WendyAlec's eyes widen. "What?"I nod over his shoulder, and he turns just in time to watch the two men saunter to a table. They haven't seen us yet, and without helmets on, I have no way of knowing whether they were at Hawthorn or not.The fact that they're here, though, doesn't feel like chance. They must suspect the Golden Coin is in Nova Scotia.Alec grabs my hand. "We need to get out of here."He yanks me towards the end of the hallway, but we stop. There's no exit.My chest heaves, and I start shaking with adrenaline. It's not my weird strength coming to the surface, though. It's pure fear.The men are talking to the captain, standing on either side of him, their voices so low I can't hear a thing.If we walk across the main room, they'll notice us right away. We're trapped.Alec curses under his breath, and we lean against the hallway's wall, feeling like two animals in a cage."The bathroom." I tug on his poncho, and we hurry back down the hall.Apparently, we've

HeatherThe third floor is quiet, and I move along the carpet like a mouse. I don't know where all the Silver Hunters have gone, but there have definitely been less of them the last day.I saw about twenty of them crossing the bridge and taking off in cars and motorcycles. Does that mean they're giving up on Hawthorn?I doubt it.I also doubt anyone is coming to save us.Even if I could get to my phone, it wouldn't matter. It's nearly impossible to get any service on this stupid island, in these stupid woods."... we need more boots on the ground,” a woman says from around the corner.My breath freezes in my throat, and I desperately search for somewhere to hide. Spotting an open classroom door, I slip through it.The room is dark, and I thankfully have the cover of night to keep me safe. Crouching low, I peek through the crack as two Silver Hunters turn into the hallway and stop. They both have their helmets off, and the woman has long, blonde hair that falls down her back.

WendyWe manage to get off Scarlett Cove and onto the next island without any issues. As the morning passes us by, we head into this new town and check things out."I don't think we'll find any clues here," I mumble as Alec and I walk through the center of a farmer's market."No, but we'll find breakfast." He goes up to a stand selling baked goods, buys two croissants, and brings one over to me."Thanks," I say, before gratefully biting into it.The trip from Scarlett Cove to the next large island was less than an hour, but maybe it's the adrenaline from last night that's making me so ravenous.We keep walking through the farmer's market, observing everything. The stands are of all shapes and sizes, and some of them are built with old planks of wood, painted over with bright colors and retro designs. Winter squash, lettuce, and meats are everywhere, and the snow is padded flat from everyone's shoes.Alec and I blend in effortlessly, easily lost in the crowd of people strolling

NoraThis is not how I saw my day going at all. I was supposed to go grocery shopping, then meet up with my book club later. Not host a safehouse for teachers who escaped a massacre at Hawthorn Academy.I’m glad the professors are here, though. I just wish everyone else was as well. Especially my niece, Wendy.Even though I’ve never met her, I think about her every day. I promised her father I would check in on her if she ever were to go to Hawthorn. Since I don’t even know where she is, I’ve failed horribly.“I hate sitting here waiting,” Davis Stills says from his spot on my living room couch. “Me too.” Marybelle paces the floor. The two teachers are both good friends of mine, and since the moment they arrived at my door, I’ve thanked the heavens for keeping them safe.“I do too,” I agree. “But it’s too soon to go out. The Silver Hunters could be anywhere.”A knock at the front door makes all three of us look up. Davis stands, and Marybelle goes to the closed curtains.

WendyThe island's lights are still visible when I cut the motor."Was that intentional?" Alec asks. "Or did we just get trapped out here?""It was intentional. Since we keep seeing them on every island, they must have a boat, too, right? And I bet it's a lot faster and better than ours.""Good point.""Let's just wait a while and make sure they're not following us," I say. "It'll be easier to hide if we're not making any noise."We sit there quietly, the waves lapping against our boat's hull. After a few minutes, Alec clears his throat."Wendy, I ...""It's okay."He sighs with frustration. "No, it's not. I didn't want you to ... that's not a side of me I want you to see."I shake my head. "I'm a big girl. I can handle it."His shoulders slump forward. He's gonna feel down about this no matter what I say, and I hate that."Are you feeling better now?" I ask."I feel like a new person. The strength I have now is absolutely unbelievable."I lick my lips and watch a cargo