“Not without Alina,” she whispered.
“Then keep her with you every minute.”
“Not withoutyou.”
“I’ll have to fight my way out. If you’re safe, I can do it. Please, I’m begging you,go.I’ll find you.”
She knew he was lying. “I don’t want to leave without you.”
“I know, but if you’re safe, I’ll be okay. Even if I’m not with you, Ineedto know that you’re safe. I need to know that wherever you are, thatyou’reall right.”
She asked him, “What’s happening tomorrow?”
He curled around her, his muscles contracting as he gasped.
Flicka held him more tightly.
“A terrible thing,”he said. “I don’t want you to know because it cuts me, it breaks me, but I’m going to stop it. Last time, I stopped it from happening. I’ll stop it this time, too, but I need you to be gone and to be safe.”
