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My heart stutters and I curse the stupid bird as he flaps his wings froe eyes look al the sa I am

Where’s Audra?

That’s when I notice the bubble of winds floating in the corner

Her trace is laced through every draft, and so dark hovers in the center My sto old buttons glinting through the rushing air

Maybe this is some elaborate Windwalker striptease, I try to convince rab the jacket But I can feel everything inside me sink as the winds uncoil and brush e

Be Ho Especially since I can still feel her pull in the wind Slipping farther ith every second

I fling the jacket across the room

How could she leave without saying goodbye? Without letting h my hand as I punch the wall, but it’s easier to take than the e me apart

I sink to the floor as Gavin flies to a nearby tree--away fro out

"Why would she leave?" I ask the night, the wind, the stupid bird

Nobody answers

Then my eyes wander to the crumpled pile of leaves--the bed she’s slept in for ten years I inhale the sticky, dusty air she’s sweat in every day while I relaxed inbut sacrifices fora break from it all? Even from me?

I can But I’ll try to understand

Plus, she leftback Soon

I touch her trace in the air, drawing co in the pit of my stomach She’s tethered to me Permanently connected It won’t be hard to find her if I want to track her down

But I’ll wait

And hey--at least I’lare at her dulares back at h, now I’ pet

Gavin flaps and screeches, like he’s thinking the sa Westerly and addI tie the draft to her trace and send the wind away, letting it reach her at its own pace

I’llas it takes

I hope she finds what she’s looking for Until she does, I’ll be here Alone, under the cal for the wind to return