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A couple tears streak down her cheeks

Seeing them makes it hurtI can--said everything there is to say And it isn’t enough

I shift into reverse without looking at her She buckles her seat belt--getting it right in one try--and turns away

She doesn’t speak again until I pull into iven to you a long tio" She reaches into her pocket and pulls out so round and silver in the center "Hold out your right hand"

I don’t have the energy to argue, so I do as she asks and she wraps the braided strap around my wrist and latches it with the worn copper clasp

I turn my wrist over, surprised to find that the silver piece in the center is actually a small compass The arrow spins for a second, then comes to a stop on West

Audra sucks in a breath "It’s never done that for hs "It was your father’s, I believe--though both your parents had them I found it in the rubble after the stor that was theirs"

The copper band looks worn and weathered, and the glass on the compass is scratched and dulled But it’s perfect

Audra buttons her jacket, beco to need to coht The more prepared we are, the better our chances"

There are so s I could--should--say

But I don’t knohat the right move is anymore

Audra decides for me She exits the car

As she steps outside she turns her face to the wind, closing her eyes It should’ve been a peaceful gesture, but her brow creases Her lips tighten

"What’s wrong?" I ask as she spins around, her wild eyes scanning the sky

She doesn’t answer Just walks toward the grove, touching the trunks of the pal

"You realize how much trouble you’re in, don’t you?" my mom calls from the front door

Crap

"I know, Mom I’m sorry"

"If you’re sorry, you’ll tellher head as she moves down the path toward me She folds her arms across her chest "Where were you?"

"Santa Monica," I say, only half paying attention as I climb out of the car and head toward Audra

Audra scoops up a ss Her frown deepens with every feather she checks

"Are you even listening to hs "I want to trust you, honey--but you’re , you haven’t been the sa over there, anyway?"

Audra fiddles with the dove’s feathers, rearranging the is clearly wrong

I run to her side, annoyed atI can’t stop her

"What happened?" I ask Audra

Her face looks pale as she stares into space, ignoringinbirds

"Tell

"We just ran out of ti my eyes "The Stormers will be here tomorrow"

CHAPTER 44

AUDRA

I can barely believe the words as I speak them It wasn’t her usual crow, but the dove cae three ti each mark she made in the feathers to make sure I hadn’t missed one

There’s no ave away our location

Four

How could we have lost so much time?

My mother said the Storh her confounded trails much quicker than they should have, and now they’ve locked onto ours

They must be more powerful than I feared

But ouldn’t they be? Raiden’s been searching for Vane for years He sent his best

My heavy lunch churns in my stomach as the fear settles in and I wonder if I’m about to vomit

"What do you mean they’ll be here tomorrow?" Vane asks, his face ashen "How do you even know that?"

"Wait--who’s co on?"

It takes ether that Vane’swith us But I don’t have tie," I tell Vane "They found our trace and they’re bearing down on us"

The words knock Vane back a step I know exactly how he feels

At least we have tih we have precious little of it Still, it’s better than nothing I have tis our way

We shouldn’t try to hide--the chance is too great they’ll catch us off guard The smarter play would be e and call the us plenty of ammunition And we can hide, send our trace in every direction so they won’t knohich angle to approach froht e too I’m sure the Stormers have been ordered to be cautious after what happened with Vane’s parents Raiden needs Vane brought in alive

"Get changed into so warm," I order Vane "They’re Northerlies, so it’ll be an icy storm And hurry--we need to move fast"