e. The wind was sharper, the sky more bruised. Clo

Lena's words

uldn't

from the truth

e confessions. Something terrible h

crawled out

. they we

chen table, sorting through letters. Her glasses rested low on

ay?" sh

d and offered

shaking as she pour

continued. "We'll drop them off tomor

led on the envelo

tared

wa

hat be

ing anyone that. Didn't

of it felt rig

n Ha

it was al

t first, then harder, as if the sky

dn't sle

ulled to her chest, staring in

she s

igu

as be

trees, barely visible ben

art st

didn't l

odie, her flashlight, and s

s darker than

ud sucked at her shoes. The ai

her light left and right

ans

r and deeper, until the li

found s

lea

center-a

it, breath shallo

the bench

n Ha

umbled

s... he

of movement-a blur

ow

tu

l

m the rain

sed to be here,"

?" she demanded. "W

pressed tight. "Bec

le

nd of rain a

possible," s

y made you forget," Eli said. "

happ

ou

ing. Something powerful. And dange

ad, backing away

remember who you were. That's why they're

a?" Rowa

"She was your

throat t

as

e you. And she fa

Rowan's knees gave out, and she sat

he truth,

ide her. "It's n

ake it

his jacket. A photograph-

e from the framed pict

e, there wer

wa

e

l

ond hair, gray eyes

he?" Row

s Kai. He's the reason you forgo

dn't

n't ha

gether in silence,

ached the hous

ho forgot her name, Rowan

wh

ice low. "To the truth. And to

appeared in

d off her wet clothes and sta

e e

nec

e etched

n't fee

't exactly a

and opened

Th

is Rowan

di

came

want me to

I

osed t

, lightning struck the old