Allison P.O.V.Blue Light territory smells like a stone and wet earth. The pines stand taller here, the air thinner and the roads cut into the ridge with the kind of patience only old hands must have had to cut them the way they are. We take the pass in a three-vehicle ribbon, Blake and me up front, Elliott and Cassie in the second, a lean spear team in the third. Xander, our head warrior, rides the rear bench with his boots on the floor like he might leap before the truck stops. He’s been vibrating since Luna Rose’s call.“Don’t try to impress her,” I say over my shoulder.“I’m very bad at impressing people,” Xander says, deadpan. “It just happens.”Blake snorts. “Happened to every auntie in our dining hall last week, if I recall.”“That was charm,” Xander says, wounded. “Entirely different animal.”“Down, boy,” I tell him, but my mouth is already pulling a smile. He’s chaos with good aim, our best spear lead when Elliott isn’t allowed to break ordinances, irreverent as sin and loya
Last Updated : 2025-09-17 Read more