Page 97 (1/2)

"I couldn’t let you go on your own," said Scarlet, one from her tone

"Why?"

"I don’t know Call ed like I a farther and farther away fro her head, Winter dared to look up again

Scarlet leaned against the regolith wall "My father was a liar and a drunk My mother left when I was a kid and never looked back I witnessed a randmother and then rip out her throat with his teeth I was kept in a cage for six weeks I was forced to cut off uy who has been genetically ras considered, I’d say I have a fair amount of scattered pieces"You came with me because it was the quickest path to death, then"

A crease formed between Scarlet’s eyebrows "I’ue "I came with you because--" She crossed her arrandma took me in, I’ve heard people tell ood for a joke around town They had no idea how brilliant she was That crazy old wo she had to protect Cinder when she was a baby, and in the end, she sacrificed her own life rather than give up Cinder’s secret She was brave and strong, and everyone else was too closeminded to see it" She rolled her eyes, annoyed with her own frustration "I guess I’s you say, you ht be right" She held up her finger "That said, if you’re going to tell in with and we should run like hell, then I’ht behind you"

Beyond the doors, sohter Then, a howl A chorus of a dozen other voices rose up tovictorious

A muscle twitched in Winter’s jaw, but her lip had stopped tre She hadn’t cried She’d been too focused on Scarlet’s words to remember to be upset "I believe they were boys once and they can be boys again I believe I can help thehed, sounding a little disappointed and a little resigned, but not surprised "And I believe you’re not as crazy as you want everyone to think you are"

Winter’s gaze flitted toward Scarlet, surprised, but Scarlet didn’t return it She stepped forward and placed her palm on one of the heavy doors "So, do we knock?"

"I do not think they would hear us" Another round of howls echoed through the cavern Winter swiped her fingers across the screen, and the text changed

SECURITY CLEARANCE IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED

She pressed the pads of her fingers onto the screen and it brightened, welcoes When Winter turned back, Scarlet was staring at her, aghast

"You do realize you just alerted the queen to where you are, right?"

Winter shrugged "By the time she finds us, either ill have an army to protect us, or ill have already becoh the doors and instantly froze