I watched Poke’s eyes widen, so I knew he had heard Charlie. For a second, I thought I saw his face soften, but then, quick as a blink, his jaw set, and he and The Shadow took a step forward with the Unremembered coming right behind them.
I groaned. It felt, in that moment, that kindness and love could never win, but then Alonso squeezed my hand, and Jed winked at me. Then I remembered. We’d won with love and kindness before, and I knew we would again. How I was sure, I couldn’t say, and that realization sent my stomach rocketing to my knees, but I was certain.
And I knew what I had to do. I had to feel sympathy for that little boy that Poke was. I had to set my heart to love, as Sharon said, and push my way forward with it. I couldn’t think about what Poke had done to my friends or me,
