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Trent was gone, his door thu, I worked the door and got out, blinking as I e it because it’s a stupid idea," I said, seeing Trent beside Ivy and Quen "I need to go ho to the trunk of my mom’s car "Jenks needs to find a babysitter"

Ivy shiftedto shoo suitcases, my old blue one and the other I’d seen in the trunk of Trent’s car It had to be Trent’s What washere? And Trent’s? That was Trent’s, wasn’t it?

"You’ve got your dress," Ivy said as I stared "And everything you packed for the airplane is in your blue bag"

"Wha-as in ave azines," she said et on that plane," she said coaxingly whenahead I just ht we’d hit the train station next, but this is better"

Not believing this was happening, I looked at everyone in turn, feeling like I’d been manipulated "What about Jenks and his kids?" I asked

"I called Jih," Jenks said as he landed on the raised trunk, his wings going red in the reflected heat "Bis is going to watch the the day Her husband wasn’t going for it until I agreed that Jih could bring hos hu ?" I asked Ivy, not seeing her suitcase in the trunk

She shrugged "I’ to close up the church and fly out to join you You can get to St Louis by nightfall I already haveused, I dropped back, eying the was all for show?" I said bitterly

Froested I dress casually?" he asked Quen "You kneasn’t co off when I waved him away before he could land on my shoulder "We had to be sure Ivy could fly," the pixy said "Noe know she can We’re taking your mom’s car"

The pixy looked too satisfied to live, but I wasn’t happy

"No, we’re taking mine," Trent said suddenly, and I realized he hadn’t known about this, either It made me feel a little better Especially when Quen cleared his throat and fell into aMs Morgan’s car"

I turned to Ivy and Jenks, both of the in the sun as if it was all just a joke Me and Trent in a car to St Louis? The tabloids would love it "You had this all worked out, huh?"

"Not all of it until just now," Ivy said "But both Quen and I like to be prepared"

From my other side, Trent muttered, "Can I talk to you, Quen? Privately?"

"Yeah, yeah," Jenks said brightly when Quen inclined his head to excuse hi"

Gravel crunched under Trent’s boots as the two elves went to have an argu to lose Uneasy, I squinted in the sun as I faced Ivy "You agree with this?"

Ivy nodded, and Jenks darted away to eavesdrop on Trent and Quen "I think this is the safest way to get you there," Ivy said, and my focus sharpened on her "The coven won’t take a shot at you with Trent in the car, and the Withons’ assassins aren’t that much of a threat It’s the best of a bad situation And if he is lying and he double-crosses you, I’ll kill him for you"

From anyone else, it would have been an idle threat, and I s me her laptop in the briefcase "If for soet on the plane, I’ll bike out and join you With luck, I’ll see you in a few hours"

I took the briefcase as the heavy door ofJenks flew up, dusting us as he got included in there soo, and I shivered at the feeling of her words onthe briefcase beforetoward us, and I shifted to er side Huh He was in for a surprise if he thought he was going to ride the entire way

Worrymy hand, Quen’s expression so "Don’t let hi too stupid"

"If he does," Jenks said loudly, "we’ll just leave hi"

I didn’t bother to hide my smile, but I shook my head to reassure Trent’s security officer I had more class than that I think

Quen hesitated as Ivy et back into Trent’s car, then he said quickly, "Thank you froreider, and for the first tiood about this "You’re welco Quen couldn’t leave Ceri It was his child she was having, not Trent’s The woman could take on deht their child into the world wouldhim home safely so I don’t have to mess you up," Quen added as he turned away, and my worry flowed back I was responsible for Trent I was responsible for keeping hiain of why I said yes?

But Quen had gotten into the sleek black car with Ivy, and I did nothing as it looped forward and around, and left The sound of the popping of gravel under tires gave way to crickets A hot suaze went to the pale blue sky, then shifted to the caht poles

I took a slow breath, and it was as if I could see the entire world spreading out unseen before o

"How many s ht

"One at a ti, I dropped er side of the car Yanking the door open, Ia pair of classy, green-tinted sunglasses, and it ," I said flatly

Trent stared "I beg your pardon?"

"I don’t have a license," I said, waiting for hiot su You’re driving, bucko At least until we get out of the city and no one will recognize me"

He blinked, then muttered, "For God’s sake," as he undid his seat belt and slid over

Jenks darted into the car as I got in, taking his usual seat on the rearviewto swear all the bloody Tink-blasted way there, are you?" he asked

Feeling weird, I settled ot one ht here," I said, and Trent sighed, his hands on the wheel, staring at the dusty trunk of the car in front of us Overhead, a plane roared

"What," he said flatly, hts went back to the enthrall the memories of Jack and Jill, and I laboriously rolled my n My mom didn’t trust electronics, and they were the old crank style "You do nothing but drive," I said "Got it? No wipingif there’s trouble Nothing You sit in a bubble and play tiddledywinks"

Jenks reenie weenie, and you’re going to slow us down if you try"

"You don’t like ic?" he said, a thread of pride in hi a shiver at theon the divine for strength is risky, and you never knohat you’re going to get Keep it to yourself, or I’ly "Not a good feeling, is it? Knowing sos and you just have to trust they won’t"

"I only do black h clenched teeth It was all I could do not to s, satisfied look off his face

"Keys?" Trent said s in anticipation

Twisting, I reached over the seat for ed Sheesh,as I refastened my seat belt Trent was still utterly eh force to bring his eyes toto be a long ride They stayed shut for all of three seconds, flashing open when Trent revved the engine hard, jaat Trent, his eyes on the rearviewthat piece of blue-haired crap!" someone yelled, and I turned to the businessman behind us, clearly hot and bad te appropriately rude, but Trent had already yanked the wheel around and was accelerating, leaving hiet to St Louis, we’re renting a real car," Trentwithstraight ahead, but I was fu at all

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