Page 85 of The Tracker's Dawn: Sunderverse

“What?!” He held me back at arm’s length. “What did she want?”

I couldn’t explain. My head was pounding from lack of sleep orphantasma-whatever-she’d-called-it. A host of emotions crashed in my chest. Hatred, fear, frustration. God, when would this end?

I just wanted my life to go back to normal. Would I ever be able to worry about nothing more than paying my bills on time, what to wear to the office, and eating one too many donuts?

Was it too much to ask?

CHAPTER 28

Jake was holding hishead, elbows on the kitchen table. Rosalina, Eric, and Damien were sitting with us, also looking at a loss.

“That crazy bitch!” Jake exclaimed, pounding a fist on the table.

“It feels like she’s always a step ahead,” Damien said.

Yes, he was right. She always seemed to know what we were going to do.

How?!

“So what are we going to do?” Rosalina asked.

I shook my head. Everyone was in danger because of me, so I didn’t feel like I should be the one deciding our next course of action. It felt wrong.

“We still have a job to finish,” Damien said, weaving his hands in a mock spell. “The clock is ticking.”

Jake and I exchanged a loaded glance. I could tell he felt the same way as me. I’d had a few minutes to think more carefully and realized I couldn’t expect them to help us—not when a Midnight Witch had threatened their lives and they should be heading out of St. Louis on the next flight.

“Have you decided whether or not to ask your sister for help?” Eric asked.

I shook my head and made as if to leave at the table.

Rosalina grabbed my hand and kept me from going. “I know what you’re thinking,” she said. “You feel bad because you think Mekare’s threats are your fault, because you put us in danger. And I’m tired of telling you—and I don’t think I speak only for myself—that I make my own decisions. You and I are in this together, and I’m going to help you see this thing through. After that, we can focus our attention entirely on getting rid of that witch.”

She glanced toward Eric and Damien, who immediately and without hesitation assented.

“I agree with her,” Damien said.