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Molly
apologetically for the snub, but stands her ground. “I’m going with you guys.”
    Surprisingly, it’s Sloane who steps in and
faces down Evie. Even though Evie can’t see her, she seems to respond to Sloane’s
menacing presence. That only intensifies as Olivia relays her words to Evie. “You
were trusted with the task of caring for the little Aerling girl, correct?” Sloane
demands.
    I don’t know what Sloane does back in the
Aerling world, but even I have to admit she can be pretty intimidating. Evie
tries to hold her ground in the face of the question, but her hands twist
together, betraying her nerves. “Yeah, but my parents are here. They can take
care of her while we’re gone. I need to go with you guys! I can’t lose my
sister again.”
    “What training do you have that will make
you an asset and not a hindrance?” Sloane demands. When Olivia repeats the
question, Evie bristles.
    “Training?” Evie glances over at her
sister. “I’ve been helping Olivia and Mason figure all this stuff out since we
found out about Sentinels and Aerlings. I can…”
    “You can do what? Fight Sentinels? Guide
us to the Mother? Manage the traitorous captive?” Sloane asks, gesturing at
Robin, who has largely been forgotten on the ground for the time being. Evie
glances over at her as well when Olivia mentions her name, her eyes fiery with
hatred, but before she can say anything, Sloane says, “You can do none of these
things. What you can do is protect the little Aerling, Molly, as you have
promised to do.”
    “But…”
    Sloane shakes her head and Olivia now
looks just as determined as she plays messenger, clearly agreeing. “Evie, we
must move quickly and we will be facing many dangers. If you cannot fight, you
will be the one to end up hurt or killed. Think of what that would do to your
sister and to Mason.”
    Finally, Evie’s shoulders drop. I know
she’s still pissed that she won’t be coming with us, but her arguments seemed
to have died for now. She’s been here the last three days, watching her parents
and Hayden’s parents suffer over losing a child. It’s enough to make her back
down, though she takes her sister’s hand again and holds on tightly.
    “But, I can fight,” Molly says
again, this time more subdued. “I won’t let the Sentinels get me.”
    Olivia comes over next to me with Evie in
tow. She wraps one arm around Molly’s little frightened body and presses her
forehead to hers. “We know you can fight,” she says, “but that doesn’t mean you
need to. Last time, you helped protect Mason when he was hurt and couldn’t
protect himself. This time, it’s our turn to protect you, and all the other
Aerlings. I know you want to come with us, but Mason will be able to fight
better and beat all those stupid Sentinels if he knows you’re safe here with
Evie and Mom and Dad. He’ll call you every day so you know he’s okay, too.”
    “But I don’t want to be away from my
brother,” Molly says, sniffling as tears run down her cheeks. “I don’t even
have Hayden to be my Escort when Mason isn’t here like he promised he would.
They both left me here.” Fat crocodile tears begin rolling down her face and I
know we’re on the verge of a full meltdown.
    Turning Molly to face me, I say. “Where’s
my little lie detector when I need her?”
    Confused, Molly just looks at me for a
minute. When I don’t back down, she wakens her power and brings it up like a
net between us. I feel it fall into place and say, “I will come back to get you
once the Sentinels are defeated.”
    Her little eyebrows scrunch together as
she tries to judge the truth of my words. I’m talking about the future, so it’s
not as cut and dry as a simple yes or no, but after a few seconds, Molly nods.
“It’s as true as it can be,” she says.
    “Even if I have to go back to the Aerling
world,” I tell her, “I won’t leave until I come see you first. If I can stay
until it’s time for you to go