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After a solid minute of that crap, I wiped my mouth on my jacket sleeve and took out my phone to dial Amber

She picked up i s with the cool air of Sandia Peak It was always several degrees cooler at the top of the ood Helped calm my stomach and clear my head until I could at least see to ascend the dozens of rah Finance, the restaurant at the top of the peak

"We’re sitting outside the restaurant, against the back wall Please, hurry, Aunt Charley So too fast for me to understand"

"I’ to my feet

The man held out a hand and I looked up to thank him, only to come face-to-face with Captain Eckert He’d followed me Had he been in the sa a tan jacket and knit cap, clearly a irl stuck to my face on the ride up

I could tell by the disappoint his features he hadn’t wanted ht then and there, but at thaton to his jacket again for stability I dragged hi past the sightseers enjoying the gorgeous scenery the Land of Enchantment had to offer Eckert helpedht knee My vision was still iate the uneven grounds right The world tipped perilously onto its side over and over I kept expecting the captain to ask , but to his credit, he kept his el was still there, too He followed behind us

Uncaring of anything the captain thought about me anymore, I spoke to him "Go find them, hon, and tell me exactly where they are"

"Already did" He dashed past us and led the way "Over here," he said e topped the stairs to the restaurant He pointed and I rushed over to Quentin and Amber

"Aunt Charley!" She ran intoHe won’t talk to ainst the back wall of the restaurant with his head between his knees, his ar hiive him that But this was more

I touched his ar with hi to ride up here and look around, then be back before school let out"

"When did he start getting upset?" I asked her

"On the ride up He got real nervous and then just kind of shrank into hi hts, but he said he wasn’t"

"No, hon, he wasn’t," I said I barely took note of the captain hovering nearby Whatever he was up to, whatever he was planning, he could biteto coax hiht the aftereffects of Miranda’s memories I squeezed reat, so all-consu She’d loved her ave birth to her didn’t love her back But the fault surely rested on her shoulders She’d been so certain She’d caused her own reater hands than mine Hands that truly kne to heal He’d help her understand that none of that was her fault

And if he was as just as I hoped, her ressions

I fought so er The anger was all ht, ain with Quentin "Angel," I said, waving hiirl, Charley I didn’t know"

"I didn’t either, hon But what can I do for Quentin?"

"I don’t know He’s still alive That’s not really my area" When I turned back in disappointht Maybe you could do what you did with her"

I started to argue with hiestion It was certainly worth a shot I petted Quentin’s blond hair and let ather instorm But before I could send it out, Quentin looked up, his cerulean blue eyes glistening with fear and uncertainty I let the energy inside h it took hinize me, he furrowed his brows, then blinked and rushed intoti to thefrolanced atthe knit cap in her hands Angel was sitting against the wall next to us He seemed very curious about Quentin, and I couldn’t believe I’d never introduced the that encircled the restaurant in thick wooden planks It was a beautiful place and a stunning view

"What’s wrong with him?" the captain asked