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Charis had flown around the circu as Bella and I shouted Caleb’s name

We’d flown close to the trees, so ould have heard his response had he been on the island

We could only conclude that he’d left in the boat--since it was no longer on the beach where he’d been building it

I was right that Annora and Caleb hadn’t travelled too far in that priin circling around the island, spiraling outward so that we could search in all directions

Still, it took us hours until we finally spotted the toward the boat

Please be okay, Caleb

I’d been hoping that he ht have discarded Annora by now

So I couldn’t deny that panic gripped , a few seconds after Caleb

But even if I’d wanted to, I couldn’t fix

I stared down at Caleb’s stunned face

"Caleb!" I yelled

He looked at host at first, but then relief washed over his face and he positively beamed at me

I wished that I was closer to hiht up

My joy turned to horror as I glanced back at Annora

She’d swooped down and picked up what looked like a sharp ht she was about to aim it at me, but then she stepped behind Caleb and poised to drive it through his back, straight into his heart

"No!" I screamed

If Caleb had ducked even a split second later, her aim probably would have met its mark

Now directly above the boat, I was too impatient to wait for Charis to lower us down further

I leapt from his back and landed on the deck as Caleb knocked Annora to the ground with a swipe of his foot

Picking up the spear hiainst her neck

His eyes were filled with fury as he glowered down at her

"I should have done this rowled

"I’ress

"No, Bella! Don’t juht that sending her weight crashing down on the small boat would help the situation, but it was too late

The moment her feet landed on the deck, all three of us--Caleb, Annora andoff the boat and into the ocean

Disappearing beneath the cold waters, I kicked and fought to reach the surface

I looked around, trying to see where Caleb had landed

As I was about to look behind ain

It didn’t takeers until I could feel her flesh peeling away beneath the the surface