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"You’re lucky your father ed to clear you," Ash said "That alone should tell you how he feels"

I didn’t say anything My father had clearedI had been under Cassava’s control and so I wasn’t to be held responsible I was grateful, but a part of me hated that I’d had to hide behind lies Behind Cassava in a way

Three weeks since she had nearly killed my father, three weeks and yet it felt as if the summer had been an entire lifetione fro down the queen, savingtreated like I eak again Weak because Cassava had "usedto all reports And no one trusted me Except for Ash and roup

I was back to square one into say the least

Weof the Spiral, and then headed down a narrow set of stairs to the hot springs below "Ash, are you going to tellon?"

"No It isn’t ood, despite his assurances My guts tightened and a nervous tremor started at the base of my skull He pushed open the last door that led into the hot springs, and waved h

The sand was as white and clean as the last tiht before Cassava had me removed from the Spiral But this tiht were placed in the sand, er the sharp, clear blue that I’d swam in years past as a child Noas a deep, dark blue that lapped gently at the white sand, the belly of the spring gloith a bright clear light that beckonedof the path "Larkspur, I alas, I will be your tester today"

Confusion scra on?"

Ash stood in front of, Lark What you said to Coal is correct In the past, in tireat need, Enders were trained and sent into battle to be tested Those who rose to the challenge were brought here for the final steps Do you wish to see this through?"

I nodded, throat tight I was going to be an Ender No longer useless to my father or family And then behind Ash, at the head of the pathway, stepped ave s you need to know"

This was the man I remembered as my father Where had he been all these years? I stuhtened on ain, and ht in the world

"Hush, I don’t think Enders are supposed to cry"