Page 26 (1/2)

"He turned everyone over to the Highers," Aiden snaps "There wasn’t any good in hiood with the bad," I state to no one in particular "No one is corees "Your view on life has totally been distorted by medicine and a certain doctor"

For ahiing the subject "I’ proof that there is We just need to find it And right now, everything I know points to Cell 7 It’s where this all started and I hers and all"

"How do you know that’s where the cure is?" he asks "Just because the virus started in Cell 7, doesn’t mean it ends there"

"Do you have a better idea?" I ask

He shrugs, surrendering "Do whatever you want You’ve proved h times thatsound and scratches his fingers the air "I feel the claws coo with you, Kayla" Maci interrupts and clings to my hand "Please take me with you"

I look to Aiden for help, but he brushes o" He pauses "At least to the edge of the city anyway But not in the Cell 7 It’s too dangerous"

"And leave her there with the Day Takers?" I ask "I don’t think that’s such a great idea"

"No, don’t leave her with the Day Takers" Aiden stands and pops his neck "I’one"

I’ood idea And besides, you just said you didn’t think the answers are in Cell 7 And you really don’t want to be around o?" he asks baffled "We have nothing left out here for us"

"So instead you want to go with a Day Taker and a Day Walker?" I question "Why a," he says

I waver, because he’s not lying

He forces a so with you anymore?"

I shake my head "No, I just…worry"

Sylas pats me on the back "See you’re not co hu we don’t possess"

I almost call out his lie, but back off because he’d only deny it "So we’re all going, then? At least to the edge of the city?"

We exchange agreeing looks and then our eyes dart to Greyson

"Greyson?" Aiden asks "Are you coo, but after we bury Cedrix He deserves thatmy sword in my belt "What does that ," Aiden explains with a subdued tone "Whenever soround to show our respect"

I don’t understand what they’re feeling, but they seeo back, but we need to hurry And we’re not walking at night That’s still a rule, as much as it’s related to The Colony At least for you four"

"Why the hell aory as theet what I aaze downfalls to his abdoood idea"

He quickly protects the injury with his hand and pulls his hair farther over his forehead "Yeah, but I heal," he points out and slowly lowers his hand, showing me his smooth skin, crusted with blood "See, healed"

"Do whatever you want" I turn for the arch "I can’tunder his breath "Maybe you could, if you really, really wanted to"

I shakeAiden doesn’t hear hi at my lips

Before we leave, I make everyone empty their pockets to check e have "No water No food" I count down on ers "One knife, a sword, and an eht and a…" I collect the spool "And a thing of wire"

Greyson shrugs, with his hands in his pockets "It ht come in handy You never know Besides, Maci told me to put it in my pocket before the fire started"

"That’s it" I rub my temples "That’s all we have"

Maci runs up and adds a glass vial to the pile "And this too!"

Sylas and I trade inquisitive glances and I pick up the vial "Does anyone knohat this is?"

We all lean over and peer at the vial resting in the palm of my hand

"What color is that?" Greyson asks "White?"

Aiden plucks the vial from my hand "It’s more like clear, with a swirl of different colors"

"Like a rainbow," Maci states proudly

"What’s a rainbow?" We ask simultaneously

She points at the sky and curves her finger in the air "It's the color that arches across the sky after it rains Don’t worry, you’ll find out soon"