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"You ate, McKenzie You , but I trust Kyol with lance over h the air A few seconds after they leave the rebels’ bows, they’ll becoet or doesn’t hit a fissure, people will see the bolts e across the ceh The rebels are being careful

I take a small step forward Soht; others re in and out of their fissures in s the rebels’ attacks, but it’s a long way to the gate They’ll tire before I get there Soht die

"I’ll be fine," he says, reading the concern inas you’re safe, I’ll be fine"

I bite ’s sword-master He can take care of himself Besides, the fae will need me if any of the rebels are illusionists Only a hu the stares students throay, I take a deep breath, grit ether for ten years--we’re tuned in to how the other ht toward us and Kyol doesn’t turn his way, I know he can’t see his as ordered, forcing the rebel to parry Touch breaks a fae’s illusion, so as soon as their weapons clash, Kyol can see him His blade cuts into the rebel’s ar blow The illusionist fissures away

Kyol returns to ain when another one whizzes pastinto another Court fae’s fissure I want to duck and dodge the rebels’ attack, but that will slow us down and draw even more attention froh one psychiatric evaluation; I don’t think I can lie h another

We sprint past the library Ahead, a ineering building I veer left to go around it, but a wall of fissures forms in my path Six fae appear All rebels

I tell Kyol their number None of them must be hidden by illusion because he doesn’t hesitate His blade carves through the air as he charges the rebels, but he can’t occupy all six at once Two of them break away from the others andaround the fence I leap up and grab its top My tennis shoes struggle for a foothold in the e to pullthe sharp burst of pain, I scurry back to ain When a fissure opens in front ofuishes the fissure and then shoves ainst metal as he takes on h the doorless entrance to the engineering building The construction company’s already erected the interior walls on the first floor I run through ill be the common area, almost make it to the other side, but five fissures open in a semicircle in front of enius, but this is clearly an ambush I’ve been herded here, lured like a sheep to the wolf’s den

"McKenzie"

Even if the fae in the center of the group hadn’t spoken, my attention would be riveted to him He’s tall, taller than Kyol, but not as thickly hter, livelier hue to the a poorly ray pants, and scuffed black boots His golden-blond hair looks like it’s been chopped off with a knife or, perhaps, the sword in his hand Despite his haphazard appearance, he’s confident, he’s alert, and he’s completely focused onflashes down his neck He cocks his head slightly A es in his posture

"Are you hurt?" he asks

I follow his gaze down to a dark stain on ainst my stoain