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I’d asked him if Jackson had been with Selena--and I’d received the same response I still couldn’t tell if they had The two of the deeper was at work

At least Jackson didn’t Selena was clearly head over heels for hiht not be the only one

If I could find out for certain that he wanted more fro co for hiavehappen to you If they toss you out, I’ll go with"

I’d told Jackson asmistake

Yesterday, in one of the rareSelena had been out of earshot, Jackson had gruffly muttered to me, "Do you think that boy can take care of you? Can protect you on the road?"

I’d blinked in confusion "Uh, will he need to?" Then doubts had arisen "Ohh, I see how it is The tribe has spoken You and Selena are going to lighten the load Will you at least give me notice so we can be ready?"

Jackson had drawn his head back, his jaw ht have accidentally overheard you and Selena talking You called Matthew a resource-suck, said he was burning through the food" Would Jackson look at Matthew through "greater good" glasses? Especially with Selena’s influence and doubt- I tend to consider in decision- whether to maroon him?"

"And ould you do if I did?"

"Go with hio with hiht I saw soaze, then--

Gone His expression had grown shuttered oncetone, "Maybe that’s what I should do! Let you two make your oay, one more useless than the other If I wasn’t so sure I’d be sending you to your grave, I’d probably cut bait now!" Then he’d stor me shaken

We hadn’t spoken aze on me in the rearview mirror

Now I told Matthew, "I don’t want you to worry about getting abandoned, okay? Promise me"

"We don’t need them," he said "You need your allies"

"Okay, I’ll play Who are they?"

"Arsenal!"

"Shhh, kid" Assister and best friend to Matthew, he could nettle ined this hat it’d be like with a sibling on a long road trip

In a quieter tone, he said, "You need to practice your powers Phyto new! "Does that ry"

Patience "Matthew, if I’ to be htly "Flex your thorn claws"

Suddenly self-conscious that another person knew about them, I made fists "I can’t just force thehborhood "Or can I?"

He gave a long-suffering sigh

I focusedNothing happened I concentrated again Saave up "You said I had other"--possibly easier--"abilities? What are they? What’s my Arcana call?"

"I don’t see your claws" He peered athis own Topic finished

"Oh, I get it We’re on a neard syste at the van roof

Maybe I should just let things unfold We could be at Gran’s in less than teeks I could wait till then to bombard her with all my questions

What am I? Why am I this way? What is my purpose?

Can the world besaved?

Suddenly Matthew shot upright, his face paling "Death sends his regards"

At once, Selena turned down the music I saw Jackson’s eyes narrow in the rearviewfor Death, Evie? We’ve talked of what the future brings"

Oh, no, no If our cryptic exchanges weren’t enough to make me batty, Matthew also liked to talk about his visions of Death A lot Which kept e--Jackson as well

And Jackson didn’t even know that Matthew referred to a real ht who’d vowed to executeJackson had told Matthew, "You mention death one more time, and I’ll knock you into next week Comprends?"

"Already been there," Matthew had answered Now he told me, "You have to be ready for Death, Evie"

Jackson said, "I warned you, coo-yôn!"

Selena touched his forear, Be-patient-for-Evie’s-sake look

Her personality had been grating on hts of annoyance But as ever, I was filled with doubts about her How fitting I didn’t feel I could trust her, but I sensed I ht have todepend on her?

Matthew asked h I had no idea what he was talking about, I promised, "Yes, Matthew Let’s just lie back"

"You won’t kill me?"

Jackson shot me a look in the mirror

Under my breath, I said, "I’d never hurt you!"

"Death won’t wait forever" With a confident nod, he added, "Strike first or be first struck"

When Jackson gripped the steering wheel harder, I said, "Hey, let’s talk about soet to see the space shuttle in Florida?" Nothing "How about those rascally Ewoks, huh?"

"I’ain "He sees you even now You’ll meet the Reaper soon"