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The croas turning brutal, bordering on absurd We’d just survived a near-collision with a h-pitched choking noise that sounded vaguely like oh, no erupted fro?" Ren asked

"Addie" Lina put her hand on my back, her voice still choked I turned toh the crowd Was that?

It was

The rocket wasLina Run, my brain advised, but even inwould just mean pursuit

My mom was next to me in a matter of milliseconds "Hello, Addison Lina" Her pitch had reached new and terrifying depths "You’d better start talking Fast"

"How did youfind us?" I stammered

The answer to my question appeared to her left Walter Folloiftly by Archie, who held aof cotton candy "Walter, you told her?" I yelled

He held his hands up in protest "It wasn’t ot the secret out of me, and then he told Mom"

"Hey!" Archie tried to hit Walter in the face with his cotton candy, but"Don’t bla" Mom turned back to me, her face set in a hard stare Not e days she’d been one of the top roller derby contenders in the state It was times like this that I knew exactly why she’d skated under the nae

"Addison, you are supposed to be in Italy Italy" While I fumbled for an answer, she turned to Lina "Does Howard know you’re here?"

"Rowan, go warn Ian!" I whispered, taking advantage of the momentary distraction He nodded and then sprinted into the crowd, no doubt thrilled to escape Medusa

Lina nodded, her head bobbing one too many times "Nice to see you, Mrs Bennett And yes, he does know He bookedinches "This is reat to aze, and I jumped to the rescue "Mom, I can explain This concert is really iI wanted to do was unleash Mom on Ian What if she didn’t let him see the concert? "UmI’ers, and Archie and Walt jumped to attention "You two are the tallest people in this crowd Find hi his neck over the crowd, and Archie ran over to a

"Yeah, I don’t think that’s allowed," Lina said, just as a security guard ht ahead," Archie shouted as the security guard dragged hias anyway?" Walter asked

Suddenly, a loud cheer erupted in the distance, followed by a jangling strain ofI don’t have ti that has ever happened to Ian You have to let hiuard Catarina would be proud Rule nuue with passion

My htly, her perfectly shaped eyebrows lifting "Sounds like you two are getting along again"

I nodded "Better than ever"

She hesitated, then gestured to Archie and Walter "Everyone, follow h Rowan had provided hi mother drained all the blood from Ian’s face "Mom," he choked It was the only way either of us could seereet her

"Ian," she said coolly "There are a lot of things I want to say to you right now, but your sister clai in the world to you So I’er at his chest "But after the concert? You will both undergo extensive questioning and will rounded for the rest of your lives Understood?"

"Understood Thank you, rateful look In our fa to pummel me into a fine pulp, and I respect you for that Myhis hands nervously "Mrs Bennett? I’m Rowan Nice to meet you"