Page 26 (1/2)

"Are you sure?"

I nodded

With that, we made our way back, our arms stretched over the headstones as ove in and out of theether in a dark waltz I laughed as I skipped down an overgro a few steps ahead of Dante I was almost at the chain when he called out to me "Watch your step"

At his words, I froze, the s from my face Slowly, I looked down Buried in weeds just below my feet was the nameless headstone, the same one I had tripped over in rass

Suddenly I felt queasy I put a hand tolimp "Renée?" Dante said, just as I fell I landed on the frozen earth beside the crooked stone

Its inscription was barely visible through the frost

"Are you okay?" Dante said fro down to offerover, I stood up and brushedme "You look sick"

I took a step away from him "Did you see that headstone?"

"Of course That’s why I told you to watch your step"

I paused, trying to sort everything out "But it’s so dark How did you see it froave ht behind you"

Was he? I couldn’t re a hint of alar for a grave, but while I tried to find it, I tripped over a headstone The same headstone you just warned me about" I squinted at hi?"

"Thatwhat you’re doing" I sed "That you’ve been lying toto you about what? What do you think I’for the secret of the Nine Sisters" But thesounded If he had been looking for the secret of the Nine Sisters, he would have told me

"Is it really so hard to believe that I saw the headstone just before you fell?"

"I--I don’t know," I said, and looked up at hi the truth would be somehow etched in his face "Tell me where you’ve been this whole ti in the dark"

"I’ve been in hiding," he said "Moving around so the Monitors can’t find me You know that"

"But on’t you tell er If the Monitors here ask you questions, I don’t want you to have to lie It’s better if you don’t knohere I am"

"So ask me to run aith you," I said "I would say yes You just have to ask ainst the trunk of a tree and waited for him to say the words: Come withinside me wither It was too dark for lad I didn’t want to see what he looked like when he was pushingdry

"Because if we go soether, I’ll still die in five years And you need to be at St Clément You need to train as a Monitor so you can protect yourself"

"Protect"The Undead? I can--"

"Froht in e?" The histled through the branches above us as I waited for hirow uncharacteristically violent in the final stages of their existence Maybe it’s desperation, orless easy to control I don’t know But you have to prepare yourself"

My hair blew acrossI had been certain of was that Dante would never hurt iven me hope these past months; hope that ould ether for as long as ti me now

"And I need to stay here," Dante whispered "I need to stay here and keep searching for a solution"

"But I already found one," I cried, and then lowered my voice "I think you knohat it is"

Dante tilted his head as if he wanted to tell"I…" He let his voice trail off in the wind

I wanted him to saybeca rustle across the way, as if soer to Dante’s lips

"Do you feel that?" I heard a girl’s voice say It was the saht before I went to sleep Cleirl said It was Arielle

"An Undead," Cleirl said "Everything here is dead--"

Cle fro she was talking about Dante, I dropped to the ground, pulling Dante withhe would know to get as far away from Clearound hiht

The sound of Cle so scared," she said to one of her friends, who"We’re Monitors We can handle this"

"But I’ve never seen an Undead" I recognized Josie’s voice