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He nodded, gave us both a bow and slid out of the room, his steps silent The door clicked behind hier to ainst the cool, strange feeling ht shining underneath it showedtwo spots where his feet stood

I rose and clearedloudly, "Fern, I think perhaps you should coet dressed"

"Oh, okay, Lark" Her eyes were on mine and I shookI had to, dressed quickly The rustle of her clothes was the only sound in the apart I didn’t have to dupe Ash I thought, for a ether Maybe even become friends But not if I couldn’t trust him Not if Cassava controlled hie, because ere at the Pit, he was reasonable Like he could think for himself

I closed my eyes and focused on what exactly Ash had said about the arins of the band In this case, back to the Pit I fingered the s at it for the first time Flames were etched deep into the cool stone as the main theme, another reminder of where ere headed In the flah I touched the tree, as if that alone would take us ho rooerous? Yes, but also far faster I had no idea how to use one of the human’s vehicles Ash probably did, but there was no way I could allow hioing to the Pit was our only option for speed

Fern drew close to h e?"

"Ash is working for the queen" I kept h

The door burst open and Ash stood there, his daggers in his hands and I grabbed Fern "Hang onto me" She wrapped her arms aroundI saas Ash, darting forward, and daggers slashing toward us, and then ere traveling I expected to see Fern’s memories, as I’d seen Ash’s

I did not expect her to see mine

She saw my mother die Saw Bramley die Saw my memories stolen and the queen’s deception

And then ere lying in the traveling room in the Pit I sat up before the dizziness faded

From outside the room was a shuffle of feet "You hear that?" a lobe while Fern lay atit close toat our ho burrowers, and there were no Enders who could help Who could I trust?

Griffin

I slid rabbed Fern’s hand "Don’t let go"