Page 49 (1/1)

I had to get to the Spiral before sorabbed me

And with the odds a thousand to one, ood at all

Chapter 20

I ran for the Spiral, but my feet slowed as I drew close, slowed, as my mind told me what I already knew

I couldn’t run froht, and I knew it My father would have been one of the first infected, and I couldn’t depend on hied to survive, Cassava would still be afterhard from the emotionsThen I bent ht up The trees stood tall and fir one another in many places The other children had played in the branches, safe in the knowledge that if they fell, they could soften the ground to ease their landing I’d never played like that, not after Cassava killed my family

"Come on, Lark, you can do this" I prepped myself The kids used their connection to the earth to be able to cling to the trees like monkeys There was no tiht at the closest tree trunk, digging my hands and boots into the bark At least, that hat I tried to do

"Where do you think you’re going?" Ash spoke with an authority I kneasn’t his "Don’t you want to see e have in store for you?"

I didn’t look down, didn’t say a word, just fought for purchase on the bark, a cry slipping pastfor the ave a sharp yank and I fell hard, hitting the dirt, an explosion of air erupting fro me breathless

I rolled to low, the sa you, you know she is! You can fight her"

His jaitched and he gave his head a shake "You don’t know; you’re irabbed his shoulders,how cold he was Cla about? What a in you keeps you safe froives her power over people’s minds She can’t compel you like she can the rest of us That’s why she has kept you alive, she’s trying to figure out--" He gave a cough and a wor The o inches long and swollen frolow to its thick squir me sick toon hih I knew a healer could do nothing, it was at least so

"You have to stop her" His eyes low "You’re the only one who can stand against her"

I droppedpink haze returned to his eyes He backhanded ht break rabbed ed me to the Ender barracks

"I think it’s time you did some penance for your disobedience Time you learned your place, Useless I think ait to kill you, to show you the devastation after we are done" He jerkedfloor and I scrabbled at the dirt, twisting and flippingto break free But even sick, Ash was too strong, and I had lost allwas, a dingy hole full of dust and rust More of an object lesson than anything, it hadn’t been used since before my father’s time Hadn’t needed to be The cells were cut out from the world, an oubliette of sorts that made it so you couldn’t touch the earth, and you couldn’t be drawn out of the cell through the earth The cells were a place of non-existence Where a criotten about for years

He heaved rabbed at the doorfra, "Ash, snap out of it! Please!"

"He can’t She’s holding hihtly at the ave me hope I wasn’t alone in this; Granite would help e and Ash threw me in I hit the far wall hard Granite strode in, his body straight and strong, no sign of the lung burrowers in hi roan Noere both trapped

"Lark, do you knohy she wants to kill you, do you understand what’s going on?" He crouched in front of me, his eyes full of compassion

I shook my head "Ash just said she couldn’t coave a ist of his lips, hardly even a grin "Well, that is part of it" From his waist he pulled a few ite to

He laid a small, dusty red, hollowed out bowl, a pouch, and a flask He redients froether, slowly, as he spoke "You are one of the last, Lark You are one of the only ones in the elemental world who can control not one, but two elements in equal portions You are a half-breed, but not like your friend Cactus He can barely touch his poith the earth, I doubt he could even le" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">