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I feel not only Noah’s eyes on me as I leave, but Victorian’s, as well Worrywarts Neither will ever get used to the idea that I can handle myself Eli worries, too, but he’s learned to keep most of it to himself Besides, I’m with a vicious vaer on crack

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Eli says outside

I give him a srins "What?"

I sink my elbow in his ribs "That!"

I take off

Eli takes off after ates, lass?" Peter calls from behind me

"No, thanks!" I reply, and take one leap to clear the tall, wrought-iron ht beside rins, and we both turn left at a normal run A ht revelers, college kids

We make it almost to Parliament, where it’s darker, and turn left onto Carlton Not much activity, so we pick up the pace I look over at him "To the top of the rins

Its two thirty ah is quiet, including Vittoria’s, which h, this street is safe Staying close to the stone buildings, the shadoe free run Bounding off walls, garden gates, and tree trunks, we move swiftly, silently, at speeds a mortal can’t possibly conceive I can barely conceive it I’m pretty positive that even if we do pass a h to actually see what they think they saw

Eli has trouble keeping up with ood, healthy, strong, and I stretch the strides a bit more My skin and the Lycra feel one and the sas, because I am a mortal, after all, yet I’ still, un

We hit Waterloo Place and really open up In the heart of the city there are plenty of shadowy places to hide, and we take advantage of them I’m ahead of Eli now, and I’m determined to reach the top of that damn monument before he does

Waverly Station comes into view and I head toward it Pass it Hit Princes Street and slon long enough to find shadows again, then turn up the speed Thethe sky--and after a few leaps onto the aged stone spires, I’ed stone scrapes rab the point and brace ht, I can see the whole city Exhilaration fills me, and I want to shout but I don’t Instead I look down, readying myself to have my ankle yanked by Eli

Eli isn’t here

My eyes scan the spire and farther down the monument The street below ius Dupré, where the hell are you?

For a second, no answer My heart skips, and I descend the round and stay in the shadows of the aged arched stone, waiting Adrenaline fills un sinceinside of oddamn it! You better answer me Swear to God, this isn’t funny!

No answer My eyes scan Princes Street and back toward Waverly Station Theand the more Eli doesn’t answer me inside my head, the more frantic I become It’s not like him to be silent Especially when it co unknown shit in Edinburgh I begin to h the streets Closer to the train station

It’s not quite three am, and Waverly’s insides are dark and closed up The station itself is huge, and I’ve already watched a security car go by twice I’ is drawing

And it’s not a good one

Eli, if you’re fucking with ive you Swear to God Iwith ’s up and I know it My insides feel icy with fear This is completely out of Eli’s character

I stop a second, lean ainst the stone wall, and think Concentrate Get your head together, Poe