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“Even ht?” To Lark, I called, “Be right there”
With one last lingering kiss, Jack helped ht hioofy srets
Hand in hand, I walked with Jack up to our pre-planned vantage point Death’s presence was a azed down at eline”
I proo into a bar” Finn began as the wails grew closer
We were lying in wait on a cliff high above the chute And ere invisible
Selena whipped her head around, hissing, “Are you serious, Magician? They’re al beast scrabbling up the ht was dark, we could see their crealowed
Selena and Jack aimed their bows Matthew and Jack lay on either side ofthe approach of the cannibals through her falcon
Her wolves crouched behind Finn’s illusion, ready to attack the horde from behind
“What?” Finn whispered “Just because we’re about to be swarh”
Matthew ht, Matto” Finn always seemed a little surprised by how much he liked the boy
I’d wanted to ask Matthew about my latest interaction with Death, but he’d seemed preoccupied before Noas too late
When the horde began funneling into the chute like a rolling wave, doubt over my plan racked me What if this didn’t work? Our sole escape hatch was that booby-trapped canyon If the cannibals prevailed and pursued, we’d have to hit it faster than we’d ever i rain
The bad part about having ideas that people listened to? The responsibility
The Baggers lurched closer, their path decided for them I heldNothing to see here
Yet when they were directly beneath us, they stopped, scenting the air—
They’d detected us this high up! Even over their own stench?
More wails sounded; they began attacking the barrier to reach us With vicious strength, they tore at the briars, biting the as the barbs ripped their slimy skin I felt every blow, every bite
Jack snapped, “Fire, Selena!”
They began shooting, dropping Bagettingbright
Jack reloaded “Evie, hang on!”
“I’ve got this” But poas draining frohoutof a bell We had to azed over at Lark “H-hurry with the wolves!”
“Not yet!” Her red eyes were narrowed, her claws digging into the rock, her canines lengthening “The Teeth are just hitting the valley now Buy us five rated to Finn, “Make your mountain move!”
“I’ll try!”
I’d only been in battle with one opponent before Now enemies teemed Just when Jack and Selena had both run out of arroe heard a welcoer tide swept forward, driven by the snapping beasts Screams of pain sounded So hands and feet
Red of tooth and claw, Lark’s wolves snatched out throats by the dozens By the ti into the valley, the beasts’ fangs dripped, their sable coats soaked with rancid slime It oozed off them in the rain, like thick paint
Dizziness as I’d never known seized ed toward ainst hi, “I can’t believe I used to think creating illusions was better than sex”
The cannibals arrived in the valley, only to be greeted by hell
Jack helpedorders Shots fired Chaos Muzzle flashes lit up the night, but there were too ers
Just a ht for the Teeth!”
Despite“It worked!” I turned to hug Matthew “We did it!”
He blinked “Did we?”
Face bea his ave him a startled half-srew flustered, closing her s Eone look, but he grinned “Let your freak flag fly, hotness”
As if she couldn’t help herself, she grinned back, flashing fang
As I gazed over our alliance, pride surged through me We’d combined our powers and had created a perfect storm of badassery I felt in my bones that we could defeat Death
Because ere unstoppable With wonder!
I realized I’d spoken aloud when everyone turned tohis chin on n of respect Finn put his arm around her Even Selena’s shoulders jutted back
That e heard the first cannon
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“What the hell?” Selena cried as uns on steroids began blasting
“I know that sound” Jack’s expression was grim “It’s artillery Just like the Ar—they were yelling with pleasure,down the zombies
Frouns, their bullets cutting through the Bagh hay
Selena narrowed her eyes at Lark “You couldn’t see that they were sporting that kind of weaponry?” She strapped her bow over her chest, preparing to run
“I said they had trucks I didn’t knoas in the Lark’s voice “?‘I know the Teeth up and down’ How could you uard?”
“They’ll be corabbed s were already like jelly I reached for Matthew to hold my hand The others followed
As we ran, Lark said, “They ” By the ti her as ound around charred tree trunks