ARIA WINTERS
I show Kale the message when he wakes up and he reads it just once. He doesn't ask questions or negotiate. Just hands it back to me, goes to the door, and calls Marcus in that tone that means handle everything, Marcus appears from nowhere like he was already waiting.
"Cover the pack," Kael says. "Lock Sienna down tight. I don't want her going anywhere without two people on her."
"How long?"
"Few hours. Dawn."
Marcus nods and disappears. Kael gets his jacket from the hook by the door, checks something at his hip, and then looks at me.
"Stay close," he says quietly.
"Yeah," I say. "Okay."
****
The north clearing is empty when we get there.
Or it looks empty. The tree line is still and dark and the grass is wet with dew and I can't hear anything except my own heartbeat
