“Which one of us regrets that more, I wonder?” I said, and then I ran to the front door and jumped.
37
I SNAPPED OUT my wings before I hit the ground, and soared up into the rapidly cooling night air. My head was spinning, and it wasn’t only because of the four pieces of cake I’d had. Though right now I was regretting them.
I needed answers. I needed someone to say, “This is how it is, without a doubt.” Only problem was, who would I trust to tell me that?
You can trust me, Max.
I groaned and rolled my eyes. Perfect. The Voice chiming in now was the perfect thing to push me right over the edge.
Max, if you get pushed over the edge … you’ll just fly, right?
I hated it when the Voice said things like that, turned my own words around on me.
Yeah, sure. If one can snarl a thought, and I believe one can, I snarled that one. But listen, Voice, now that I have your attention — got a question for you: Why is Jeb really here? Why did he bring Dylan?
The Voice was silent. My mind filled the silence with:
Could Jeb possibly be here to carry out Angel’s prediction? To kill Fang?
He’d brought us into this world. I knew he was capable of taking us out of it.
And — had he brought Dylan to replace Fang?
If Dylan was here so Fang could be eliminated, then World War III was about to break out.
I clutched the snake necklace Angel had made for me. Fang wore the matching one around his neck. He was my perfect other half.
I know you love Fang, the Voice said now, not answering my questions. Fang’s an amazing guy. But you two have too much history together. Dylan has … potential. Great potential.
No way! I almost shouted out loud. I swear I’m gonna kick their butts out of here!
Jeb has his own reasons for being here, said the Voice. But I want you to think about Dylan, the possibilities there. He could help you.
Yeah? Like how? I yelled inside my head.
He has incredible Sight. He doesn’t realize it yet. But he can see things happening far away, can see people across oceans — maybe even across time.
I was so shocked I stopped flapping; only the wind yanking my wing muscles up tight made me snap out of it. That was exactly what my dream had been about — Dylan saying that to me.
Max — if you and Fang are together, there’s only one flock. But if you and Dylan are together, and Fang is leading a different flock … you’re all twice as likely to survive in the ev
ent of an apocalypse.
My fevered brain tried to process this. And who would Fang be with? What other flock? Are there more like Dylan?
Again the Voice didn’t answer me directly. Big surprise. You and Fang are both too independent. You both tend to solve problems with force, violence. Dylan has different instincts. Which broadens your possibility for survival?
The Voice was hitting me below the belt, in that it was using reason and patience on me. Totally unfair tactics. I lashed back. This is too weird and stupid, even for you, I thought scathingly.
Max — confront your fears said the Voice. Then it went silent.
38
I WAS STILL about a half mile from home when I smelled smoke. I sped up, and my heart seized as I saw the toofamiliar bright flickering of flames coming from inside the house. I swooped inside and skidded to a halt in the foyer.
Our couch was in flames.