

Her brows lifted "I am not here to answer your questions, bloodletter"

Ethan’s expression remained implacable "And yet, you’re here In my territory, without permission, to seek an audience within her eyes "You did not stop her when you had the chance"

No question as to the "her" she intended

"To the contrary We stopped Sorcha; the humans allowed her to escape You believe she’s the reason your power has returned?"

For the first time since I’d known her, there was uncertainty in Claudia’s expression "There is power in this land Power the shadowed girl worked to contain"

"The shadowed girl?" Ethan asked

But I understood "She ic "Mallory reversed Sorcha’sleft of Sorcha’s spell"

And that had been bothering ic left over to create the delusions if the battle at Towerline had eradicated it?

With i, and before Claudia could answer, Mallory and Catcher strode through the gate and down the sidewalk

They stopped when they reached us, and Mallory’s eyes greide as she took in the spectacle that was Claudia

Emotions evolved on her face--confusion, curiosity, and, as she probably felt the depth of Claudia’sthat probably wasn’t good for a woic

"Mallory," I said,her name a quick snap It accomplished what I needed it to do, and seeical stupor

"Hello," Catcher said, nodding at Ethan, at Claudia "We don’t want to interrupt"

But he plainly was here to interrupt, to jump in, in case the fairies were a threat And with Mallory, to contain them

"You aren’t," Ethan said "Claudia, this is Catcher and Mallory Bell Claudia is queen of the fairy"

"The shadowed girl," Claudia said quietly Her gaze had skipped over Catcher, evidently unimpressed But she looked at Mallory carefully, and for the first ti akin to respect in her eyes Sonition, like she’d finally found soy vaic," Claudia said "That ic shadowed you"

"I’ve worked to lift that shadow," Mallory said, straightening her shoulders