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If I hadn’t stopped him--I can’t even think about the consequences

An ache inuardian must be calm and clear-headed at all ti emotion is the key to our success The only way to endure the life of sacrifice we’re sworn to

Plusit isn’t technically Vane’s fault He doesn’t know about the ordinances he alh I’ve given hiht on

But it’s pointless to dwell on things I can’t change I know better than anyone that the past can’t be undone Moving forward is the only option

A wispy wind tickles ers An Easterly--finally, a stroke of luck

Soft, untraceableit around led in the feathery breeze, I breathe one final coe and surrender to the force of its power

"Rise"

The word sounds like a hiss, and the wind races away, pullinga draft is the closest to freedos clarity toI can never fully control the wind I can coax it, cajole it, ask it to obey--but it’s still a force of its own, free to do what it wills The trick is to listen as it speaks and adjust as needed

Most Windwalkers are twice e before they reach my level of control I can hear even the softest whisper of change or dissent, translate any turbulence or unease, and adjust It was ift He passed it to oes by that I don’t wish I could give it back

Dark peaks appear on the horizon and I whisper, "Dive" The gust drops low enough for s speed to a run, and once I haveaway as I screech to a halt, round of the San Bernardino Mountains

The air is so er I allowwinds restore th and confidence that can only co in ht, drinking it up

But I have a job to do

It feels wrong to co earlier But that’s the point One mistake to hide another

Still, my voice shakes as I send Northerly squalls on all sides of the h the desert basin Sandstor dusty footprints in their wake Scattering my trace in every direction

The Stormers won’t be able to pinpoint our location--but they’ll knoe’re here And they won’t leave until they find Vane, tearing the valley apart in the process

The telltale flurry will reach the Storhtfall toht for theht us an extra day with the false trails they’ll have to rule out

Which means we have three days Then people will start to die

Vane has to have his first breakthrough tonight Three days will be enough to train hith, thanks to ether

But there’s only one way to be sure the breakthrough happens

My ht

I reach for another Easterly, focusing on the way the edge of ust and wrap it around me The cool tendrils wash away my fears as they brush my skin

"Return" I say the word so softly, the wind’s roar washes it away It sweeps ently down the mountain, across the parched, empty sand, to my house

It isn’t much of a home, but I don’t have tiht will be a very long night

CHAPTER 5

VANE

My parents are still ahen I come home Of course they are It’s barely ten o’clock I’er in the valley who never breaks curfew

Course, I bet other guys don’t have icy drafts attacking them out of nowhere or hear their na about it

Deal with it later

I findon the mottled brown couch The salty scent of lance over her shoulder I can see plates piled in the kitchen sink Great, I’m home before she even did the dishes Fail

My dad waves froet up frorossed in some Discovery Channel special--I have no idea hoatches those things--to want to hear about his son’s latest dating disaster

Myblond hair out of her face, and motions for me to take a seat

I’m not in the mood for one of her "chats," but I know she’ll read too old nating soht now But I know another part alorries I’ a normal life

She has no idea how abnorirl stalker I’d rather not spend endless afternoons sprawled on a couch while some shrink spouts useless psychobabble and drains h of that when I was "The Miracle Child"

"Hoas the date?" she asks as I cross the brown shaggy carpet and plop down beside her