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Panic deepensaway a little of the control I worked so hard to cultivate I have to bitealoud Where is my brother?

"So noait?" Farley says, her voice tre with dread of her own Her eyes sweep back and forth, also searching For et in there without Shade"

Cal scoffs, too busy exalance for her "We could get in just fine Itthe whole place up in smoke Not exactly the subtle approach"

"No, not at all," I murmur, if only to distract myself But no matter how hard I try to focus onabout Shade Up until this moment, I never truly doubted he wouldalive, and a few dock thugs shouldn’t pose him any threat That’s what I told myself back in the Paltry, when I left hio and I threw him to the Seaskulls like a lamb to wolves

Back in Naercey, I told Shade I didn’t trust his word I suppose he shouldn’t trust e the ache froht noe’re idling in front of a veritable firing squad, waiting like stupid chickens eyeing a butcher’s knife And while I fear for Shade, I fear for myself too I cannot be taken I will not

"The back entrance," I say It’s not a question Every house has a door, but it also has s, a hole in the roof, or a broken lock There is always a way in

Cal furrows his brow, at a loss for once A soldier should never be sent to do a thief’s job "We’re better off with Shade," he argues "No one will even know he’s in A few reater risk with every second aste Besides, Shade won’t have a proble us later" I take my first steps off the Port Road and onto a side street Cal sputters, but follows along "All he has to do is follow the smoke"

"Smoke?" He blanches

"A controlled burn," I continue, a plan for so fast the words barely have ti enough to hold therunts shouldn’t pose much of a threat to you, and if they do"--I balla tiny spark spin in my palm--"that’s what I’m here for Farley, I assume you know the records syste with an odd sort of pride "Finally," she oing to be useful"

Cal’s eyes darken into a fearsolare that reminds me of his dead father "You knohat this will do, don’t you?" he warns, as if I’m some kind of child "Maven will knoho did this He’ll knohere we are He’ll knoe’re doing"

I round on Cal, angry that I ry that he doesn’t trust me to make any kind of decision "We took Nix one, if they haven’t already It will be reported You think Maven isn’t watching every na why I didn’t realize sooner "He’ll knoe’re doing the moment he hears of Nix’s disappearance It doesn’t matter e do here After today, no matter what, it will truly be a ht So why not get ahead of the curve?"

He doesn’t argue, but that doesn’t rees Either way, I don’t care Cal doesn’t know this side of the world, the gutters and the mud weour punches, Cal" Farley joins in

Again, no answer He looks dejected, disgusted even "They’re my own people, Mare," he finally whispers Another man would yell, but Cal is not the type to shout His whispers usually burn, but I feel only determination "I won’t kill them"

"Silvers," I finish for him "You won’t kill Silvers"