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"It’s her fault," he said weakly He pressed his elbow into thein Artione to the Ancients Sector right away like she was supposed to, she’d still be alive Probably, anyway" He couldn’t catch his breath, and his chest wouldn’t stop hurting He didn’t knoas wrong with hiot to his feet, eyes stinging, and stu beyond hope that the rock was nowhere in sight He had to get out of there He had to go ho swinging by his teeth from tree branch to tree branch There was no one else there Aaron hid behind a tree and waited for the dog to ht, and then he ran for the tube and stepped inside When he turned to push the button, he caught sight of sole It was the panther, as alive as she’d ever been Beside her was a large gray wolf
The wolf’s cool, blue eyes met Aaron’s, and for a brief moment Aaron felt like he’d seen the creature before But of course he hadn’t And he had no desire to see it ever again He sla less than a second in thehih priest was ravel driveway toward the portcullis, and past the guards to the palace Inside, he shoved past Liaovernor speechless, and continued to his office, where all was quiet Too quiet
Aaron closed the door, walked to his desk, and sat down Then he dropped his head into his hands and stayed still for a very long ti about how he’d ain Thinking about how there was no fixing this Not this tis for hie that it began to push its way out in low groans and ugly sobs
Aaron’s only friend in the entire world was dead
What was he going to do without her?
Meghan Gets Mad
When Gunnar Haluki returned and the confusion froan to clear, three truths eed:
Eva Fathom was deadand she appeared to have been on Arti
Aaron Stowe had unleashed the panther, but he’d also released the heart attack spells to stop its attack
Meghan Ranger was one seriously ticked-off Unwanted, and she’d had about enough of Aaron Stowe
Her coirrinos at the gate without a word and headed into Quill, up the road toward the palace Every step she took brought her si point, and by the time she reached the palace, she was in no uards who stood there Before they could issue a challenge, she hit thethem to the portcullis She finished with a silent spell and left the noiselessly as she released the lock and slipped inside the grounds
At the entrance, Meghan dog-collared each guard with clay shackles After only a s, she straightened her vest, headed up the stairs, and began opening doors and looking inside rooht one
Aaron easp when he heard the noise at the door, and Meghan thought she detected a hint of hope in his face But it soon turned to confusion and perhaps even fear
Meghan didn’t care Hope, confusion, fear--none of ita handful of scatterclips at him He and his chair soared backward and stuck to the wall His ar him helpless
"Wha-a-a-t?" Aaron asked He sniffed wildly and tried to wipe his eyes on his shoulder, but he couldn’t quite reach
Meghan stepped right up to him, her face pinched in disdain "I sahat you did What is your probleh to be heard outside the office "I hope you know Eva Fathom is dead! Where did you find that horrible panther creature?"
Aaron stared "It--it was a mistake," he said Itat all He cleared his throat and changed his tone to so "I intended to kill you all," he said, lifting his chin "And if you don’t release han’s sneer melted in confusion as the scatterclips clattered to the floor The sudden freedom took Aaron by surprise He scra, and fell He looked startled for a ot to his feet, he seehan demanded She pulled ht
"Yes, Aaron How?" cahan turned to see a red-faced, eyebrowless wo spells at Aaron and the woman, but neither seemed to take any further notice of her The two stared at each other
"Do what, Governor? I didn’t do anything," Aaron said, his voice cool He wiped the dust from his pants "This Unwanted is such a failure that she can’t even cast a proper spell"