Chapter 10: What Felicity Said

Ash was on shift at the ranger station when Felicity knocked on the cabin door.

It was after eleven, and I was alone on the couch, still seeing the white light rise through my fingers.

I opened the door a hand's width.

My sister stood on the porch in a long cream coat with her honey-blonde hair pulled back.

She looked small and tired and very much like the girl who had once held my hand under the covers during thunderstorms.

"Please," she said. "Five minutes."

I let her in.

She sat on the edge of the plaid couch with her coat still buttoned, and looked around the cabin.

"Anders drove me," she said. "He's waiting in the car."

"Okay."

"I know you hate me."

"I don't hate you," I said, and was surprised to find it true. "I'm just done."

She flinched.

Then she reached into her purse and took out a thick white envelope, and set it on the table between us.

"Mom took this out of the safe," she said. "It's twelve thousand dollars. It's yours."

"It's your wages, with something extra. All you have to do is stay away from the Stone on Thursday."

I looked at the envelope.

"So now I can have my money back."

"You'll be with Ash. You don't need the pack. You always find a way to be fine."

Her voice cracked.

"And I'll be safe. You know what happens to me without the seat. Dad says the pack's healer comes with it."

"Dad says."

"Please."

"You're paying me to stay away from a Stone you say can't wake for me," I said. "Try again."

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